In Louisville, Joey Votto getting himself up to game speed
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Before taking batting practice with the Triple-A Louisville Bats on Friday, Joey Votto watched some of the Reds game in Philadelphia.
Votto, who was 0-for-3 with three strikeouts and a walk the night before, witnessed Philadelphia’s Zack Wheeler pitch against his teammates in what would be a 5-2 Phillies victory.
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“I’m watching the game and I’m like, I need to be at that speed,” Votto said before Friday’s Bats game at Louisville Slugger Field against Indianapolis. “That is the speed I need to be at and I’m working towards that. I’m here locked in and working every day toward that.”
Votto, though, isn’t at that speed yet. He’s been working to get back there following August surgery to repair tears in both his rotator cup and biceps, and hoped to debut on Opening Day. But Votto played in eight Cactus League games and decided the day before the Reds broke camp that he wasn’t ready.
“I felt like I wanted to come back as soon as possible, but I was not ready,” he said. “I don’t like disappointing people. I certainly don’t like disappointing our fan base. I can say now that I’m out here playing, that I wasn’t ready. I was not ready and I would’ve showed it.”
In the four games he’d played before Friday night, Votto was just 3-for-16 with 10 strikeouts and two walks. Friday, he went 0-for-4 with two more strikeouts and a walk.
“I don’t want to make excuses, I’m aware that it’s not been great,” Votto said. “Each game is an adjustment to adapting to the strength in my shoulder. Really, if I’m honest, this is a good place for me to play. There’s no question about it, I wasn’t game speed coming back.”
Votto’s shown improved strength since coming back. Bats manager Pat Kelly said he was impressed with the way the ball has jumped off Votto’s bat so far. In the Bats’ opener last week in Nashville, he hit a home run on his first swing, a ball that Kelly described as heading “to the parking lot.” It was a place, Nashville manager Rick Sweet said he’d only seen one other ball reach in a game.
.@JoeyVotto homers on the first pitch he sees in the 2023 season❗️
— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) April 1, 2023
“The first swing of the season was a little bit deceptive because I had some success, but the game is about change of speed, change of locations,” Votto said. “I got a middle pitch that I happened to hit well. The game is mostly sinks and cuts and ups and aways and down and ins, and downs and aways and balls and strikes and takes. That’s the entire story of being a hitter. That’s dependent on making sure there is a good range of motion and have access to all those spots. That’s the main reason I’m here.”
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Fielding hasn’t been an issue at all, he said, dismissing any notion of Votto’s coming back to serve only as a designated hitter.
“It’s never been defense. It’s always been my swing,” he said. “My swing has to be in a place.”
It’s not yet in that place, but Votto said he’s getting close. In the end, it’ll be a feel. He’ll know when he’s ready, just like he knew when he wasn’t ready.
For now, though, he said he’s where he needs to be and that’s Louisville.
“I’m grateful that I came here and I’ve been able to work with these guys. You know what? Coming down here, it’s refreshing,” he said. “It’s a reminder of where you came from, it’s a reminder of the work, the hunger. I think there’s a level of humility that’s important to maintain to get to success. I didn’t come here for those reasons, but they’re a nice benefit.”
(Photo: Steph Chambers / Getty Images)
