Cincinnati Reds: Joey Votto may have found his calling after baseball

Cincinnati Reds superstar Joey Votto eloquently breaks down the fine art of hitting with the MLB Network.

The Cincinnati Reds have a (somewhat) hidden gem in 2010 National League MVP Joey Votto, one of the greatest players of our generation or any for that matter. He can do it all on the baseball diamond; hit for average, power, plays Gold Glove-caliber defense and leads by example. Often his passion is misconstrued, but he’s one of the better guys in all of professional sports. He’s genuine. Raw. Fun. Blunt. Just full of pure awesomeness.

Recently, Joey Votto joined the crew of the MLB Network, eloquently and systematically breaking down the fine art of hitting. He may have found his true calling after baseball, as an MLB analyst.

“If your coach tells you to hit a ground ball, ignore them.”

Votto jokingly says, in a sense, that chicks dig the long ball. But, he admits a level approach is the best way to go at the plate.

The best of the best at the MLB, according to Votto, do more than just hit the long ball.

“You can do anything you want at any time… The best hitter can do anything.”

I agree, give me a full instructional video featuring Joey Votto. Whatever the price, I would pay it. He breaks down who he believes is the best hitter in all of MLB and it’s because such person can do whatever the team calls upon at any given moment.

I wish more would follow Votto’s example, with “everything” including giving a young fan battling cancer the gift of a home run, his bat, and jersey.

“The best hitter in the game is Mike Trout. If you ask him to do anything he can do it.”

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What makes Votto’s commentary so insightful and rich is the fact that he’s confident in his analysis. He breaks down the art of baseball like he’s breaking down the scientific method — blinding us with the Science of America’s pastime.

Votto admits that his 2017 goal was to earn a batting average of .370 and focus more on getting on base any way he can. Even though he barely missed the mark, he boasted one of his best MLB seasons — .320/.454/.578 with 30 home runs, 100 RBI, and 106 runs scored.

He attributes his success to locking in during his first at-bat, which sets the tone for the entire game. However, as Votto’s aged, he separates every at-bat as their own game, in a sense.

If you’re an aspiring Little Leaguer looking to take that next step in your young career, or even a long time MLB vet who’s looking to modify your swing, Votto has just one simple piece of advice. “Let the ball be your feedback.” It’s that simple.

Next: Votto is Mr. Personality of Major League Baseball

It seems that Joey Votto has plenty of job security once his MLB playing career is in the books with the Cincinnati Reds. With his unique insight, approach, and a million-dollar personality to go with it — expect the likes of Fox, ESPN, the MLB Network; whoever; to bid for the rights of Votto’s services behind the mic.