Votto ranking among first basemen

[*bengalfan74*]

(09-12-2019, 02:11 PM)Circleville Guy Wrote: Votto ‘s remaining contract  has 4 more years at 25 Mil. a year and a 7 Mil. year buyout for the 5th year. He is still owed 107 Million dollars. His actual value is probably about 4 or 5 Mil. a year. The Reds are stuck. My plan would be to start Votto next season and sit him against LH starters. If he has a bad first have then he’s pretty much a platoon player in the second half. The Reds probably keep him as a platoon player the following year and then as a bench player for his last 2 years. They will be forced to eating 3/4 of his remaining contract regardless if they trade him. I hated the extension when it happened because Votto still had some years left on his contract and had just won the mvp. That was a very stupid time to extend him. It handcuffs the Reds for 5 years, almost half of the contract years are eaten. Small market teams cannot sign contracts like this and especially while he was already controlled for a few more years. Votto could actually have a decent year or 2 left in him though. The reason I say this is that he looks great physically and he has a reputation of overthinking things. This year could be as much mental as physical. Don’t forget that goofy choking up halfway up the bat for half of the season and that goofy golf warmup swing. He’s accomplished enough and doesn’t have much to lose so hopefully someone can get him to relax next season and rely more on his national talent than his trying to outthink the pitcher on every pitch. He also has to be more aggressive or at least more defensive with 2 strikes. He has to ditch being passive with 2 strikes. More than anything, he needs to bring back his old walk up song, “Paint It Black” by the Stones. Maybe that set his mind right!

I've never understood what that choked up giant uppercut 3/4 swing he does after stepping out of the box is supposed to do ? It's nothing even slightly resembling a real/natural swing.