Joey Votto needs to sit.

[Cooper]

I love the guy -he's my favorite player, but he's working on fumes...there are fastballs that he usually crushes and he's late on many of them. He's trying to do too much on the bath paths and in the field. He needs to get his head right and not think about baseball for a couple days.

Dusty's teams are so poor at fundamentals. I would think he could hand that off to a coach and get his coach to work with the team (i know it's not his thing).

This is not the smartest team in the world and they need to be programmed on what to do -they don't have the ability to think things thru on their own (i'm generalyzing...as a team). Dusty gives the players a long leash, but may of them are not baseball savvy enough to handle it. Phillips can and Hanigan -that's about it. You got to program the rest of them and i'm not sure Dusty is doing enough of that.

Baseball is hard.

[harangatang]

I can't wait until Votto tears it up again, which is what happens after one of these threads gets started. Good strategy.

[Tom Servo]

He needs a slumpbuster.

[RedTeamGo!]

It bothers me that Votto needs days off because he looks lost at the plate. Elite players are not supposed to want days off, miguel Cabrera is currently playing injured because he does not want to miss too many games (even though they have already sealed the division). Honestly at this point in the season Votto should not sit out games, this is the time for him to put the team on his back, not hide in the corner.

[RedTeamGo!]

I can't wait until Votto tears it up again, which is what happens after one of these threads gets started. Good strategy.

Hasn't really worked this year.

[Red Swagger]

He is hitting .204 the last 30 days, not good. He is getting paid to knock in runs and be clutch and he's doing neither. Worst game I have ever witnessed from him was tonight, in person. The pitchers are challenging him with fastballs down the middle and can't catch up, fouls them off. Now since that is the case, he's cheating and trying to yank the ball, which he NEVER DOES. He is not driving the ball with power consistently, something is up. He couldn't even make contact in the 1st inning tonight, costs us the game, along with the horrible error. Dusty never sits him. We are looking at trouble with Votto's ALBATROSS of a contract. Pitching and defense wins championships.

[Kiko]

I don't know if you can sit him this week. He has good numbers against the pitchers the Reds will be facing, Lynn, Capuano, Greinke and Kershaw. Maybe against the Cubs Samardzija or give him next Wed. off which is a day game. Then he will have two straight days off with the off day on Thursday.

[Cooper]

He is a great player -and my favorite - he is just out of gas. There's no shame in that.

[RedEye]

He is getting paid to knock in runs and be clutch and he's doing neither.

This is an untruth.

[Redsfansince72]

this is why i wanted the Reds to get Greg Reynolds. Yes he K's alot, but you dont loose the power if Joey gets aday off instead of watching Hanahan play 1st as a backup plan..

[TSJ55]

He may need the day off, but I can't see giving it to him tonight. Or against LA. He's gonna have to man-up. I like his cerebral style of play, but sometimes, it works against him I think. For now, just see the ball hit the ball Joey.

[buckeyenut]

It bothers me that Votto needs days off because he looks lost at the plate. Elite players are not supposed to want days off, miguel Cabrera is currently playing injured because he does not want to miss too many games (even though they have already sealed the division). Honestly at this point in the season Votto should not sit out games, this is the time for him to put the team on his back, not hide in the corner.

He doesn't want a day off because he is lazy. I am sure he wants to be out there.

He needs Dusty to step up and force him to take a day off because he is a major slump. Every player goes through slumps and sometimes, the best way to break out of that is to just have a day off to clear your head. That is what a manager does for a player. They recognize that need. The player would almost always just try to push through.

[Red Raindog]

He needs a slumpbuster.

maybe a fancier coffee?

[lollipopcurve]

Totally agree -- he's worn out. First there were the mental lapses. Now we see the hitting struggles. Somebody's being stubborn here.

[powersackers]

Soto for a night is acceptable. Do it Baker/Joey