GOODYEAR, Ariz. – There is no timetable for Joey Votto to make his first appearance in a spring training game as he continues to ramp up his baseball activities after recovering from surgeries to repair his left rotator cuff and left bicep.
The Reds have four weeks until their Opening Day game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, but manager David Bell wasn’t ready to commit to whether Votto will be ready by the first game of the season.
“I don’t have confidence or a lack of confidence that will happen,” Bell said Wednesday. “With Joey, I just trust it. Nothing would surprise me. I don’t have any more information today. I’m just letting it play out. When he comes back, he’s going to be ready to play well. Obviously, we’re all hoping for that to be soon, but I want what’s best for Joey and our team. His plan, whatever that’s meant to be, will work out the way it’s supposed to.”
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Votto declined to say whether he was pain-free, but he was "very happy" with his progress. He noted his shoulder is strong, has better range of motion and he's upped his work.
"Our game speed is nothing like practice work," Votto said. "I have to be in a place where I can handle the awkward moments, the rundowns, the dives, check swing, ball off the end of the bat, whatever it is, somebody throwing the ball past me, full range of motion, full finish, getting fooled on a pitch. These are all things that are a part of the game every single day. If I’m not ready for that, then I’m significantly increasing my reinjury risk.
"And I’m not thinking about that. It’s not like I’m hedging against reinjury. I just know I want to come back and play well, and I want to play every day. I want to perform. I want to make sure when I come back, I come back ready. It’s not more complicated than that."
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