Cincinnati Reds star Joey Votto says he’s disappointed by his team’s poor start and added that he takes it personally.
“We are not matching the efforts of the other ball clubs,” Votto said on the Yahoo Sports MLB Podcast.
The Reds, who sport a 14-28 record, are currently the worst team in the National League. Only the Kansas City Royals and Chicago White Sox own worse win percentages across baseball.
“I genuinely hope that we’re trending in the right direction, but this is the worst start I’ve ever seen,” Votto said during the interview, which was taped last week before the Reds pulled off a three-game sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers. “If I’m not mistaken, it’s been noted in the past that this was historically one of the worst starts for this franchise. There are so many people that are losing interest in our organization — and deservedly so. It hasn’t been a fun time to be a Cincinnati Reds fan.”
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The 34-year-old Toronto native was drafted by the Reds in 2002 and over his 12-year MLB career has blossomed into one of the greatest hitters of his generation. He has appeared in three post-seasons with the organization (2010, 2012, 2013) but never advanced past the division series.
“Not often does a player get to speak the way I’m speaking right now because my role is to do my job on the field and pretty much zip my lips, which makes sense,” Votto said. “But in the same breath, I’ve been with this franchise for, I think, 17 years now.
“You can say things are business, but to honest with you, I was a kid when I signed with this franchise, I take it personally. This is a personal thing to me. People inside of the organization in all likelihood are not going to enjoy my responses. But it’s been disappointing.”
Votto is currently signed to a 10-year, $225-million deal that expires following the 2023 season.
“I’m invested,” he said. “They offered me more money than anyone in their sane mind should ever spend. And they guaranteed me an incredible stretch of time that most professional athletes are never gifted. So, for me to say I did them some sort of favour, no, it was a very easy decision for me … Ultimately, I did sign here … And I do connect with the team.”
Don’t expect Cincinnati Reds all-star Joey Votto to suit up for Canada again.
Votto, who was born and raised in Toronto, represented Canada at the 2009 and 2013 World Baseball Classics and won the Lou Marsh Award as Canada’s athlete of the year in 2010 and 2017. However he distanced himself from his home nation in a lengthy interview with Yahoo! Sports Major League Baseball podcast on Tuesday.
"I don’t care almost at all about Canadian baseball," said Votto, who was also the National League MVP in 2010. "I wasn’t raised inside of Canadian baseball really. I’m coming up on half of my life being in the United States working and being supported by American baseball."
He was also asked for his opinion on James Paxton of Ladner, B.C., throwing a no-hitter for the Seattle Mariners against the Blue Jays in Toronto, becoming the first Canadian in MLB history to have a no-no on home soil.
"As far as Toronto, and Canadian baseball, and the country of Canada, and (James Paxton) being Canadian, I don’t care at all," said Votto. "(Paxton), or the Jays, or Canada, in general, may disagree with that, but I really couldn’t give a rat’s ass about that."
Votto went on to clarify that he was happy for Paxton as a baseball player, but not as a fellow Canadian.
In the same interview, Votto was also very candid about the struggles the Reds are having this season.
GP AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG OPS 2018 Regular Season 42 149 18 43 5 0 6 23 28 27 1 0 .289 .412 .443 .855 Career 1472 5209 881 1629 349 17 263 853 1024 1114 73 29 .313 .428 .538 .965 Projected 158 561 68 162 19 0 23 87 105 102 4 0 .289 .412 .443 .855 *Career stats are updated nightly.
Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto (19) smiles to the fans while in the on-deck circle in the first inning during a National League baseball game between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Cincinnati Reds, Tuesday, May 1, 2018, at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati. (Photo: Kareem Elgazzar)
SAN FRANCISCO — It was the earthquake, Joey Votto said. That’s what forced him out of the game.
“I was feeling pretty good and then that earthquake hit and all of a sudden everything got thrown off right around 7:18 p.m. in the middle of my first at-bat,” he said.
So he felt the earthquake?
“Oh, I got taken out of the game because of it, are you kidding me?” he deadpanned. “I’m a sensitive soul.”
There was a mild earthquake in San Francisco, and it happened during Votto’s first at-bat. Votto did leave Monday night’s game. But it was with a tightness in his lower back that forced him out the game -- and it was un-earthquake related.
“It just kind of cropped up on him and became more and more uncomfortable,” Reds manager Jim Riggleman said. “He let me know before the game it was nagging a little bit. He insisted ‘I want to play.’ He just wasn’t going to be able to run real hard. When the left fielder missed the ball on his single, he kind of had to turn it up a little bit and go and really looked uncomfortable. We decided to get him out of there.”
The fact that Votto joked about after the game tells you that the back issue is not too severe, although Reds Riggleman said Votto might get Tuesday off.
Votto left the game in the fourth inning. Adam Duvall, 2-for-2 with a three-run homer, replaced Votto.
Votto dropped that theory, too.
“I think Jim sensed that Duvall would have a really good game and he just benched me after that,” Votto said. “I was like 'ah, that earthquake wore me out a little bit, OK, that's enough, let's get Duvall in.' He bet right, so... we'll see.
Finally, Votto did allow that he doesn’t think it’s serious.
“I feel fine,” he said.
