Joey Votto is a baseball player who seems to have been born to be a professional athlete. He is an amazing hitter and has had tremendous success in the Reds organization so far in his career. His story is the story of a kid from a small town in Canada who has worked hard to get to where he is today.
It’s often said that the greatest basketball player of all-time, Michael Jordan, was the catalyst for a dynasty in Chicago. Jordan’s Chicago Bulls won six titles in eight years, and they became the dominant team in the NBA. Joey Votto, who is on his way to becoming a Hall of Famer, has been compared to Jordan for his exceptional Hall of Fame career with the Cincinnati Reds. While the two players have different game styles, Votto’s success has been indirectly linked to Jordan’s—one of Votto’s heroes growing up was Jordan.
When the Chicago Bulls won the NBA Championship in the 1998-1999 season, it was Michael Jordan’s last season with the team. Although the Bulls were the best team in the league during that time, they lost in the finals to the Utah Jazz. It was a heartbreaking ending, but it did not go unnoticed and many teams picked up on the Bulls’ success. When the Cincinnati Reds won the National League in the 1990’s, it was the first time that a team had done it in over 20 years. One player that benefited from the Reds’ championship was Joey Votto. His success as a player was a direct result of Jordan’s success with the Bulls.
For many reasons, Michael Jordan’s time with the Chicago Bulls was legendary. He went on to become one of the greatest athletes of all time, and spectators saw him win six NBA championships with the Bulls despite struggling to make the playoffs year after year. Jordan’s achievements in Chicago, though, may have had an indirect effect on one of the best MLB players of the past 15 years, Joey Votto of the Cincinnati Reds.
Votto has spent his whole career with the same club, attempting — but failing — to win a title for the city where he was recruited. While we know that Michael Jordan went on to play for the Washington Wizards, his choice to return to the Bulls during his peak may have influenced Votto’s decision to remain in Cincinnati all these years.
Joey Votto has played for the Cincinnati Reds his whole career
Source: redreporter.com
Joey Votto maintains that winning a World Series for Cincinnati remains his top priority. “I truly don’t want to return and celebrate my accomplishments. I’d want to return to celebrate a title.”
Joey Votto says winning a World Series for Cincinnati is still his number one goal. “I really don’t want to come back and celebrate my career. I want to come back and celebrate a championship.” @WLWT #Reds pic.twitter.com/wUHjJGqWvI
— Brandon Saho (@BrandonSaho) February 21, 2024
Joey Votto was chosen in the second round of the 2002 MLB Draft by the Cincinnati Reds, and he made his big league debut in 2007.
Since then, Votto has established himself as one of the best Reds players of all time, which is saying a lot given the team’s long history.
He’s been selected to six All-Star games, won the NL MVP in 2010, a Gold Glove in 2011, and has led the National League in on-base percentage seven times. Votto has also batted over.300 in his career and has more than 300 home runs to go along with 1,000+ RBIs.
Despite only making the playoffs four times and failing to win a postseason series, the most remarkable aspect of Votto’s career is that he has never been in the headlines for wanting to leave Cincinnati.
He, on the other hand, is eager to win a championship.
“When I’m done, I don’t want to come back and celebrate my career,” she says. According to MLB.com, Votto said before the 2024 season, “I want to come back and celebrate a title.” “Any kind of personal adoration makes me very uncomfortable….” I’m lot more at ease giving information, and I’m eager to return and be able to celebrate a victory with the city, a team, and a shared moment.”
Joey Votto’s decision to remain in Cincinnati may have been influenced by Michael Jordan’s Bulls’ success
Source: bleacherreport.com
Jeff Haynes/AFP via Getty Images; Emilee Chinn/Getty Images; Michael Jordan with Joey Votto (L-R).
Votto just set a Reds club record by hitting at least one home run in seven consecutive games. During that time, he also hit nine times.
Votto has subsequently been on The Dan Patrick Show, where he highlighted his passion for another sport, basketball, after the end of his seven-game tear. He did, however, express his dislike for one thing: players moving teams.
On the Aug. 4 show, Votto, who was born and raised in Toronto, Canada, stated, “I’m a big basketball fan.” “I took a little break, and I won’t go into detail about why I did so, but there were certain players that went to particular clubs that I thought damaged the league for a moment. Now that Giannis is the owner of the league, he enjoys it much more.”
Patrick then inquired about Kawhi Leonard’s departure from the Toronto Raptors, Votto’s favorite club.
“Oh yeah, I was furious when he left the Spurs. He expressed his displeasure at the Thunder’s disbandment. “I suppose I’m a bit of a relic. Jordan was my man when I was younger, when I was an adolescent. Staying with the same company is something I like doing. So, on this subject, I’ll have to be careful what I say.”
No, we can’t claim Michael Jordan’s success with the Bulls had a direct impact on Votto’s career; as previously stated, MJ went on to play for the Washington Wizards. But he won six titles with the team that selected him and spent his whole peak in Chicago, which reportedly piqued Votto’s interest.
Votto now wants to win a championship for the city that welcomed him to the big leagues, just as Jordan did. He wants Cincinnati to win the World Series.
The Reds legend spoke about his induction into the Hall of Fame
Source: rockhall.com
Votto’s devotion may lead to him winning a World Series with the only team he knows, or it could lead to him never winning a championship.
Regardless of what happens when his career is finished, he will be remembered as a baseball great.
Votto is 25th in on-base percentage (.417) and 34th in on-base plus slugging percentage in MLB history, in addition to his 1,984 hits and 316 home runs (.936). He’s also a good fielder, with 1,644 assists at first base, which ranks him sixth all-time.
“Do I believe I am (inducted into the Hall of Fame)?” Dan Patrick, said Votto. “… No, probably not yet. I believe I heard you need at least 2,000 hits, and I haven’t reached that number yet, so I don’t believe I’m there yet.”
Votto may believe his Hall of Fame future is uncertain, but a World Series victory with the Reds would solidify his place in Cooperstown. Maybe he’ll follow in Jordan’s footsteps and win a championship with the city where he was chosen.
Baseball Reference provided the statistics.
