Joey Votto confident despite a slow spring
The Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto admitted on Friday, March 30, that it is taking him longer this year to make a start. He was responding to the questions pertaining to his apparently slow-moving start in the spring.
He is apparently struggling, but he has his reasons to offer while admitting to what has remained conspicuous this time round: A not very impressive batting average.
It is interesting to note that Votto has so far had .222 average in the Spring. Among other things, the fact that he has 17 strikeouts out of 45 at-bats must be somewhat hard to reconcile with. But he has a forward-looking approach.
"I start slow, but it's taking longer than most years," Votto said. "But it's not for a lack of work. It's not for a lack of health. It's not for a lack of being determined or focused or whatever. It's just one of those years. I feel like I am moving in
the right direction.”
There are enough evidences available to believe in what he says. He indeed is going in the right direct ion. Take, for instance, his start in 2010 Spring. He won the Most Valuable Player Award, his batting average in spring hovered around .167 in the last
week of the games.
He had made an astounding return, making a visibly strong show with 37 homers to his credit, hitting 113 RBIs with .324 batting average in 2010 to win that MVPA.
Similarly, the player is motivated to have the best season of his career this year. “I'm motivated to have the best season of my career. I put in the work in the offseason. I put in the work during Spring Training. That was my goal and intention. A slow
spring doesn't deter me from having those goals."
It will be interesting to see how he succeeds in realizing the dream and aim that he has. The fans that he has, along with his critics, do not doubt his ability and resilience. He is, after all, one of the accomplished clutch hitters in the Major League
Baseball.
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