Reds’ Votto to stay aggressive at plate
Batter must adapt to not getting thrown fastballs
In the top of the ninth inning on Sunday afternoon against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto took a fastball over the middle of the plate. The at-bat ended with a groundout to second base, but the result isn’t what had Votto “kicking (himself)” as he walked to the dugout.
Votto was frustrated that he missed a chance to hit a fastball in the strike zone.
“I can count on maybe one hand, maybe two hands, how many legitimate fastballs I’ve gotten to hit,” Votto said. “I’m going to have to start hitting breaking balls and I’m going to have to start burning changeups.”
Votto said he isn’t planning a major adjustment.
Entering Tuesday’s game, Votto was last among Reds position players with a .171 batting average and .453 OPS.
According to Statcast, Votto’s average hit ball goes 91.9 mph, which ranks fourth on the team and would be his highest in the past six years. His expected batting average, which measures the likelihood that Votto’s batted balls land for hits, ranks fifth on the team, but Votto has a .182 batting average on balls in play.
The only Reds players with more hard-hit balls than Votto, according to Statcast, are Tyler Naquin and Nick Castellanos, who are in the top 10 in the National League in OPS.
Instead of landing for singles and doubles, Votto’s line drives have been caught for line-outs and fly-outs.
“I know that intuitively,” Votto said. “Not to be curt in any way, but I’m pretty
aware. But I’m not where I want it to be. The ball has to go over the fence, and I haven’t done that yet. The ball needs to go in the gap in the air, and I haven’t really put many good swings that are going to be gap balls, balls off the wall, balls over the fence. Yeah, I’m hitting balls at people but I’m also rolling over and I’m also missing hittable pitches.”
Votto has consistently had long atbats that ended with him putting the ball in play. He ranks in the top 8% in
MLB in fewest strikeouts per plate appearance, but has just one extra-base hit despite his hard contact.
“If we can have confidence in anyone, it’s (Votto),” manager David Bell said. “He has been through this so many times, and I know he has been playing for a long time, but the way he looks now, he looks like a young player the way he’s moving and standing in the box and attacking and using his athleticism and his strength. The results will come.”
Votto says he has seen fastballs less often than he has at any point in the last five years. He has only three hits this season against breaking balls and offspeed pitches, and he said he’s now planning to see those pitches more frequently.
“If they’re in the strike zone, that’s a quality pitch to hit,” Votto said. “That’ll come. If it doesn’t come, then I’m in the wrong league.”