Cincinnati Reds’ first baseman Joey Votto: the Queen City’s Dark Knight

Is there a funnier person on the planet than Cincinnati Reds’ first baseman Joey Votto?

Here you have a future Hall of Famer making $22-million this year playing baseball for the Cincinnati Reds, yet he finds the time to straight up own random dudes in the stands. That’s exactly how I want the leader of my clubhouse responding if I’m the Reds front office.

Cincinnati Reds Hecklers vs. Votto

I remember a time when the city of Cincinnati was distraught that their $250-million man didn’t “show enough personality,” and now look at our Joey, constantly proving the nay sayers wrong. One “you used to be thin,” joke at a time.

Votto has caught a lot of heat in the past from taking too many walks and I’m not positive if the people watching those games understand that walks are a part of baseball. (Walks will haunt, remember?) An important part, at that. Votto has taken it all in stride and continuously puts together years of successful baseball.

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Growing up watching the Reds I didn’t see too many hitters come through the clubhouse that would be worth talking about after they left the city. Griffey Jr., comes to mind, and I’m convinced he didn’t even have functioning hamstrings. Like, totally obliterated, gone. No Hammies. Votto is the single best hitter I’ve seen this day and age.

The eye test can be misleading, but when you understand what to look for it never fails. Statistics can lie. A man can have zero hits on the day, but accumulate as many RBIs as plate appearances (walking with bases loaded). Enough games like that, you’re in the big HOF brauhaus. However, you could have 100 ABs with 29 hits and have had 17-pitch ABs for all of them, and that’ll get you … nothing. Maybe a Subway deal? Votto deserves endless Subway!

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Cincinnati Reds’ Joey Votto does everything the right way, he’s consistent, he doesn’t swing at balls and he hardly ever goes down with a backwards K.

I’ve also seen that as the years have gone by, Joey has been more vocal with the media and the fans and I love it. Cincinnati is a tough place to play. Not only has their been a 375-year championship drought (sorta exaggerated, but not much), but the fans are fully aware of it. They can’t take it any longer, and who’s to blame them? I understand it.

But the heckles don’t make it better, however, Votto’s response does. It’s adding lightheartedness to a situation less than ideal with a rebuilding franchise. All that heckling doesn’t sway Votto from his goal of being the best, the best there ever was. No. He throws a fat joke back at the guy then clocks in to work.

Votto isn’t just the superstar this city needs, but the one it deserves. A man who goes about everything the right way and quietly puts together a HOF career right before our eyes. Keep chopping wood Joey and don’t let these player haters get in the way of your mission.

Next: Think Votto's good? What about Hamilton?

Also, this is a great chance for anyone to see a Canadian man be somewhat mean. That doesn’t happen in the wild too often.