Joey Votto: All-Star

Joey Votto collected 13.7 million ‘final votes’ to gain a berth to his first All-Star Game next week in Anaheim, California. I’d say we voted around 400 times for our favorite team’s slugging first baseman.

Of our four All-Stars; and Brandon Phillips, Arthur Rhodes, and Scott Rolen deserve equal congratulations from everyone in Reds nation; Votto was probably the most deserving.

After he homered in the 1st inning last night I got a text from a friend of mine who isn’t a Reds fan. He basically said what the rest of the nation is starting to find out. Joey Votto is a household name.

Basically, he said that Votto is Albert Pujols–but younger, from the left handed side, and with a better ballpark to hit in. We have a full-fledged monster on our hands if he stays healthy. He’s going to put up major numbers and he is on a team that is in first place. It really gets no better then this and if fans around this game didn’t know about Joey Votto before this year, he’s about to become a household name around the game.

Votto is always humble, as he was when accepting his victory in the final vote. We’ve been critical of Votto’s perceived lack of fire in the past; but him being humble is definitely a reason to like him more as a player.

Joey, congratulations. You’re a class act on and off the field and we are thrilled you’re a pillar of our franchise. Good luck in Anaheim.