Frank Victores-USA TODAY Sports
Joey Votto continues to gain the recognition he deserves as a gifted first baseman for the Cincinnati Reds.
He’s among the Reds’ starters that will be going to the MLB All-Star game on July 16. He and second baseman Brandon Phillips were elected by the fans as starters.
Votto is no longer a stranger to the process. Last season he became the first Reds player elected to the All-Star game as a starter since Ken Griffey Jr. did it in 2007. But now, he’s the first Reds to be a back-to-back starter since Barry Larkin in 1999 and 2000.
It’s simply because Votto has quietly gained recognition among the fans for the talent he has. It’s the fourth time he’ll be going to the All-Star game. To Votto’s credit, he gives plenty of praise to the game and is humble in accepting the selections he’s received. It doesn’t appear this will ever be a player who would rather have a few days off in mid-July rather than playing in the Midsummer Classic. He deserves credit for realizing that he represents Cincinnati fans and it means a lot to them to see him and his teammates perform at the game.
He’s having an excellent season and Votto is a key reason why the Reds are playoff contenders. He’s hitting .322 with 15 home runs and 40 RBI. He leads the NL in walks (62), on-base percentage (.433) and is third in batting and ninth in slugging percentage (.515) as of Saturday.
Votto is truly an All-Star. He, more than anyone, deserves to be in this game.
