“I don’t remember us having that bad of a start in 2018. God. This is awful to experience each and every day” - Cincinatti Reds star first baseman is embarrassed by club's early-season slump
The Cincinatti Reds have not had the start to the season that they wanted. This has caused star first baseman Joey Votto to chime in on why he and his guys are frustrated. The Reds have started the 2022 season with an abysmal 3-19 record, making them the worst team in Major League Baseball by far.
Cincinatti Reds fans have not seen their team win a playoff game in over 25 years. Despite having been one of the best hitters in the game of baseball, Votto has not led his team anywhere. Calls from the Reds fanbase are getting louder and louder as fans are as impatient as ever.
Cincinatti Reds first baseman Joey Votto speaks openly about how difficult this season has been for him and his teammates so far.
The Cincinatti Reds have only made the playoffs five times since 1995. This has caused fans to take to social media to blame owner Phil Castellini.
Castellini responded, "Well, where are you going to go? Sell the team to who? That's the other thing. You want to have this debate? .... What would you do with this team to have it more profitable, make more money, compete more in the current economic system that this game exists? It would be to pick it up and move it somewhere else."
The Cincinatti Reds are on pace to win 30 games this year #FreeJoeyVotto
"The Cincinatti Reds are on pace to win 30 games this year" - @ Garrett Whitlock Enjoyer
Obviously, Castellini's words did little to assuage the anger of Reds fans.
After winning the third game of the season against the defending World Series champions the Atlanta Braves, the fun was over. Cincinnati Reds embarked on a gruelling 11-game losing streak between April 10 and April 24.
The Reds had a similar start to the season in 2018, when an opening record of 3-15 acted as a catalyst for the firing of then-manager Brian Price.
Negative numbers everywhere for the Reds. Not sure if Joey Votto was hitting .400 it would make much difference...but at .122, he has the lowest batting average in MLB among qualifying hitters, .122, with one extra base hit...a double. #Reds #joeyvotto @Reds https://t.co/vH3rHmO3rO
"Negative numbers everywhere for the Reds. Not sure if Joey Votto was hitting .400 it would make much difference...but at .122, he has the lowest batting average in MLB among qualifying hitters, .122, with one extra base hit...a double" - @ Gary Miller
Votto has played for the Reds ever since he made his MLB debut in 2007. In that time, he has won the National League MVP and multiple All-Star designations. Votto, who is now 38, looks as though he will leave the league having never achieved a modicum of playoff success.
Votto, who has more experience than most of his fellow players, was asked after the San Diego Padres swept the Cincinatti Reds this past weekend how he feels. Votto replied, "I don’t remember us having that bad of a start in 2018. God. This is an awful experience to experience each and every day."
Although it is still early days, the Reds will need to kick themselves into gear very fast if they even want to hope for success this season.