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Award-winning columnist Tom Archdeacon — an old-school storyteller in a brand-new venue — writes about sports, the city, southwest Ohio and anything else that catches his fancy… or yours.Home > Blogs > Through the Arch > Archives > 2009 > June > 20 > Entry
Dayton loves Joey Votto
Joey Votto came to Fifth Third Field on a rehab assignment Saturday night and instead the Cincinnati Reds slugging first baseman found himself in the middle of a lovefest.
A record crowd of 9,507 — including several fans wearing their No. 31 Reds’ Votto jerseys — gave him its heart and he reciprocated almost instantly.
He ripped the first pitch thrown to him by West Michigan right-hander Mark Sorensen over the right field wall and out of the park onto Sears Street for a two-run home run in the first inning.
When the ball was still in the air, the roaring crowd began standing and cheering wildly. By the time Votto stepped on home plate, he was awash in standing ovation that was more like a communal embrace.
I was sitting in Section 113 and I heard people yelling to him “Welcome Back” and “We Love You” and finally some folks just began to chant “Joey… Joey… Joey.” People were snapping photos of the moment on their cell phones.
In the second inning, when the umpire called a questionable second strike on Votto, the fans moaned at the call. When he grounded out after that, they still cheered him. And in the fifth, when he stole second after a walk, they roared with glee. When he was thrown out at home trying to score on Carlos Mendez single, they offered up a collective moan. It was as if they were watching their own son get caught.
This might not be Great American Ball Park, but it is home sweet home for Votto, who played here in 2003 and 2004. He felt the connection and it was on his initiative that the bat he used for batting practice — complete with his autograph — was the grand prize give-away last night.
People cheer one of their own, but the special outpouring here was because Votto has been struggling of late with some personal issue that both he and the club — rightly so — have kept private.
Votto was Cincinnati’s best hitter — he had a .357 average with eight homers and 33 RBIs in 38 games — when he was waylaid with an inner ear infection.
In late May, he returned for three games, but was taken out early each time for unspecified reasons. The club later called it “stress-related.” He has been on the disabled list most of the time since.
He hasn’t played a full regulation game in well over a month. He played six innings two days in a row in Sarasota before coming here and also played in a Gulf Coast League intersquad game
After taking batting practice Saturday, he told reporters his biggest challenge would just be to play nine innings.
He’s scheduled to play for the Dragons Sunday and that may be especially challenging. It’s Fathers Day and last summer when his dad, Joseph — a Toronto chef and his son’s biggest supporter — died, Votto took the loss especially hard. He took a week off for bereavement, then returned to the Reds by club rule, though he was given some extra time out of the line-up by manager Dusty Baker.
Before he left, he had asked the club to keep the death quiet until his return. Since then he’s only talked on a couple of occasions — and very briefly — about losing his father. He declined to discuss the topic when the Reds played their last spring training game here — The Futures Game — on April 4.
Sunday, I imagine thoughts of his dad will be swirling beneath the surface with everything else that’s going on, so I’m sure he could use the same embrace that he got from the Dayton crowd Saturday night.
I’m pretty sure he’ll get it.
Permalink | Comments (7) | Post your comment | Categories: Cincinnati Reds
Comments
By cincykid337
June 21, 2009 8:06 PM | Link to this
Dayton fans are by far some of the best fans in the country… Dayton should be proud they have such knowledgable fans…By tbill
June 21, 2009 8:42 AM | Link to this
What’s a grown-up doing with a name like “Joey”?By lianco
June 21, 2009 7:48 AM | Link to this
“hey million dollar baby” you show your own ignorance….he makes $437,500 GO JOEY….we love you and care about youBy freyourmind
June 21, 2009 7:36 AM | Link to this
stress related, what a pus. hey million dollar baby we all have stress I say get over it and get back to your job.In my opinion they are all spoiled brats. peaceBy Remo
June 21, 2009 5:20 AM | Link to this
Charles - the strike Arch refers to was blatantly low and outside. It was obvious from every seat on the field.By gina
June 21, 2009 4:56 AM | Link to this
Go Joey!By Charles
June 20, 2009 11:38 PM | Link to this
The home plate umpire did a fine job tonight and was correct in the way he called balls and strikes to everyone, including Votto. I can respect a single-A umpire who isn’t afraid to ring up a major leaguer in the 9th inning with the game on the line. The strike zone doesn’t get smaller because you’ve made it to the show.