Votto: knee and WBC update

Buried in a spring training game story
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/indians...9137--mlb.html

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Votto, the 2010 NL MVP, reported to training camp healthy after missing 48 games in 2012 following two arthroscopic surgeries on his left knee. He's been given a spot on Team Canada's roster for the upcoming World Baseball Classic, but Votto wants to play a few more games and see how he feels before committing to the event.

Baker likes what he's seen so far from his first baseman.

''Joey looked great, actually,'' he said. ''He was running the bases well. You didn't see any signs of anything. He swung the bat well.''

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I think if Joey wants to play, Joey plays. The way Dusty talks about letting him decide his days on and off during spring training and how confident he is in Joey's self-diagnosis, I can't see the Reds telling him anything besides, "do what you think is right." That said, I hope he doesn't play.

He homered today vs. the Brewers.

which brings up a question I had earlier. The game thread section for spring training is a little "slow" right now (probably typical for early season spring training games). I don't think I saw any updates for sunday's games, saturday's updates were attached at the end of friday's game thread.

Its probably not expected to have a game thread for every ST game, but would a generic "ST update for not threaded games" be worthwhile in the game thread forum? Kind of a catch all for games like this weekend or today when nobody is listing out the lineups and play by play.

Oh, and for Joey's homer...
:jump:

I was sitting on the 3B side today when Votto took one out to left field...pretty impressive berm shot to the opposite field. I liked it!:D

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Originally Posted by HitByPitch

I was sitting on the 3B side today when Votto took one out to left field...pretty impressive berm shot to the opposite field. I liked it!:D

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Oh hellz yeah.

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Originally Posted by HitByPitch

I was sitting on the 3B side today when Votto took one out to left field...pretty impressive berm shot to the opposite field. I liked it!:D

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Not that I don't appreciate a home run by Votto, I would rather he hit one to RF. If he starts doing that, then I would take that as a sign he's back to normal.

Isn't harder for a lefty to hit a HR to left field, when their natural pull hitting is to right field?

I'm more impressed with a HR to left field for Joey.

I think the majority of Votto's power is to left and left center field. I don't think he has ever pulled the majority of his homers.

Votto needs to be "managed"...he's got a reputation (well founded) that he tends to push on the accelerator a little too hard. I hope Dusty doesn't take a seat back and let the veteran decide - these are the types of things that need managed. Much like a pitcher who always says he can go (even when his arm is falling off). Manage him Dusty.

Dusty's never done that in the past. If anything, he's always erred on the side of caution. I wouldn't worry about that with Dusty. When a player says he's ready, Dusty gives him extra days off...period.

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Originally Posted by Chip R

Not that I don't appreciate a home run by Votto, I would rather he hit one to RF. If he starts doing that, then I would take that as a sign he's back to normal.

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His power has always been to center / left-center. There's never been any parking in the white zone.

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Originally Posted by DaytonFlyer

His power has always been to center / left-center. There's never been any parking in the white zone.

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I'm not saying he doesn't have power the other way. I'm saying that after he came back last year, he didn't have that pull power he had before. He wasn't getting around on pitches like he was before. The Reds aren't paying that much money for him to be a Punch and Judy hitter.

Punch and Judy hitters don't go oppo.