HR DERBY
stevebodnar
Senior Member
who is everyone taking?
stevebodnar
Senior Member
Comments
good info here
to your last point last month when Milwaukee was at at Chase Field about 5 mins before game time they opened the roof(and left the AC on mind you)..we were sitting pretty much in line with the batters box 20 rows up..the jet stream blowing out was crazy.
I understand what you're saying regarding the ball traveling farther with the roof open. The thing is though, in Miami the weather doesn't always cooperate during the Summer. There are many nights when it's either raining or threatening to rain, and the humidity is something you don't want any part of as a fan attending the game. The bottom line is do you want to sit in heat and humidity for three hours, or air conditioning? Are you sure about the roof in Marlins Park only being open for 21 games in the past 2 years, that seems low to me, but you could be right. Anyway before the season I made a future on Judge to lead the league in Homers, I got him at 85/1, obviously with such a long shot I played him very small, but it would still be a nice score for me if he can hold onto his lead. Looking at him now it's amazing to think he was as big a long shot as he was, next season he'll be the chalk most likely
Hey kane, your a Reds fan and to tell the truth I don't watch many Red games but have recently and I didn't realize how great Votto is. The man is sick and you never hear about him or at least not as much as you should. Can't imagine the Pub he would get in a Big market like LA,NY Boston I really enjoy watching him play. Man what would it take for the Yankees to get him. I know he recently signed a 225,000,000 10 year contract and with today's market I thing the Reds got the best of it.
U r right about Votto OT. The guy hits with power and chokes-up at times 2inches on the bat. Been a great matchup all year for total bases.
Hey OT, about Joey Votto, first off I'll give you a stat on him I heard the other day that blew me away. In the history of baseball, Votto is 12th all time in on base percentage. When I think about the greats to ever play, the fact that only 11 players have a higher on base percentage than him is amazing to me. This is his 11th season, his career batting average is .313 and his career OPS is .967, both numbers are outstanding, he's a 5 time All Star, he's won a Gold Glove and has also won an MVP Award. He's one of the best players in the game and has been for a long time, of course playing in a smaller market means he isn't as high profile as if he played in a city like NY, Chicago, or LA. If Votto played in a bigger market he would be a household name, but anyone who follows the game, especially the NL knows what kind of player he is. There isn't another player in the game with a better eye than Votto, every year he either leads the league in walks or is among the leaders, the guy is an on base machine, his pitch recognition is second to none. This year he's hitting .315 with 26 homers and 68 RBI, to go with a ridiculous 1.058 OPS, if he was playing for a contender he'd be in the MVP race, but he doesn't get the pub that others get since the Reds aren't very good and they're never on national TV. Another thing I love about him is when he gets 2 strikes, he'll choke up on the bat a good 2-3 inches and go into protect mode, he'll battle and foul off pitch after pitch, not a lot of guys would do that, most of them keep the same approach with 2 strikes, not Votto. Nothing is guaranteed, but at the pace he's on, I think he's on his way to Cooperstown, that's assuming of course he puts up Votto like numbers for several more years, but if he stays healthy I like his chances. Votto approaches hitting like a science, he's a perfectionist in an imperfect sport, if he goes 3-4, he'll be in the clubhouse replaying the one time he got out, what he could have done different, did he swing at a pitch he shouldn't have. In case you hadn't noticed, JV is my favorite player, but I try to be impartial when discussing him, I just honestly think he's one of the best players in the game. BTW, GL to your Yankees the second half, even though I'm not a fan of them, baseball is better when the Yankees are good.
Stevie, if you happen to read this, I would love to hear your thoughts on Votto. I can admit I'm a little biased when it comes to him, but you know the game better than most and would provide a more neutral opinion.
I don't think that should hurt his HOF chances as much as being a Canuck j/k
I just looked it up, there's only one Canadian in the Hall, Fergie Jenkins. I think JV becomes the second
HOF not a place the Canadians are familiar with. Their pool is filled with marginal guys like Terry Puhl and the guy from Quebec the Expos tried popularize...........Claude Raymond. Their best shot to follow FJenkins was Gagne. The Dodgers forgot about pitch count with him.
He's a freak, totally underappreciated from those outside the hard core baseball people. His batting eye is up there with anyone I have ever seen, never seen a hitter spit on so many "pitcher pitches" in my life. I think his season two years ago was better than his MVP season but he ran into I think Bryce Harper's freak season and maybe Goldschmidt had a great season as well that year. When you do it year in and year out, people take you for granted. It also doesn't help him that his team isn't winning but I have said it many times, one guy can't get you into the playoffs and win you a World Series. The Angels didn't fall off a cliff when Trout was out but yet they are a one man team. Sure. It's not the NBA.
I got a heads up on Votto many years ago. I played with Adam Rosales before he was drafted by the Reds. I saw him a year later in the offseason and we were talking and I asked him about any big time players in the pipeline and he didn't even hesitate. "There is a guy who is a future many time all star, total freak, name is Joey Votto".