The Joey Votto saga gets curiouser and curiouser:
The reason was more surprising and mysterious than expected but one thing was certain on Saturday: The Reds will be without the services of best hitter Joey Votto for at least two weeks, maybe more.
Votto was placed on the 15-day disabled list because of what was termed by the club as “stress-related issues.” No more details were revealed, at Votto’s request.
“He’s dealing with a personal issue,” Reds manager Dusty Baker said. “He wants us to respect his privacy about that.” …
On May 21, after a battery of tests, the inner ear infection was revealed, but it apparently has less to do with Votto’s current departure from the team than what was originally speculated.
“It’s partly that. Let’s leave it at that,” Reds general manager Walt Jocketty said. …
“It’s basically something that Joey needs some time away to deal with,” Jocketty said. “We gave him that time. It’s not a big deal, but it’s something that was affecting his ability to play at the level he wants to play at.”
It wasn’t clear if Votto would be ready to return when he’s eligible for activation on June 14.
“At this point, we don’t know,” Baker said. “We’re hoping.”
Well, what do you make of that?