March 6, 2015

Votto Understands

Via Hardball Talk, Joey Votto explains what he tries to accomplish hitting, and it’s right out a Bill James Baseball Asbstract:

“I was still rehabbing my leg that year” from two knee surgeries in 2012. “One of my lesser abilities was to drive the ball. I decided to do everything I can to get on base as often as possible. If that costs me in the RBI department, so be it.

“In that season, there is some validity to the argument that I was pro-everything but driving in runs. I get it. My thinking was, if there was a hierarchy of options, I would take the hit, then the walk, then driving in the run with an out. That is where people saw the difference in me.

“I felt like the pitcher who’d lost five miles an hour on his velocity. I had to be crafty.”

And:

Votto says he doesn’t care where he hits. Nor would he change how he hits, to fit the spot in the order. “My objective with men at 2nd and 3rd is to get one quality pitch to drive them in. If it’s not available, I’m going to go to first base. I won’t make any apologies about that.

Perfect.

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