Hanigan on small side, but prepared for catching duties

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By Hal McCoy, Staff Writer Updated 2:50 AM Wednesday, July 22, 2009

LOS ANGELES — Ryan Hanigan is listed a 6-foot and 201 pounds, but those measurements must have been taken after Thanksgiving Dinner.

Although he is sturdy and one could bounce a dime off his biceps, Hanigan looks as if a Santa Ana wind might blow him from Dodger Stadium to the San Gabriel Mountains.

Hanigan knows what lies ahead now that Ramon Hernandez underwent surgery and will miss at least the next four weeks — a steady diet of playing time.

Did somebody say diet? Hanigan says he will survive because he has planned for this moment his entire life.

"This is what I train for, what I plan for in the off-season," said the 28-year-old catcher who was signed by the Reds off a tryout field. "I have the some mentality. I'm ver conscious of taking care of my body — hydrating, stretching diet, all that stuff.

"I know the Dog Days are here and I'm doing everything I can do to keep the energy up," he added. "I'll grind it out, it is what it is, it always gets hot this time of year. You just find a way not to think about it."

Hanigan has thrown out the last four runners trying to steal second and is 14 for 30 (47%) this year. His .321 batting average is second among all league rookies and his .412 on-base average is the best.

Baker's visitors

One of the fun things about sitting in Dusty Baker's office is the former players who pass through and on Tuesday it was former Dodgers Tommy Davis and Derrel Thomas.

"Thomas was the best utility player I ever played with," said Baker. "He could play anywhere, both sides of the diamond, infield, outfield."

Thomas was a high-spirited showboat player and as Baker said, "He used to get drilled a lot by the other teams. He'd say, 'Why they always drilling me?' He'd say, 'They don't drill you or Reggie Smith, always me.' He hasn't figured it out yet that it was all that hot dog stuff he did on the field."

Baker said Davis is the reason he wears No. 12.

"One of my heroes," said Baker. "I asked him, 'What did you do in '62?' He said, 'I scored 120 runs, hit .346, had 153 RBIs, 27 homers and had 230 hits. I struck out 65 times in 665 at-bats.'"

Added Baker, "That's what Hank Aaron used to try to get us to do, a one in ten strikeouts to at-bats ratio."

Eric the Red

Roving instructor Eric Davis, who lives in LA, is in uniform for this series but won't go to Chicago, "Because it's vacation time, at least seven days. Since the draft I've been in Dayton, Utah, Montana, all over the placed."

Asked if he wanted to manage, Davis said, "Eventually, yes. But first I want to help build a team, like I'm doing now, before I manage it."

Weathering the rumors

David Weathers had a question: "Where am I going tomorrow?"

He smiled and said, "It was the Texas Rangers today. Three of my buddies called me and said they heard on the radio I had been traded to the Rangers and it would be announced today."

He is still in the Reds bullpen.

Quote of the day

"I wanted to make my defense work, not get behind in the counts." — Micah Owings, after giving up seven runs and nine hits in five innings Monday, to which Baker said, "Too many belt-high pitches right over the plate."

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