If players weren't overmatched by good pitching...then it wouldn't be good pitching, would it?
Votto either needs ML at bats this year, or the Reds should trade him in the offseason while he has value. Knowing the Reds, they'll screw this up too.
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It might seem like what I said was redundant; obviously, the worse the pitcher, the better the hitter will hit. But I'm just trying to say that I think it's particularly the case with Votto (kind of like Adam Dunn, who seems to do his best hitting when the outcome of the game is already decided). I hope I'm wrong, though.
I might be perceived as someone who doesn't buy into Joey Votto.
I don't believe in numbers for a reason to promote someone, not when the number is an OPS of .844 as is Votto's case this year at AAA. What is he learning? What is he getting his hits against? Is he still getting killed whenever someone throws him a certain type of pitch or two? Is he just killing fastballs and missing everything else?
I think in Votto's case is that he proved himself a while ago that he should get the chance next spring to earn the starting first base job as a RED for Opening Day 2008, and that it's his to lose.
The mental pressure in the Majors increases five-fold, something Votto could be working on right now while he's slumping. And if some suggest that he's slumping because he's getting a raw deal, then that's a good reason to stay in the minors because he'll have a lot more pressure than that when he gets to the bigs.
My biggest hope is that they start Votto and let him play through the slumps he's inevitably going to get when he is in his first two years in the Majors. I hope they don't treat him like a yo-yo and take him in and out of the lineup. If he's hitting .150 after 21 games, just leave him in and let him work it out.
I'd like to see him up, too, but I think it makes no sense with Hatteberg on the roster. While Hatteberg's up, I think you should let Votto be in a place where he can play every day. Then, unless Hatteberg can somehow fetch draft pick compensation, I'd pick up his option and trade him for whatever I could get and let Votto platoon with Jorge Cantu.