Joey Votto is the most underappreciated hitter in the game. This is tough to say about an MVP winner, but when people argue about the best hitter in baseball, Votto's name isn't likely to be mentioned quickly. Maybe it's because the Reds haven't been very successful in Votto's six years in the majors, or that he plays in a small market, or that we expect first basemen to be good hitters so his numbers don't stand out as much as they should. But Votto just signed a 10-year $225 million deal with Cincinnati and there's good reason why the Reds spent so much on their All-Star first baseman.
Votto, 28, leads the NL in walks, doubles, OBP and OPS while batting .348, fifth best in baseball. And he seems to just be getting warmed up. In a 30-game stretch entering Tuesday he hit .400 and has a 10-game hitting streak where he is batting .576. We can throw in nine home runs and 35 RBIs on the season for good measure.
These stats are MVP-worthy, but it's other stats, pointed out by Sports Illustrated's Tom Verducci, that are truly mind-blowing. Try these on for size:
1. Votto has yet to pop up to the infield this season. Not once. Even more impressive, he has popped up to the infield three times in the past four years. That's three times in 2,138 at-bats.
2. When Votto is behind in the count his batting average is .300. The average for other NL hitters when behind in the count: .198.
3. And maybe the craziest stat of them all: In his career, Votto has pulled a ball foul into the stands once. Ever.
You know those long shots down the line that you think might be a home run only to watch them go foul at the last moment? Votto hasn't hit one of those. Ever. It's a testament to the lefty's ability not to get out in front of the ball. His balance allows him to wait for the ball to get deeper into the contact zone, limiting the chances of him pulling the ball. And unlike other players who lose power when hitting to the opposite field, all except for one of Votto's homers have been to center or leftfield.
So go ahead and check out a Reds game to see one of the best hitters you know nothing about. And vote for him to start the All-Star game, which, somehow, he has never done.
