Most overrated player in baseball?

[Wonderful Monds]

denial denial denial dont get me wrong I think Joey Votto is a good player but not 200million dollars good if you actually think hes worth all that money I cant argue with you anymore because it not going to get us anywhere the only thing we can agree on is to disagree I guess

It's not denial IT'S LITERAL FACT ARGHHGHGJHH

[Larkin Fan]

Yeah...but playing that game Josh Hamilton won it the same year, probably really impressing the Angels fans.

Hamilton deserved the AL MVP in 2010. So what's your point?

[OnBaseMachine]

Lance Lynn

[LeDoux]

Yes because it always makes absolute sense to blame the problems of the Reds on the best player on the team. Great logic there, buddy.

As for the Sean Casey comparison, I'm not even touching that ridiculousness.

Obviously, you lack skill at player comparisons. Let me help:

Sean Casey and Joey Votto both played for the Reds at 1B.

Both have 4 letters in their first name and 5 letters in their last name.

Case closed. Sean Casey = Joey Votto.

[Todd Gack]

Sure

If one makes grand statements it's nice to know what they are using as the jumping on point

Like RBIs. Sooooooooo important to some while other aspects not so much

I never said anything as to the importance of RBI's. I'd just like to know, as you do, one way or another a starting point for determining a player's worth before deeming that player as valuable as their contract (or not).

[_Sir_Charles_]

I never said anything as to the importance of RBI's. I'd just like to know, as you do, one way or another a starting point for determining a player's worth before deeming that player as valuable as their contract (or not).

Considering the fact that it's a VERY long contract...there's zero way of knowing if that player is worth that contract. But we can look at it year by year as Doug was. And this year, he is most definitely worth what he's being paid. Odds are very good he will be again next year and the following. I don't think he gets a big bump until like 2016 or so.

[dougdirt]

Let's make it real simple: Is there a team in baseball that wouldn't pay Joey Votto $17M this season (assuming they were all actually trying to compete - which means Houston/Miami were going to actually spend some money)? I can't imagine a scenario where they wouldn't.

[oregonred]

It's not the $43M we are paying Joey from 2013-2015 that are the issue. The Reds should (and better) make some hay with those years. We're robbing from Peter to pay Paul with Votto and Phillips backloaded contracts.

It's the $192M Joey makes after turning 32 from 2016-2023 that is likely to become an issue and lead to some lean years down the road. You can't look at the $17M this year in a vacuum, that's about 7% of what the Reds are on the hook for over the next decade.

Joey is having a fine year, not an elite year but a very good year. Would I like to see him carry the club offensively as we are in the homestretch and in the middle of a 3-6 stinkfest with a tough week ahead - you bet.

[Todd Gack]

Let's make it real simple: Is there a team in baseball that wouldn't pay Joey Votto $17M this season (assuming they were all actually trying to compete - which means Houston/Miami were going to actually spend some money)? I can't imagine a scenario where they wouldn't.

Sure. Most teams would probably pay him 17 million.

But then again, most teams play baseball the way you don't approve of so why use that kind of metric?

[Patrick Bateman]

Matt Adams.

Dude is 25, poorly conditioned, allergic to first base, and can't field. People think the Cards have 2 starting calibre 1st basemen. They don't.

[dougdirt]

Sure. Most teams would probably pay him 17 million.

But then again, most teams play baseball the way you don't approve of so why use that kind of metric?

Why use the kind of metric that says everyone would pay Joey Votto what he is being paid to suggest he isn't overrated, much less the most overrated player in baseball?

I don't even know how to respond to this.

[Patrick Bateman]

Votto is worth 17M by any sane metric chosen. It's simply not a topic worth debating.

[dougdirt]

It's not the $43M we are paying Joey from 2013-2015 that are the issue. The Reds should (and better) make some hay with those years. We're robbing from Peter to pay Paul with Votto and Phillips backloaded contracts.

It's the $192M Joey makes after turning 32 from 2016-2023 that is likely to become an issue and lead to some lean years down the road. You can't look at the $17M this year in a vacuum, that's about 7% of what the Reds are on the hook for over the next decade.

Joey is having a fine year, not an elite year but a very good year. Would I like to see him carry the club offensively as we are in the homestretch and in the middle of a 3-6 stinkfest with a tough week ahead - you bet.

Sure, but what Joey Votto does in 2014 or beyond doesn't make him overrated today does it?

[Tom Servo]

It's also not our money.

[Ironman92]

Hamilton deserved the AL MVP in 2010. So what's your point?

So did Votto....but just because he won the MVP nearly 3 years ago doesn't mean that he can't be considered overrated or that he's even still a good player....(Josh Hamilton)

*please note I do not think Votto is over or underrated, just saying that winning an MVP 3 years ago isn't a great reasoning.