Joey Votto Out for Surgery

By Jeff Gray

As a team the Cincinnati Reds have had a pretty easy time so far this year in regards to having to place players on the DL.  Scott Rolen, Bill Bray and Drew Stubbs are really the only players to have spent any time out of the lineup.  Well, all of that changed today as the Cincinnati Reds announced right before the start of their four-game series with the Arizona Diamondbacks that first baseman, Joey Votto will undergo surgery on Tuesday to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee.

The Reds reported that Joey Votto received the injury back on June 29th as he slid into 3rd in a game against the San Francisco Giants.  He missed a couple games later in their west coast trip because of swelling.  Votto remarked, “It is in my best interest and in the best interest of the team to do it now so that I can be healthy during the last two months of the pennant race.”  The Reds also reported that Votto will miss about 3 to 4 weeks before returning to the lineup.

Joey Votto’s absence will be greatly missed by the Reds.  He has a batting average of .342, 14 homeruns, 49 RBI, only 65 strikeouts to go with 66 walks.  He is clearly in the running for MVP again in the National League.  This injury will certainly make that award unlikely for Votto.

As of today, it appears that the Reds are planning on playing Todd Frazier at first during his time away.  This will solve the problem that Dusty Baker was having as to when to play Frazier and Scott Rolen.  Now they both will play.  The Cincinnati Reds will reportedly make a roster move tomorrow to replace Votto.

With Joey Votto out of the line-up, the Reds are now down to one lefthanded batter – Jay Bruce.  Most assuredly, the Reds will bring up a lefty to at least have one available on the bench.

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