Joey Votto homered again on Friday night. His solo home run to center against the New York Mets made it seven consecutive games with a home run for Votto, and nine home runs in that stretch. Very few players have ever homered in seven straight games – it’s happened just eight times, including Votto’s current run. Only three players have ever done so in eight games in a row. Dale Long was the first to do so way back in 1956. It was another 31 seasons before Don Mattingly tied the mark in 1987. Six years later it was Ken Griffey Jr. who tied the mark in 1993. No one has done it since, though Kendrys Morales made a run at it in 2018 when he hit a homer in seven straight.
So what it is that’s gotten into Joey Votto at age 37? Well, here’s what he had to say about his home run streak the other day:
I’m trying to homer. That’s the difference. I’ve been trying to homer.
With the streak sitting at seven games, with nine of his last ten hits being home runs, Votto was asked if he could put into words what it was like to be in the zone like this.
“I’ve never been in a place like this before,” Votto said. “It’s exciting.”
Never been a place like this before would sound like the right answer for most players in Major League history. But Joey Votto isn’t most players. He’s a former Most Valuable Player. He’s a guy who over the first 11 seasons of his career hit .313/.428/.541 and was one of the best hitters in the game every single year in which he was healthy during that stretch.
Reds on rehab
The Cincinnati Reds saw five big leaguers take the field on rehab assignment on Friday night. Lucas Sims started the game for Triple-A Louisville and allowed a single in a scoreless inning while striking out two batters. Nick Senzel went 1-2 in his first game on assignment with Louisville. So did Mike Moustakas. Alex Blandino also went 1-2 but his hit was a double. Michael Feliz is on assignment with High-A Dayton and he tossed a perfect inning with two strikeouts.
Suarez has been trying to homer every AB it appears, so there must be some difference, considering Votto is doing it while also hitting 100 points higher than Suarez.
Ok. Let’s think about this. When the Reds activate Sims, Mouse, Senzel they’ll names three spots. Two obviously would be Freeman and Schrock. Currently, the Reds have 12 position players and 14 pitchers. We know the remaining bullpen pitchers are out of options, ergo Santillan being sent down. I surmise Brach goes next-do you all agree?
Further down the line (a lot can happen) , assuming all things remain static, Castellanos and Antone need a spot. Hembree would go, I think. And then who else ??? Doolittle, Wilson or really Garrett? I wouldn’t think Garrett.
Also, is Blandino out of options?
Doug, just a small note: The player’s name is Kendrys Morales, with an “s”. People spelled his name wrong for years when he first came to MLB, but he finally corrected them later in his career.
If you look him up on any stat site, they will have the correct spelling as well.
https://latimesblogs.latimes.com/sports_blog/2011/03/whats-in-a-name-plenty-for-kendrys-morales.html
Who knows how long Votto’s resurgence will last, but if he were a “qualified” hitter, his current stats would rank him
12th in the NL in OBP
6th in the NL in OPS
4th in the NL in slugging
That’s a) really good and b) so much fun!
One other interesting aspect of his resurgence is the way it changes the narrative on his hall of fame candidacy. I once thought he was a high probability inductee – end of 2017. Then he struggled mightily for 2+ years. Mid-2020 I’d have said his candidacy was in serious jeopardy. But if he rolls through to the end of the year and gets top 10 MVP votes at age 37 I think that puts him back into the “solid yes” group. And if he helps carry the Reds into the playoffs? Wouldn’t that be fun? Go Reds and go JDV!
FWIW, some website called baseball egg has a ranking system for players by position of all time. It takes into account career WAR, WAR3-top 3 WAR seasons, WAR 5-best 5 consecutive seasons, WAR 7- top 7 seasons and CHWAR- WAR in pennant winning seasons.
Cumulatively those numbers add up to a a total score and that is the metric used to rank the best 1b of all time( and other positions).
Votto ranks 12th in history by the system-just behind Jim Thome and Willie McCovey and ahead of Eddie Murray, Harmon Killebrew and Tony Perez. He should pass Thome and McCovey this year
The rankings also give an “average” HOF score and Votto is already over the average total score of the avg HOF first baseman. His CHWAR is 0 or he’d be higher, Blame BC for that.
Throw out Todd Helton asterisk, and Votto will likely trail only Pujols, Bagwell, Frank Thomas, and Miguel Cabrera when all is said and done for modern era first baseman.
Never seen anything like this. Closest was Johnny Bench in ’72. No doubt he’s in a groove and it’s at a perfect time when this team is jelling and we’re in the pennant race and we hopefully get three starters back on top of everything else.
Votto has proved to all of us that, at his age, he’s likely to struggle at times. BUT, he’s also proving he’s capable of performing as the one of the best players in baseball. Right now, he’s among the best in the game… at age 37… at a critical time when his team needs this kind of performance… like a HoF player would.
It’s simply a joy to watch and I hope we’re all appreciating what we’re getting the opportunity to witness.
This is such an astounding joy to watch. His intensity, his drive, all of it. He looks so relaxed and it looks like it just comes naturally as if he says, “Okay, this one is going out to just right of CF.”
Add to that his rock solid presence for the team overall and that unbelievable double play turn the other night and … just WOW! Not sure how anyone can doubt his HoF chances, but the writers can be weird in that way. Hate to see it come down to the veterans’ committee, but that’s still fine by me.
I love the way his teammates are getting into his streak as much as he is…lotta of love on this team, everybody pulling together…boy if Garrett and Suarez were contributing we’d be many more games over .500 than we are presently. BTW, Farmer’s slash live over the last 17 games .413/.471/.698….maybe he’s one of those guys who just needs to play every day in order to play well.
As a Reds fan I’ve come to recoil whenever Hall of Fame discourse happens. I don’t know what will happen. If he is on the fence, I see no reason why he wouldn’t get in for the simple reason he is so likeable. For me personally there are a number of reasons I think that…but in this divisive time… I will never forget Votto reflecting on his conversation with Ervin while reading some book on South Africa. I’ll never forget the Mounty costume…didn’t he buy Cozart some sort of animal? Most importantly…he was kind to my autistic son at Redsfest.
Kevin – of all the amazing things Votto has done on the field, and interesting things off it, it’s that last note that makes him my favorite player now and one of my favorite Reds ever. We saw a few weeks ago how he responded when that little girl (in San Diego?) was so upset that her favorite player got himself thrown out of the game. The way he treats that girl, and your son, and the SuperBub kid from a couple years ago – that’s what makes him an actual hero. Very cool.
Reaction from India.
All needs said about Votto.
Seeing Votto enjoy Game Love it still.
Glad this is happening for all.
Helping each other.
Votto First was feeding off of Winker, Nick and India
Now India Winker, The team Feeding off of Votto.
This streak has been so unexpected & fun!! You would think it might’ve happened in one of the Reds leaner years where they were up big or down big on an almost daily basis. Instead he’s doing it in close games! I couldn’t believe the Cubs pitched to him with 1st base open & 2 outs in the 1st the other day.
Rich Hill is going to be tough for Joey (1-10, single). The other guys need to rough him up and get him out of there. Give him a couple of at-bats against their B team relievers!
On Joey’s HoF chance, he definitely has the Career WAR for it. But he also on pace to finish his career with a better than .300/.400/.500 slash line. I believe there’s only 17 players to have done than and Joey and Mike Trout are on pace to add two more to that list. That’s an elite group of players.
I wish he would stop doing the “ME, ME, ME…thing after he hits a homer. I would like to see a little more class.
+1
We Reds fans are never satisfied LOL
I’m hoping it’s a sarcastic stab at Zach Davies
I really think it is Joey’s over-the-top way of reacting to the way things have changed around baseball.
It used to be, “act like you’ve been there before. Put your head down, don’t show up the pitcher and get around the bases. Remember them timing Billy Hamilton’s home run trot. Now, there’s the bat flips, HR trots timed on a sundial and swag chains. Really an example of how the world has changed.
I think Joey is, in his own way, mocking that. A lot of his interviews have shown just how cerebral he.
I could buy that
He has a very dry sense of humor
Regardless I love it. He should continue to do it.
You all know he’s mimicking a character on Ted Lasso, right? It’s his favorite show.
I knew, dont know who else
Oh that’s what that is. I read about it but don’t watch the show.
They mentioned it several time on tv about he’s a fan of the show Ted Lasso and a character on the show does the point to the name on the jersey thing each time he scores a soccer goal. Season 2 was just dropped.
He’s tied with Winker for the team lead in HR now. He’s tied with both Winker and Casty for the team lead in RBI. Of course these are our two all stars and Votto missed a month. He told India he’s going to catch him in OBP…I wouldn’t be surprised. 🙂 This is a fun and exciting time. We should enjoy it. His BA by the way keeps on creeping up towards .300 currently at .278. Not bad for a HR slugger. 🙂 He’s doing what poor Suarez only dreams of. Geno should take notice.
Dang
The Wade Miley personal catcher thing again
We need Stephensons righty bat in there
If Miley wants Barnhart, then Miley gets Barnhart. Many people didn’t even want Miley to be one of the starting 5 to begin the year. Whatever it takes to extend his first half results I’m all for.
I get it
Love miley and tucker.
Just would like Stephenson in the lineup.
He sure isnt playing first base!
Why not? 🙂
Like I said before if Miley throws 8 innings of shut out baseball he can have whoever he wants catch for him and we’ll forgive him.
That’s fine then why not Schrock instead of Akiyama? IF we’re talking L-R matchups. Otherwise I don’t mind the lineup except for Suárez batting too high again
I just saw the Yankees have DFA’d Romano. Hopefully, the Reds don’t pick him back up.
Hill against 6-9 will be so much fun to watch.Fun for him of course.No worries we win anyway.Lineups never matter when the best players play.Wait till Senzel,Casty and Moose return.Wanna bet you still see lineups like this?Of course we will.