With sports medicine and most athlete's training regimens the way they are today being 35 is hardly a death sentence. A great many players have been productive after 35 and some even after 40. Votto has changed his approach at the plate and the results haven't been favorable. It's that simple. I guess from now on teams should never offer contracts that go beyond a player's 35th birthday, right?
Powder River (05-21-2019)
I'm not so sure that it isn't "broke". I think he's made these changes in response to a slower bat.
alwaysawarrior (05-23-2019)
I do wonder if instead of choking up as much, how maybe using one of those axe handle bats might work for him. Just spitballing, but there’s been a number of players who’ve said it makes a big difference for them.
The television crews left and about 10 reporters remained in the room. That's when Price took his turn doing the talking.
What followed was a five-minute, 34-second expletive-filled tirade. The final tally was 77 uses of the "F" word or a variant and 11 uses of a vulgar term for feces (two bovine, one equine).
Wonderful Monds (05-21-2019)
Chip R (05-21-2019),malcontent (05-21-2019),Spanky (05-21-2019),Wonderful Monds (05-21-2019)
many people keep referencing votto's bad speed slowing down. it's really slown down that much from just 2 years ago when he was the runner-up for mvp?
and is there data/proof to back up the assertion that his bat speed has slowed down considerably? they measure exit velocity and all that, obviously. is there anything in place to measure bat speed?
From post #10:
https://blogs.fangraphs.com/the-players-on-choking-up/“I’d been doing it sporadically for the first few years and it’s become constant the last six or seven years. Since 2011, I’ve done it pretty consistently, and for the last three or four years it’s been constant to the extreme, where I’m moving up the bat, choking up to a real massive level, almost where it’s almost like pepper.”
That sounds like it grew out of control. And the reference to "pepper" is just weird. If he doesn't realize that's a problem, there is no hope.
As for the 2015 and 2019 images, you would never know they were the same hitter.
Last edited by malcontent; 05-21-2019 at 07:11 PM.
Everything is perfect, but there is a lot of room for improvement. --- Shunryu Suzuki-roshi
JFLegal (05-21-2019),Redsfan6272 (05-21-2019)
Goose (05-23-2019),malcontent (05-21-2019)
I think it's a combination of things going on with Votto.. There's a huge disparity in pitch speeds (velocity v changeups, curves, etc) his age, his approach and trying to adapt. I think his age is factoring into his inability to adapt to some of the new dynamics of the game. For years fans hated his walk rate constantly arguing he could get on base more if he just swung the bat then it was lack of HR power and now it's his strikeout rate. They guy just seems to always be on the wrong side of every argument..
Just heard from a Reds Insider, Votto is going with a new bat to try to break the slump:
"Lemonade requires a significant amount of sugar. Otherwise, you've just made lemon juice."
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