Cincinnati Reds' Joey Votto yet to regain his characteristic hitting form – MLB News
As the postseason games near, Cincinnati Reds' All-Star first baseman Joey Votto on Monday, October 1, stated that he has yet to retain his characteristic form and power to elevate the team offensively.
Votto who has undergone two left knee surgeries this year is back in the action but still he thinks there is a lot that needs to be done. Even though his batting average in post-surgery games remains .343 which is quite impressive with a 23-for-67 record, he still thinks there is space for improvement.
"I feel OK. I'm frustrated at times because I can't perform how I would like to," Votto said before batting practice on Monday. "That's part of the gig after a surgery like this. I would say at some point I will turn the corner, but I'm not sure if that will be this year. Until that point, I'm just playing everything by ear and doing the best I can and trying to make the most out of every situation."
Admittedly though, there have been fewer homers than what usually comes through his bat. Votto wants to work on that. He had returned on September 5 and since then he has not been any home-runs to his credit, apart from seven RBIs.
Votto’s homers will undeniably be key in the coming National League Division Series Games. Other than failure to hit any home-runs, Votto’s ability to have 25 walks since his return after knee surgery are simply astounding.
"I've tried to accentuate one of the things I can do -- put the ball in play and be a tough out," Votto said. "It's not easy, but it's how I've tried to change my game right now."
In 109 games in total this year, Votto has had 369 at-bats, having hit 14 home-runs and 56 RBIs, scoring a total of 58 runs with .339 batting average and .569 slugging percentage.
Having been a powerful influence on the offence, Votto’s getting back to his characteristic form will certainly be an arduous challenge for the pitchers in the upcoming NLDS. That will also allow the Reds to edge past to the National League Championship Series.
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