Is Joey Votto Washed?/What to do with Joey Votto?

[0-2 Count]

He looked a lot more comfortable in his last at bat yesterday against the righty than he did against the lefty Freeland the other 3 times. Platooning him for a couple of weeks may not be a bad idea to see if he can string some good games together, and then, if so, get him back in there every day. An extra benefit would be you would have his bat off the bench, if he could be brought into a situation where he is guaranteed to face a righty.

[GAC]

The guy was 16th in MVP voting last year with a line of .... .266 .375 .563 .938 36 HRs 99 RBIs

Washed up? No. Just a little slow - just like last year - at age 38 getting out of the gate (lol). 22 games (the month of April) is quite early to be doing any predicting or assuming anything IMO. Besides. The Reds have much deeper problems then Joey. And there's nothing they can "do with him" because he has a guaranteed contract. 25M this year and next.

Don't know why Joey's struggling surrounded with all this talent in that batting order! lol

[Ron Madden]

Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto said last week that he had "a responsibility to play well" during his return to his hometown of Toronto for the Reds' three-game series against the Blue Jays.

Votto doubled in each of the first two games of the series, and saved his best for the series finale - hitting a go-ahead home run, his first of the season - to break a 2-2 tie in top of the 8th inning off of Blue Jays relief pitcher Yimi Garcia and give the Reds a 3-2 lead in rookie Graham Ashcraft's MLB debut.

"This could just be the start of the renaissance for the Reds' first baseman," Bally Sports Ohio play-by-play announcer John Sadak said during the broadcast. "This man sets goals and he achieves them. ... That is so neat for Joey Votto."

https://sports.yahoo.com/joey-votto-...204241838.html

[Bob Sheed]

Watching Joey mash would be a great silver lining to the 2022 Reds season.

Getting India back healthy and to rookie-year form would be a bonus.

[Ron Madden]

Joey Votto hit a tiebreaking homer in the eighth inning and the Cincinnati Reds held on to beat the Toronto Blue Jays 3-2 on Sunday, avoiding a three-game sweep.

The one-run win was the second of the season for the Reds. Cincinnati has won nine of 15 following a 3-22 start.

Votto, who is from suburban Toronto, went deep for the fourth time in 12 career games at Rogers Centre.

The one-out solo drive to right field off Yimi Garcia (0-3) was Votto’s first home run of the season, and his third extra-base hit in three games since being activated off the injured list following a bout with COVID-19.

Alexis Diaz (2-0) worked two scoreless innings and Art Warren finished for his second save in four chances.

Making his major league debut in place of right-hander Connor Overton (back), Reds right-hander Graham Ashcraft allowed two runs and four hits in 4 1/3 innings. He walked two and struck out three.

Story Here:
https://www.wlwt.com/article/votto-h...s-win/40070467

[Kingspoint]

...watch him win games with game-winning homeruns.

[Jaysland Red]

Story Here:
https://www.wlwt.com/article/votto-h...s-win/40070467

Actually, Votto has 5 career HR at the Rogers Centre. He went 4 for 5 with a HR on 7th March 2009 as DH for Canada vs USA in the WBC. I was at that game and it was a fantastic experience with a completely different atmosphere from a MLB game. The USA edged the contest 6-5 with Adam Dunn hitting the game-winning HR.

[jimbroznan]

Not to rain on everyone's parade but if the ball had been 1' to the right it would have been a 330' foul ball.

[CaiGuy]

Not to rain on everyone's parade but if the ball had been 1' to the right it would have been a 330' foul ball.

And if his nephew was a capuchin, he'd be a monkey's uncle.

[westofyou]

Not to rain on everyone's parade but if the ball had been 1' to the right it would have been a 330' foul ball.

But it wasn't and that's the real story

[Ron Madden]

Between pitches in a tie game in the top of the eighth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday, Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto turned around and looked at the Reds’ bench.

“Joey turned around, looked at us and said, ‘Homer,’ ” Reds right fielder Tyler Naquin said after the game. “I said, ‘Ok.’ And then he hit it.”

Earlier in his career, Votto went up to Reds shortstop Kyle Farmer in the dugout. Votto told Farmer that if he didn’t hit a first-pitch fastball for a home run, then Farmer could have his paycheck. Farmer agreed to the deal.

Votto homered on a first pitch fastball, looked back at Farmer and smiled.

“I’ve never seen someone call their shot more,” Farmer said. “You can feel it happening, and it happens.”

On Sunday, it was Naquin’s turn to witness Votto’s ability to predict his success at the plate.

“He told me he was going to hit it, and he hit it,” Naquin said. “It’s what Joey does. Votto’s always been one of the best there is and he’s still doing it. It’s good to see him getting comfortable. We need that big guy. He’s a big bat in the lineup.”

Votto wasn’t completely satisfied with the home run, which landed near the right field foul pole. Even after the most important, most impressive and most meaningful swing of his season, Votto was looking at the next way his swing could get even better.

“Hitting the ball that close to the line is not really my style, but it ended up being a good result,” Votto said. “Eventually, breaking balls, off-speed pitches need to be hit closer to the right fielder. Then, the fastballs need to be closer to center field. But I think that's coming.”

Ya Gotta Love Joey Votto

https://www.cincinnati.com/story/spo...ys/9887118002/

[Ron Madden]

This weekend may have been JoeyVotto's last in Toronto as a player.

He took ctrent back to the park where he grew up, and where his father laid the foundation for a Hall of Fame career.

https://theathletic.com/3327583/2022...urce=twitterhq

[KeefeCato]

When will people learn that Votto is not washed up? Wasn't this same thing discussed last year? Votto isn't going to ever be what he was in his prime. But great hitter age gracefully. My opinion is Votto is the best hitter in Reds history. If not then Robinson is 1 and Joey is 1A.
I never saw Robinson play but his stats are eye popping. So it has to be between Robinson and Votto. Klu was not chopped liver either. But his prime was much shorter.

[HokieRed]

For the rest of this season, put Votto at 1b and let him bounce back, which I've no doubt he will. But the organization, and maybe RZ, is going to have to come to terms with the fact that he is 38 years old. If he gets within a 150 pts of last year's OPS, that would be great. But the FO has got to be working on a plan to replace him, probably as early as 2023, at least as the understood full-time option at 1b.

[KeefeCato]

For the rest of this season, put Votto at 1b and let him bounce back, which I've no doubt he will. But the organization, and maybe RZ, is going to have to come to terms with the fact that he is 38 years old. If he gets within a 150 pts of last year's OPS, that would be great. But the FO has got to be working on a plan to replace him, probably as early as 2023, at least as the understood full-time option at 1b.

Stephenson IMO will be his replacement. Some say you can't remove a great hitter from the catcher spot. I say they have got to if they want his career to last. 3 concussions already. That is serious stuff that ends careers.