Joey Votto Presser on Pressure: First reports

[Rockermann]

From JohnFay tweets:

Votto: I couldn't take it, thought I was going to die.

Votto says father's death led to severe depession, panic attacks, hospital visits.

[GIDP]

I honestly expect him to return to hte DL.

[corwinator3407]

Originally Posted by GIDP

I honestly expect him to return to hte DL.

Why would you expect something like that when he just comes off?

[LouisvilleCARDS]

Originally Posted by GIDP

I honestly expect him to return to hte DL.

Just wondering: did you get the answer you wanted? Do you think the guy is a pansy for not playing now?

[GIDP]

Originally Posted by LouisvilleCARDS

Just wondering: did you get the answer you wanted? Do you think the guy is a pansy for not playing now?

you guys didnt even understand what I was saying in that thread. I was saying I can completely understand why he could be viewed that way.

[LouisvilleCARDS]

Originally Posted by GIDP

you guys didnt even understand what I was saying in that thread. I was saying I can completely understand why he could be viewed that way.

Originally Posted by GIDP

"That is what im trying to say, if it was related to the inner ear they would have saved Votto a bunch of trouble by saying it was inner ear. Instead they said it was stress and now it makes him look bad. Either its because of stress and he deserves to look bad, or they just made a huge mistake. "

"The idea of someone playing baseball and bailing for "stress related issues" could really tick some fans off."

"In this case the fans were just left in the dark and yes I find it pretty easy that people think his excuse for not playing is a joke and I completely understand if people want to trade him. "

"If you didnt expect people to say suck it up and stop being a sissy I dont know what to say. "

Yeah man, you made it perfectly clear what you meant.

[bounty37h]

Originally Posted by GIDP

you guys didnt even understand what I was saying in that thread. I was saying I can completely understand why he could be viewed that way.

You argued it more then enough to make most thinking people feel that you were saying that it was your feeling, but tried to pass it off as "seeing how others could see it that way".

[GIDP]

Originally Posted by bounty37h

You argued it more then enough to make most thinking people feel that you were saying that it was your feeling, but tried to pass it off as "seeing how others could see it that way".

Not my fault.

[REDSEER]

Wow.

Hopefully he has gotten appropriate treatment and is mentally healthy; regardless of how and when he performs on the field.

[Newman4]

I really am surprised that John Fay put that out there. With all the privacy Joey has requested for Fay to say that on Twitter seems a bit out of character.

[CySeymour]

Originally Posted by Newman4

I really am surprised that John Fay put that out there. With all the privacy Joey has requested for Fay to say that on Twitter seems a bit out of character.

Votto held a press conference in Toronto...he wasn't just telling Fay

[Newman4]

Originally Posted by BigKlu

Votto held a press conference in Toronto...he wasn't just telling Fay

My bad. It didn't sound right if that's all there was to it. Thanks for the correction.

[REDSEER]

Posted by JohnFay at 6/23/2009 5:10 PM EDT on Cincinnati.com

Here’s Joey Votto’s word-for-word explanation of how he ended up the disabled lsit:


“As some of you know, my father passed away last August. The first day back I kind of put that all on back burner and just played baseball all the way to the end of September. I don’t want to use the word suppress because he was in my thoughts and I was dealing with it on a daily basis. But, as powerful a moment that is to lose your father so young in a way I did suppress it. From August to beginning of spring training, I was pretty severely depressed. I was dealing with the anxiety of grief and sadness and fear. Every emotion you can imagine that everyone goes through.


“I had a really difficult time with it. I was by myself down in Florida. I just was really looking forward to baseball. When baseball started up in February, I kind of did the same thing I did last August and threw it all on the side, threw all my emotions on the back burner and played baseball.


“I got sick in May. I had the upper respiratory thing and the ear infection. It was taking the time away from baseball and recovering from being sick when for the first time all emotions that had been pushing to the side that had been dealing with and struggling with in the winter hit me. They hit me a hundred times more than I had been dealing with.


“I was taken out of three separate games. The first game it was a combination of me being ill. But I could tell there was something going on. I couldn’t recover. I had this feeling of anxiety. I had this feeling in my chest. The second time I came out in San Diego, it was similar. But I was healthy and I felt like I could’ve played.


“The third time was in Milwaukee, and I was totally overwhelmed.


“I spoke to some doctors. They came to the conclusion I was dealing with obviously being depressed and anxiety and panic attacks. They were overwhelming to point where I had to go to the hospital on two separated occasions. Once in San Diego and once – nobody had been told about – but I went to the hospital once in Cincinnati when the team was on the road.


“It was very, very scary and crazy night. I had to call 911 at 3 or 4 in the morning. It was probably the scariest moment I ever dealt with in my life. I went to the hospital that night.


“The days I was taken off the field were little, miniature versions of what I was dealing with by myself. Ever since I’ve been on the DL and even the little bit before the DL, I’ve been really struggling with this in my private life. I’d go on the field and try to do my best and play well. I had my spurts when I’d play well. But going out on the field . . . I couldn’t do it anymore because I was so overwhelmed physically by the stuff I was dealing with off the field.


“It finally seeped its way into the game. I just had to put an end to it. I really couldn’t be out there. It’s difficult to explain what I was going through. I couldn’t do it. I physically couldn’t do my job. That’s what I’ve gone through.


“I’ve been talking and seeing some doctors. They’ve been a great help. And speaking to people in general – I spoke to my team last week – and letting people know what I’ve dealing and how difficult this grieving process has been. My father was young, and I’m a young man. I really wish I hadn’t lost my father so young. I’m the oldest brother. I feel like I’m responsible for my family. Maybe I have proclivity for depression or whatever it is.


“But I was dealing with some pretty abnormal circumstances – the combination of being a major league ballplayer, a young ballplayer and also dealing with my father and my family.”

[CySeymour]

I tell ya, I'm not sure I would have been able to handle it if I were 25 and lost my dad...I would have been a wreck. God speed, Votto.

[Red in Atl]

I hope all the stupid rumors will finally be halted. It's absolutely pathetic what people do to other people in the public eye. Is the Cincy community really that obtuse?

I find it quite sad, and it shows me why I lelt the strong need to leave soutwestern Ohio right after college. I'd rather close a door and open my mind, than sit around and see how I can belittle anyone.

I think that Mr. Votto has just shown an entire city that it's OK to be human no matter what you do. And it's OK to love your family and hurt when your father dies. Baseball is a game, family/friends are your life.

I think he probably has grown more in the last year than he even knows yet, and it will make him a better person.

My prediction: 3 for 4 tonight, with a double, a HR and 4 RBI's! Take that rumor losers.

*When speaking of the rumors, I was speaking about stuff I read in other places than Redszone. I'm glad you guys kept this place classy, and just let Joey deal with what he was dealing with the last few weeks.