VOTTOMATIC FOR THE PEOPLE: 3 HR, 1 BB and 1 SB

by Fat Vegas Alan on May 8, 2008 12:11 AM EDT Comment 65 comments

Wednesday afternoon Joey Votto became only the fifth player since 1956 to hit three home runs in one of his first 60 MLB games. (Check the list. Once BR.com adds Votto to the list, he'll be the only player since '56 to also draw a walk and steal a base in the same game as his three jacks.)

[Note: Had Adam Dunn been able to knock Votto in after he stole second base in the third inning, Votto would have tied Fred Lynn's much-heralded "total bases in a single game by a rookie" record.]

So, it's pretty clear that Joey Votto is going to be the greatest hitter since, well...ever.

Your thoughts?

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Check it.

In his first 23 games this season Votto drew exactly one walk.

In his last nine games, he’s been walked eight times. Methinks NL pitchers and managers are starting to fear the greatest hitter ever.

(And for those who haven’t been paying close attention—Dusty moved Votto up to fourth in the lineup last week.)

Also, hat tip to The C for posting the link to this clip. Good stuff.

I don't know how to paint a banana gourd to look like a Power Ranger.

by Fat Vegas Alan on May 8, 2008 12:27 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I think Votto is going to be good

but I don’t think he is this good. I think this is still a small sample size. I am pleasently surprised.

The Dusty Path to the World Series!*

*Note this is not an endorsment of Dusty Baker.

by justin007000 on May 8, 2008 12:31 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

damn

those allen & ginters cards are noice

Marty may have a shirt on, but Billy Beane just ripped his off and is squeezing his nipples. - Brendan's ukkah

by boobs on May 8, 2008 12:32 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Total bases

You don’t get any total bases for advancing on another player’s hit. You get one for a single, two for a double, three for a triple, and four for a home run. None for a walk, HBP, etc.

He's extremely quick and good.

by battlekow on May 8, 2008 12:32 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

To clarify

Votto had 12 TB today; Lynn had 16 on 6/18/75 to set the rookie record.

He's extremely quick and good.

by battlekow on May 8, 2008 12:34 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Okay. Okay. I'll call it what it is.

Votto simply had one of the best days for a rookie hitter in the past fifty years of MLB. Nothing more than that.

He’s still gonna be the best ever.

I don't know how to paint a banana gourd to look like a Power Ranger.

by Fat Vegas Alan on May 8, 2008 1:26 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

#7... Cody Ross

Our former fifth outfielder. I always liked him, and I have no clue why. We only had him for a month, and he only played in two games. Maybe it’s because I was at the game he started and got his only hit as a Red. Really, I don’t even know why we acquired him from the Dodgers in the first place. They sent him to us for a player to be named later, we used him twice in a month, then sold him to the Marlins. Later, we named the player in the original deal and sent Ben Kozlowski to the Dodgers. Very peculiar. Maybe some of you folks remember why these deals even needed to exist, but I sure don’t.

Neat stat I just learned from his wikipedia page... “Cody’s brother Oscar is the lead singer of the Denver-based Rock and Roll band The Lords of Fuzz.”

Marty may have a shirt on, but Billy Beane just ripped his off and is squeezing his nipples. - Brendan's ukkah

by boobs on May 8, 2008 2:54 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

that was when Wayne was just turning the roster over because he liked playing with the GM computer

alot of players came and left that season, or shortly there after.

The Dusty Path to the World Series!*

*Note this is not an endorsment of Dusty Baker.

by justin007000 on May 8, 2008 3:18 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I can't blame a guy... for playing with a new computer toy.

for playing with a new computer toy.

I don't know how to paint a banana gourd to look like a Power Ranger.

by Fat Vegas Alan on May 8, 2008 11:06 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

The moral of that report?

The Reds should hit 6+ home runs in a game more often as they are undefeated in such games.

It gets crazy on the road, and awful lonely. That's why I love pornography. This next song is all about my love of hardcore, barely legal pornography.

by Slyde on May 8, 2008 11:09 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Slyde, I don't know how to tell you this...

There’s no such thing as a tooth fairy.

I don't know how to paint a banana gourd to look like a Power Ranger.

by Fat Vegas Alan on May 8, 2008 11:18 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

doesn't that just mean that the Reds killed 6 rally's today?

Imagine if they didn’t hit homeruns they could have scored even more runs.

The Dusty Path to the World Series!*

*Note this is not an endorsment of Dusty Baker.

by justin007000 on May 8, 2008 11:55 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

you saw the game where he got a hit

i was at the game where he got hit. seems like he broke his wrist when getting hit by a pitch. he went to the dl and we traded him.

In the end, life and business are about human connections. And computers are about trying to murder you in a lake. And to me the choice is easy.

by chandrathan on May 8, 2008 9:59 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Damn...Well...

Just shut up, will ya?

I don't know how to paint a banana gourd to look like a Power Ranger.

by Fat Vegas Alan on May 8, 2008 12:35 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Why aren't you awarded a base for a walk or hit-by-pitch?

I can sort of see not getting one for reaching on an error, but you earned your way on with the other two (good pitch selection with the walk, earned it with a bruise for the HBP). I would also say that you earned a base if you stole it, but that doesn’t reflect what you did with your at-bat, if that’s what total bases is measuring. Can anyone shine some light on this subject, or is it just an arcane baseball rule?

by Brendanukkah on May 8, 2008 1:48 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think the point is that Total Bases is meant to cover what you did when you hit the ball

For an esoteric “record” like what is being debated here, it probably doesn’t matter how you define it. But when talking about something like slugging percentage, the intention is to strictly look at the number of bases the batter collected by hitting the ball.

It gets crazy on the road, and awful lonely. That's why I love pornography. This next song is all about my love of hardcore, barely legal pornography.

by Slyde on May 8, 2008 1:53 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

DID YOU KNOW

The only player to hit 3+ HR in his first 10 games is…Bobby Estalella?

He's extremely quick and good.

by battlekow on May 8, 2008 1:37 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

correction

the only player to hit 3+HR in his first 10 games is …. Steroids.

http://www.redsminorleagues.com and http://www.RedsPitchFX.com

by dougdirt on May 8, 2008 1:52 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Who do you want answering the White House phone at 3AM?

The Dusty Path to the World Series!*

*Note this is not an endorsment of Dusty Baker.

by justin007000 on May 8, 2008 2:49 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Joey Votto can't be president

Or can he? Is he just that damn good?

by Brendanukkah on May 8, 2008 7:22 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

He can't be

Not only is he a Canuck, he’s too young.

(I know this, because I had to break the news to the young Bubba Crosby groupies that Bubba was too young to be president.)

I wouldn’t want Votto answering the phone at 3am anyway. Can you imagine trying to brief him about Russia invading Georgia or terrorists blowing up Saudi oil facilities, while Adam Dunn is constantly pestering him?

All Things Bubba: Because how can you not love a baseball player named Bubba?

by BubbaFan on May 8, 2008 7:42 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Dunn and Votto share a room?

by rojosoto on May 8, 2008 8:05 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

you don't have to do those things as president

you just hunt and fish on your ranch, don’t you? dunn would fit right in.

2008 NL Central Champs!

by Daedalus on May 8, 2008 11:14 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

You forgot clearing brush

Dunn is too lazy to clear brush.

by Brendanukkah on May 8, 2008 11:24 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I was gonna make a comment about your mom and clearing brush...

but i think i’m gonna quit talking about your mom…

In the end, life and business are about human connections. And computers are about trying to murder you in a lake. And to me the choice is easy.

by chandrathan on May 8, 2008 11:28 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

shit you beat me to it

The Dusty Path to the World Series!*

*Note this is not an endorsment of Dusty Baker.

by justin007000 on May 8, 2008 11:56 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

yeah

by only 30 minutes. You couldn’t possibly have seen that coming.

It gets crazy on the road, and awful lonely. That's why I love pornography. This next song is all about my love of hardcore, barely legal pornography.

by Slyde on May 8, 2008 12:09 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

different time zones, slyde

In the end, life and business are about human connections. And computers are about trying to murder you in a lake. And to me the choice is easy.

by chandrathan on May 8, 2008 12:11 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

damn

this place is turning into the island on Lost.

It gets crazy on the road, and awful lonely. That's why I love pornography. This next song is all about my love of hardcore, barely legal pornography.

by Slyde on May 8, 2008 12:13 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

They're both tagged EDT

And if I recall, justin is in Ohio, which is in the same time zone as DC.

Lost is for people who are too high-fallutin’ to appreciate the good nature of The Big Bang Theory.

by Brendanukkah on May 8, 2008 12:22 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

i hope you aren't making fun of me

i watch the big bang theory, but i don’t watch lost…

In the end, life and business are about human connections. And computers are about trying to murder you in a lake. And to me the choice is easy.

by chandrathan on May 8, 2008 12:24 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Me too

Although I’ve seen a few episodes of Lost, since my roomates are big fans. It’s okay, I guess…

by Brendanukkah on May 8, 2008 12:28 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

If I'm anything

I’m high-fallutin’.

I totally understand when people say they don’t watch Lost. It’s not exactly a show you can jump in the middle of and get caught up quickly. And I can even understand the people who started watching it but got frustrated and gave up (there were times when it seemed like the story wasn’t going anywhere). But if you are ever bored and have a month to kill, rent the DVDs starting with season one and watch it all the way through. The writers have done an excellent job of laying the groundwork for a world where pretty much anything can happen and you’ll think it fits. And ever since they set an end date for the series last spring, the action has been off the charts.

Also, much like with Ogres, there are lots of layers to the story. I imagine someone like Man Mountain, who actually reads books from time to time, gets a lot more out of the show that I do.

It gets crazy on the road, and awful lonely. That's why I love pornography. This next song is all about my love of hardcore, barely legal pornography.

by Slyde on May 8, 2008 12:53 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Kate is hot

'cause something is happening here, but you don't know what it is.

by Man Mountain on May 8, 2008 1:08 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

is kate that fat guy with the beard?

if so, i agree

In the end, life and business are about human connections. And computers are about trying to murder you in a lake. And to me the choice is easy.

by chandrathan on May 8, 2008 1:09 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

see what I mean

MM is on a whole other level with this show compared to me.

It gets crazy on the road, and awful lonely. That's why I love pornography. This next song is all about my love of hardcore, barely legal pornography.

by Slyde on May 8, 2008 1:18 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

?

by Brendanukkah on May 8, 2008 1:22 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

nah

It gets crazy on the road, and awful lonely. That's why I love pornography. This next song is all about my love of hardcore, barely legal pornography.

by Slyde on May 8, 2008 1:26 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I CANT HEAR ANY OF THIS OVER MY SPOILER EARMUFFS

Marty may have a shirt on, but Billy Beane just ripped his off and is squeezing his nipples. - Brendan's ukkah

by boobs on May 8, 2008 1:28 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Good

then you won’t mind me saying

Dr. Malcolm Crowe is dead the whole time
Verbal Kent is Keyser Söze
Rosebud is a sled
Dil has a penis

It gets crazy on the road, and awful lonely. That's why I love pornography. This next song is all about my love of hardcore, barely legal pornography.

by Slyde on May 8, 2008 1:42 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

The Village was in the middle of a park

and it was modern times. And the movie is dumb as hell.

by Brendanukkah on May 8, 2008 1:49 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

And

Funshine Bear is able to break the evil spell on Nikolas the magician’s assistant and get him to care again.

'cause something is happening here, but you don't know what it is.

by Man Mountain on May 8, 2008 2:26 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

'Nukkah, what was Luke's father like?

I don't know how to paint a banana gourd to look like a Power Ranger.

by Fat Vegas Alan on May 8, 2008 2:27 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Nubian God.

-Do not play golf behind Dave Parker.

by snohio on May 8, 2008 2:59 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

What's a Nubian?

by Brendanukkah on May 8, 2008 3:04 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Shut the fuck up!

-Do not play golf behind Dave Parker.

by snohio on May 8, 2008 3:07 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

i responded and than continued to read down the page.

The Dusty Path to the World Series!*

*Note this is not an endorsment of Dusty Baker.

by justin007000 on May 8, 2008 12:13 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

nope, you can't get away with that

I think you are trying to get credit for Brendan’s joke. And I won’t stand for it. I’ll sit, but I refuse to stand.

It gets crazy on the road, and awful lonely. That's why I love pornography. This next song is all about my love of hardcore, barely legal pornography.

by Slyde on May 8, 2008 12:15 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

want to step outside and dance?

The Dusty Path to the World Series!*

*Note this is not an endorsment of Dusty Baker.

by justin007000 on May 8, 2008 12:26 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

'sup?

In the end, life and business are about human connections. And computers are about trying to murder you in a lake. And to me the choice is easy.

by chandrathan on May 8, 2008 12:17 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

can he clear brush?

The Dusty Path to the World Series!*

*Note this is not an endorsment of Dusty Baker.

by justin007000 on May 8, 2008 11:56 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Your nomination droppin' in summer?

That sucks for you. ‘Cause this is Bubba’s moment! I put my mother on it!

He's extremely quick and good.

by battlekow on May 8, 2008 12:35 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Arnold Schwarzenegger

is doing everything he can to give Joey the right be to be President.

It gets crazy on the road, and awful lonely. That's why I love pornography. This next song is all about my love of hardcore, barely legal pornography.

by Slyde on May 8, 2008 8:05 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

this really had nothing to do with Joey

it was just almost 3AM and I was working on a paper a decided to post this on an active thread.

The Dusty Path to the World Series!*

*Note this is not an endorsment of Dusty Baker.

by justin007000 on May 8, 2008 11:55 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

This Should Put To Rest.....

.....Dusty’s early fetish for Scott Hatteburg and his “veteran leadership.” It is time to see the writing on the wall and unload Hatteburg and his aged redundancy.

by tonywf on May 8, 2008 10:47 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Not so fast, I think...

Let’s see how Votto handles his first major slump now that he has become a force to be reckoned with.

If he’s a truly great hitter, he will adjust to the adjustments, and the career-long chess game between him and the pitchers will begin. Then you ditch Hatteberg.

Until then, Hatteberg is not occupying the Designated Roster Mismanagement Spot (see Casto, Juan, for more details).

At least it wasn't Grady Little.

by Paul Householder on May 8, 2008 11:23 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Ahem.

Joey Votto can handle slumps.

I don't know how to paint a banana gourd to look like a Power Ranger.

by Fat Vegas Alan on May 8, 2008 11:31 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

He had an early fetish for Hatteberg?

When was this?

by rojosoto on May 8, 2008 1:50 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Dusty's Fetishes

....well, other than his statements during spring about Hatteberg’s valuable leadership, and giving him the majority of the playing time at first during the spring, Dusty one-upped us by putting Scott in the opening day starting lineup. The only, and I mean the only, reason Votto is getting any playing time right now is because Hatteberg got off to a slow start and Votto hit well once he started at first. Otherwise, we would still have to endure watching Joey rotting away on the bench, like the first week of the season. I can only hope that after the Harriston/Patterson ventures finally go down in flames (as Patterson’s already has), he will call up Bruce and put him in the lineup. I just thank God that Juan Castro is gone, so he couldn’t bat him second again.

by tonywf on May 8, 2008 3:27 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Baker and 1st base

Baker hasn’t thrown anyone under the bus all season, so his comments towards hatteburg in spring training was just coaches speak to me. I assumed all along that Hatteberg would be the opening day starter, but by the end of the season, Votto would be the one with the most at-bats.

Baker sounded in spring training like he wanted Votto to have the job, but Votto tried to give Baker/Krivsky every reason to send him back to AAA or be the backup. Votto hit .158 and Hatteberg .382 in near equal spring playing time. I think it’s a credit to Baker that he kept putting Votto out there in early April. He and Hatteberg were starting every other day through April 10. Votto hitting just .235 with zero walks and zero extra base hits. Votto had some good hits against lefthanded pitching in the Pittsburgh series, and he’s been starting almost every game ever since.

If Baker had a Hatteberg fetish, Votto gave him all of March and early April to do something about it. Actually, I think Baker’s patience with both Votto and Encarnacion’s early struggles show that Baker does not have a veteran fetish.

by rojosoto on May 8, 2008 4:42 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Spring Means Nothing....

....simply look at reality, regular season play, particularly late last season (against real major league pitching), and the fact Votto is clearly a better player, fielder, fewer liabilities, and fourteen years younger. The Reds rewarded him by giving Hatteberg a wasted multimillion dollar contract. That is worse than dumb. It is a waste of money. You can find anyone to play first (even Hatteberg converted). He outlived his utility to the team and to any sense of baseball economics. You do not start one player when you intend it to be for someone else, especially when you’re distorting their chance at conquering the learning curve on the bench. The only reason for him to start Hatteberg, other than an injury, is because someone in the front office wanted him there. If that was Dusty’s choice, like with Castro and Patterson (and Hariston by the end of the season, if not sooner), it is yet one more reason why big budget/older player managers like himself are a bad fit for organizations like Cincinnati.

by tonywf on May 10, 2008 2:16 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

this is only loosely related

but Ken Roesnthal’s new column discussin Joketty possibly getting rid of a lot of veteran to (presumably) go with a full-on youth movement. Junior and Dunn are mentioned, but he also discusses Jocketty moving Bako, Weathers, Mercker and Hatteberg. I would be 100 percent in favor of this.

Marty may have a shirt on, but Billy Beane just ripped his off and is squeezing his nipples. - Brendan's ukkah

by boobs on May 8, 2008 12:52 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

should have been done much earlier

In the end, life and business are about human connections. And computers are about trying to murder you in a lake. And to me the choice is easy.

by chandrathan on May 8, 2008 12:55 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

i think what i like the most about this is

that Bako and Mercker are listed as trade candidates. the fact that they have any value whatsoever is so totally wicked and cool, considering they were streetwalkers just a few months ago.

If you don't get a good-night kiss, you get Kafka dreams.

by Charlie Scrabbles on May 8, 2008 5:52 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Not the bullpen.

I don’t think we should really blow up the bullpen.

I would like to win SOME games this year and when the youngsters only go 5 innings, someone has to be there.

It will end up like last year when Arroyo felt like he had to go 8 innings to try to keep a victory. Bako, Hatteberg, maybe one of Lincoln, Weathers, Mercker and throw Belizzle if you can get anything for him. Valentine, Ross, whomever is worth something in return. But I’d really like to hang onto most of this pen.

-Do not play golf behind Dave Parker.

by snohio on May 8, 2008 10:01 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs