The Reds should sign Joey Votto immediately
It would be a win-win for everyone. Especially me.
The onset of spring training heralds a time of renewal and anticipation in the world of baseball. As the crisp air of winter has given way to the warmth of spring, ballparks across Florida and Arizona are alive with the sounds of cracking bats and popping gloves. The promise of a fresh start, the potential for historic achievements, the dream of a World Series title infuses everything with anticipation. In this prelude to the regular season, hope springs eternal. Baseball, in all its glory, is back.
Joey Votto, however, is not.
For the first time in more than two decades, Votto is absent from Reds spring training. He’s still working out, spending hours in the batting cage as he awaits a call from a big league team. He’s abusing shopping carts. Oh yeah, and he’s also doing arts and crafts. As one does.
It is my considered opinion that the Cincinnati Reds should sign Joey Votto. Immediately.
When I issued this scorching hot take over on twitter/X, I got the predictable responses from the crowd who have never had a good thing to say about Votto ever. (Though, to be fair, the negative replies were dwarfed by the positive reactions.) Those who disagreed essentially fell into two camps: (1) Votto sucks!!!! and (2) Whose roster spot does he take, Christian Encarnacion-Strand or Spencer Steer????
I’ll ignore the first “argument.” Votto does not suck. He’s not the Votto of 2010, but I have little doubt that he can be a productive big league hitter this season if he’s healthy. (Yes, that’s a big “if.”) Last year, despite the injuries, Votto was pretty much precisely a league-average hitter. It’s an absolute lock that every single person who thinks Votto can’t hit anymore also said the same thing before the 2021 season, when Votto hit .266/.375/.563 with 36 homers and 99 RBI.
Some of you may now be screaming at me that Votto is three years older now. That’s a fair point. But I’m not predicting that Votto can match those 2017 numbers next year. Then again, he’s Joey Votto. I refuse to doubt him.
The roster spot question, though posed above in the most hyperbolic fashion I could manage, is certainly worth discussing. Cincinnati has a roster of good young players who need to play. Does it make sense for a 40-year-old to get at-bats on a team like this?
I ask you to consider this list:
César Izturis, Jack Hannahan, Derrick Robinson, Wilson Valdez, Miguel Cairo, Laynce Nix, Eric Anthony, Darren Lewis, Jerome Walton, Ron Oester.
These are players who received more than 100 plate appearances on Cincinnati playoff teams since 1990. Just last season, the Reds gave 1,372 plate appearances to part-time bit players who hit worse than Votto. Sure, some were better than Votto defensively, but the point stands: there are plenty of at-bats available if the Reds want to bring Votto back.
Now, if we’re talking about bringing Votto back as the full-time 1B/DH, perhaps this is a different discussion. But I’m proposing Votto returning as a not-quite-starter, getting 300 ABs or so as a part-time DH and part-time first baseman, hitting mostly against right-handed pitching. We’re talking about a player who has posted a line of .301/.418/.532 vs. RHPs in his career! The guy can hit righties.
For all his faults, Reds manager David Bell has actually demonstrated a particular knack for putting players in spots versus pitchers against whom they are more likely to succeed. It’s what the old-heads called “platooning;” maybe it’s just “analytics” these days. I can’t keep up. But take a look at the 2023 seasons of Will Benson and Jake Fraley if you want evidence.
Why can’t he use Votto in a similar role? With the designated hitter now firmly entrenched in the National League, there are even more at-bats available than ever. Sure, CES and Steer and Noelvi Marte, et al, need to get a bunch of those appearances. But believe me, there are way more plate appearances available during a 162-game season than you realize.
Maybe Votto doesn’t want to fill that role. If he can find a good team who will give him a starting spot, you couldn’t blame Votto for pursuing it, and I’d be happy for him. But we’re nearing the end of February, and no team has taken a chance on the big guy yet. Perhaps the timing is right for the Reds and Votto to reunite.
And yes, I’ll admit that — while I do sincerely believe Votto can help this team both on and off the field in 2024 — some of this is completely and undeniably sentimental. He’s a Reds legend, and I want to see him have a final season with a proper send-off. Few teams celebrate their history like the Redlegs. It’s a win-win.
Sign him, you cowards!
A simple request
If you enjoy this newsletter, it would mean the world to me if you would consider sharing it with other Cincinnati sports fans in your life. Word of mouth is the best way to grow a community, by far. So please hit the share button below or, if you’re reading this in your email, just forward it to anyone and everyone who might want to join us here.
The benefit is that you’ll be my favorite person who ever lived if you do this. What a deal!
What’s Chad Watching?
No update here this week, mostly because my Letterboxd diary recently is filled with all the short films that have been nominated for Academy Awards. But the Oscars are indeed coming on March 10, and you know what that means! My annual ranking of my top 25 films of the year (and the 5 worst). Please try to contain your excitement as you read last year’s installment.
Sneak preview: Meg 2: The Trench did not make this year’s Top 25.
