date：2023-09-15 23:47:49 click：162times
For Joey Votto, the future is right now.
Votto, who recently returned from the disabled list after nursing pain in his surgically repaired left shoulder, and his Cincinnati Reds are vying for a wild card spot for the first time since 2013 in a season not affected by COVID.
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Beyond that is the resolution of his contract situation. Votto is nearing the end of the guaranteed term of his 10-year, $225 million contract, the largest in Reds history. For next season, the club owns a $20 million option on a $7 million buyout.
Votto, who just turned 40, told Sportico, "I want to keep playing. 'Oh, yes, I do.' (I want to keep playing). Hopefully here," he said. But you never know what's going to happen, and there's only so much you can control."
Although he has a lifetime batting average of .295 and 2,128 runs batted in, Votto's offensive numbers have deteriorated over the years due to injury. Given the talented young players the Reds are attracting, there should be no real reason for the team to exercise that option. The Reds' $99.6 million annual salary is the eighth lowest in Major League Baseball; according to Spotrac, Votto's luxury tax is a team-high $22.5 million (22.6%). Hunter Renfroe is second on the Reds' list at $1.98 million.
Aside from Votto, only seven other players on the active roster make more than $1 million. Kids like Jonathan India, Jake Fraley, Tyler Stevenson, TJ Friedl, Ellie De La Cruz, Spencer Stier, and Matt McClain are all making around $770,000 minimum from their major league service time this year.
"I can name five guys who are making the minimum right now, and I wouldn't be surprised if they make All-Star next year," Bott said. 'They've all been under team control for a long time. They are proud to represent this team and this city.
繼續閲讀Harrison Bader, who was just picked up off waivers, is being paid the rest of his salary by the New York Yankees. Sounds familiar. Aaron Hicks also has the samecontractwith the Orioles.
It's the way the Reds do business. Unlike Hicks, Bader will be a free agent this winter. So will Votto if the Reds don't pick up his option.
"I recognize that I don't know how long I can play in one city or uniform," Bott said. 'I've played my entire career with this team. If this is going to be my last stretch, I don't know, but this has been golden."
"I'm not sure how much longer I'm going to be here.
But now there is a playoff spot to pursue. The Reds begin a three-game series against the slumping New York Mets on Friday night at Citi Field. With two weeks remaining, the Reds are locked in a five-team race for the final two of the three wild card slots in the National League.
The Chicago Cubs, Arizona Diamondbacks, Miami Marlins, San Francisco Giants, and Reds are only a few games apart; the criteria for the last team to make the playoffs in the NL is a six-game lead over the Houston Astros in the World Series The Philadelphia Phillies' 87 wins last year should be it.
This year's mantra has been well-spoken by Arizona manager Torey Lovullo.
"Just get on board and good things will happen," he said.
The Reds were in first place in the NL Central as of August 2. But the team went 10-16 in August, spinning out of that race and into this wild-card contender. Teams in the field must finish near 70% in their remaining games to qualify.
Better than nothing, Bott said; in the old 10-team playoff system, the Reds would already be toast. They made the playoffs after the 2020 season, which was shortened by 60 games due to the pandemic, but that doesn't count, Bott said. Heck, 16 teams made it [to the playoffs]," he said."
The playoff field was expanded to 12 teams last year for the first time in a non-COVID season, and the three wild card rounds were played only in the ballpark of the team with the best record. However, the Reds missed the playoffs with 100 losses and a 25-game lead over the Phillies.
When the Reds wrapped up spring training in Goodyear, Arizona, this March, everyone expected the same 100 losses.
In May, as young, impact players began to slowly emerge through the system, Votto spoke to the team in a clubhouse meeting. He didn't often do that, he recalled, but it was the right time. His message was this: "When you get to 50 percent, a lot of kids from the minor leagues are going to come in.
The message got through. Bott added: "To their credit, I knew they would do well, with or without help." They were excited to compete, excited to do better, and said, "We're going to show some people something."
They reached .500 again on June 19 for the first time since the first week of the season and spent most of the next 20 days in first place.
Votto continued to struggle with injuries and his batting average was around .200, a shadow of his former greatness, but he sensed a change in the club's dynamic.
"It's given me a lot of energy," he said. I love playing with this group. I love playing with this group. That's what teammates do for each other.
"As far as coming back from injury, it sucked. It was a really taxing year in that regard. It wasn't ideal to want to play games and help the team while going through the rehab and comeback process."
As far as winning is concerned, it's been a long road for Votto. The Reds finished 90-72 under Dusty Baker in 2013. Baker was fired by then-general manager Walt Jocketty after losing the wild card game against Pittsburgh. At the time, the Reds were a club with great pitching and stars like Jay Bruce, Todd Frazier, and Brandon Phillips. Votto batted .305 for that team, with a league-leading 135 walks and a .435 on-base percentage.
After Baker's dismissal, the Reds were 141 games shy of .500 through 2022, and over the four seasons that Bryan Price was manager, they were 85 games shy until he was fired 18 games into the 2018 season. Last year, under current coach David Bell, they hit rock bottom with a 62-100 record. This year he is several games above .500.
Baker has gone on to Washington and Houston and now has the Astros in position to win their second consecutive World Series. The Reds have struggled. Votto said he likes working with Jocketty, but really likes playing for Dusty.
"He was a leader and the captain of the ship," Bott said. "We were competitive for three or four years but fell short of our championship goals; the decade from 2014 to last year was tough. Now we're competing for the playoffs, led by this young group of nationally unknown players who have emerged, and it's been a fun experience."
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