Would you bring Votto back?

[REDREAD]

Poll coming.
This is what YOU would do, not what you think the Reds will do.

Choice A: Pay Votto the 7 million buyout. Get 13 million to spend on other players.
Choice B: Bring Votto back for 20 million

I appreciate everything Votto has done for the Reds, but I can't see wasting 13 million to see him play another year. Sadly, I think he's toast. Age catches up to everyone.

[Redhook]

Poll coming.
This is what YOU would do, not what you think the Reds will do.

Choice A: Pay Votto the 7 million buyout. Get 13 million to spend on other players.
Choice B: Bring Votto back for 20 million

I appreciate everything Votto has done for the Reds, but I can't see wasting 13 million to see him play another year. Sadly, I think he's toast. Age catches up to everyone.

I’d pay the buyout and see if he wants to come back for $2-3 million. He could and would help them next year, but not at an extra $13 million better spent on pitching.

[villain612]

I think Joey is most likely finished after this season.

The money issue aside, if they bring him back, I think it would be a limited role off the bench. I feel like management would rather those regular ABs go to Benson, CES, Marte etc. And I'm not sure Votto will want to come back to be a bench player.

[fondfoat]

Part of it for me is that the Reds have money regardless of Votto. I can see reasons to have Votto back as a bench player/mentor, but I think ownership will take the money and run. Sure they will sign a starter because they have to, but it will be a cost effective signing.

[Ron Madden]

They can easily afford to pay Votto and still add substantially to payroll to bring in other players or to lock up some of the young guys to extended contracts if they wanted to.

[herbdizzle]

I choose C. Pay Votto 10 million. That's his 7 million buyout and 3 million to play next year. 3 million is what we pay Kevin Newman. Would love to have Votto as the LH power bench bat.

[CTA513]

It sucks to say because I've watched his career from the start, but I think at this point its best to just move on.

[757690]

There is the value of Votto in the clubhouse, working with these young players, teaching them how to be a MLB player. Basically playing the role Rolen played in 2010. I would think that is worth $13M.

I know this was asking us what we would do, but I think the Reds bring him back for financial reasons. They had to notice the crowd today and how much they adore Votto. They basically have to sell around 2500 extra tickets per home game to make back the $13M. Today's reaction to Votto made that number seem easy to reach.

[RedTeamGo!]

I think Votto realizes he’s toast and he will make the decision for the team. I am going to the game Wednesday in cleveland with the assumption it’s the last time I’ll see him play live.

[TNRED]

It is sad to see the possible end of Votto playing but it ends for us all. Anyone remember when Johnny Bench retired? There is nothing sadder than a great athlete playing well past their prime and struggling to stay relevant. As in all things in life, the future belongs to the young.

[villain612]

There is the value of Votto in the clubhouse, working with these young players, teaching them how to be a MLB player. Basically playing the role Rolen played in 2010. I would think that is worth $13M.

I know this was asking us what we would do, but I think the Reds bring him back for financial reasons. They had to notice the crowd today and how much they adore Votto. They basically have to sell around 2500 extra tickets per home game to make back the $13M. Today's reaction to Votto made that number seem easy to reach.

I love Joey Votto. Supported him his entire career. Hall of famer, smart, great personality and seems like a good dude.

But I don't think its worth $13 million more just to have him in the clubhouse as a mentor. We could slot that amount of cash towards someone else who will make more of an impact on the field as a regular.

$13 million is more than we're paying Hunter Greene in each of the next 3 seasons.

[Kinsm]

There's no way the team is letting him go out like that.

We talk about an organization that is horrible with public relations, allowing what might be your last lifetime 15+ year / HOF player walk away without a huge last game/week/month/year of celebrations that would bring in millions in revenues in tickets and merchandise would reach new levels of ineptitude.

Option C....his option gets bought out and then he comes back on a deal that's less than he would have made had they picked it up.

My guess is he agrees to a 1 year and 6.5M$ deal (probably during the winter meetings in Nashville) - which is the midpoint between the excess between the buyout and option. (Could potentially be the highest paid player on the 2024 team) That's approximately what Carlos Santana signed with PIT last winter.

Next year, they hype the hell out of it being his final season, bring in former players - sell jerseys by the truckload - etc.

He becomes a parttime player, if he struggles - spends some time midseason in Louisville on a phantom injury.

[LeatherPants]

Without Votto, the Reds payroll is approximately $30 million. With Votto (at the option price) the payroll is approximately $45 million. His option shouldn’t keep them from signing anyone they want, and if it does it’s because the Reds are cheap idiots.

[cumberlandreds]

He should retire but I think the Reds will bring him back for a 2024 dog and pony show of farewells. You can have a number of those and bring in a few possible sell outs. I'm sure the Reds won't pass that up.

[LeatherPants]

while it’s true that he is no longer an MVP type player, he’s still an average major league hitter, so he’s not overmatched and can provide some value.