Certain parts of the Cincinnati media like to go after Joey Votto because he’s not a run-producing RBI machine. This despite the fact that, um, yeah, he actually creates boatloads of runs and is far and away the best hitter that team has and has had in, like, 30 years. But he takes walks and speaks intelligently about advanced metrics, see, so screw that guy, right?
Perhaps his biggest detractor is Paul Daugherty of the Cincinnati Enquirer. Yesterday, however, Daugherty actually talked to Votto about his hitting and value as a hitter. And if you can get past Daugherty’s Luddite opening and closing remarks, Votto says a lot of interesting and intelligent things about his hitting and the criticism he takes for the way he approaches hitting.
Really, though, Daugherty’s overall tone is the most illuminating thing about the piece. I feel like certain sportswriters don’t know much what to do with an athlete who is demonstrably intelligent, which Votto certainly is. So he must be “curious” and weird and different and what he says must be met with dubiousness. Pretty funny, actually.
