Reds first baseman Joey Votto appeared Thursday on the "Dan Patrick Show," and chatted with the Mason native about everything from whether he's a future National Baseball Hall of Famer to the current pitcher he most admires, and what he looks like when he strikes out.
"What do you think you need for the Hall of Fame?" Patrick asked Votto.
"I've been asked that question a lot over the last couple of years," Votto said. "I need people like you - it doesn't matter how many hits - I need people like you to not ask that question in that 'What do I need to be a Hall of Famer?' I need Dan Patrick to say 'future Hall of Famer Joey Votto' as opposed to 'What do you need?'"
"Do you think you're a future Hall of Famer? Patrick asked.
"If you're asking me how many hits I need, the answer is probably 'no.' If that makes sense. So I don't know. And I don't have a vote. And I'm really in a place in my career where I just want to play well. But if you're asking the question, 'How many hits do you need?' the answer is 'maybe no.' ... If I don't feel like one in line with (Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher) Clayton Kershaw, then maybe I'm not one."
Earlier: 7 times Votto wasn't in the mood to keep his mouth shut
Video of the interview via YouTube:
Patrick asked Votto which pitcher he would be if he could be any MLB pitcher for one game.
"I love Clayton Kershaw," Votto replied. "One of the classiest, most competitive. He toes that line of competitiveness, but then he's got a real grace to him. I'd like to know what it feels to be the best pitcher of this generation in one of the most iconic uniforms in one of the biggest cities in the world. I'd love to know - I'm perfectly happy being myself - but in this hypothetical, alternative universe where I am some other pitcher, Clayton Kershaw would be my choice."
Patrick asked Votto whether he cares how he looks when he strikes out.
"Do I care how I look when I strike out? No. I do. It's true. Yeah, I do care. I do care how I look when I strike out. If you strike out in a way that can breed future success, you can roll that. You can roll that into upcoming at-bats. Or if there's a pitch that probably outside of the zone that's called strike 3, you can pat yourself on the back and say, 'You know, I need to not swing at that pitch to be successful in the future.' So the answer is yes, I do care."
Patrick asked Votto if he can laugh off the Reds' disastrous 25-game start to this season.
"No. No. We started 3-22, there's no laughing about that," Votto answered. "There's some moments. There's some moments where you're driving to work and you're slamming the wheel or you're thinking, 'Why isn't this easier?' No, it wasn't a good start. There's no laughing. We're past that. ... I do think that never showing that you give in or that you're happy with (losing) or you're satisfied. You know, showing that every day you're in a foul mood or you're dissatisfied with how we're playing is probably the route that I go. I'm not satisfied unless we're a successful team, unless we're a playoff and championship-caliber team."
Votto said Mike Trout, Kershaw and Albert Pujols are among current MLB players headed to Cooperstown in his mind.
Asked about how he prefers the fit of his uniform, Votto replied, "Now it's about comfort. I dress on the field exactly how I dress off the field. I've got no name brands, everything's bland. Everything fits comfortably. My shoes are comfortable. I want socks that are easy to put on in the morning. A sweater. And it's the same thing with my uniform. I want everything so comfortable that I don't even notice it. I used to want to be cool. And now I'm just about how do I do my job well. I very much feel (68 instead of 38). Style is a past version of me. I no longer get into that sort of stuff. And you know that well. You know that very well. Look at you. That's how I dress. How you dress is exactly how I dress, Dan."
LOVE SPORTS? [ Subscribe now for unlimited access to Cincinnati.com ]
Source link
