- Joey Votto
Infobox MLB player
name = Joey Votto
width = 250
caption =
team = Cincinnati Reds
number = 19
position = First baseman
birthdate = birth date and age|1983|9|10
birthplace =Etobicoke ,Ontario
bats = Left
throws = Right
debutdate = September 4
debutyear = 2007
debutteam = Cincinnati Reds
statyear = September 25, 2008
stat1label =Batting average
stat1value = .300
stat2label =Home run s
stat2value = 28
stat3label = Runs batted in
stat3value = 101
teams =
*Cincinnati Reds (by|2007-present)Joseph Daniel "Joey" Votto (born
September 10 ,1983 inEtobicoke ,Ontario ) is a CanadianMajor League Baseball player for theCincinnati Reds . He playsfirst base .Early career
Drafted out of high school (
Richview Collegiate Institute ) in the second round of the 2002 MLB amateur draft by the Reds (44th overall), Votto's first few professional seasons with the Reds' rookie-level affiliates were quiet. However, Votto burst onto the scene in by|2004, when he hit 26 doubles, 14home run s, and sported abatting average of .302 with the Class ADayton Dragons . He was promoted to Class A Advanced Potomac, and hit five more home runs in 20 games to end the season with 19.However, during Votto's by|2005 campaign with Sarasota, his consistency declined. While he still hit 19 home runs, Votto struck out 122 times and his batting average dropped nearly 50 points to .256.
He rebounded in 2006, batting .319 with 22 home runs and 24 stolen bases Chattanooga. Votto spent the majority of the 2007 Spring Training with the Cincinnati Reds and made the 40 man roster but was sent down to the AAA Reds' affiliate Louisville
2006 season
Votto's by|2006 season was the best of his career. Playing with Class AA Chattanooga, he improved his batting average to .319 and hit 46 doubles and 22 home runs. He led the Southern League in batting average and total bases and was third in the league in home runs and RBI. Votto was selected to play in the 2006 Futures Game on the World Team. He also played on both the Mid-Season and Post-Season Southern League All-Star teams, and was voted a minor league all-star by
Baseball America . Votto culminated his season by winning the Southern League MVP award.2007 season
Votto started off the season playing in Triple-A for the
Louisville Bats . He was called up onSeptember 1 ,2007 . He made his Major League debut onSeptember 4 , 2007, striking out againstGuillermo Mota of theNew York Mets . In his second major league at bat Votto hit his first career home run. Votto ended the season on a good note, going 2-for-4 with a home run and 5 RBI in theCincinnati Reds ' final game of the 2007 season. [cite web |url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/gameday_recap.jsp?ymd=20070930&content_id=2241084&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb|title=Reds close out season with a victory|accessdate=2008-09-08 |work=MLB.com |publisher= |date= ]2008 season
Beginning the by|2008 season, Votto shared time platooning at first base with
Scott Hatteberg , until ManagerDusty Baker began playing Votto as the Red's starting first basemen in early April. OnMay 7 , 2008, Votto hit three home runs in a game against theChicago Cubs . He broke the Reds record for the most Runs batted in by a rookie in a single season. The previous record was held by National Baseball Hall of Famecatcher Johnny Bench with 82 RBIs set in1968 . Votto drove in 84 runs during the 2008 season. He also is a very strong canidate for theNational League Rookie of the Year award.ee also
*
Major League Baseball hitters with three home runs in one game References
External links
*
* [http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?n=Joey%20Votto&pos=1B&sid=milb&t=p_pbp&pid=458015 Joey Votto career statistics] from MILB.com
* [http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20060627&content_id=98815&vkey=news_milb&fext=.jsp Feature on 1B Joey Votto] from MILB.com
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