Joey Votto stays unique to the end

Fabulous 17-year career wraps up on his own terms

On Wednesday evening, via Instagram, Etobicoke’s Joey Votto, immediately prior to the start of the Blue Jays series finale at Rogers Centre against the Cincinnati Reds, his only major-league team, decided it was time. In a self-produced post on social media, he called it a career.

It was at that exact moment the complicated, subtly funny, always very human and empathetic to young fans, Votto decided to share his life-altering decision. It was then in that players parking lot that the proud Canadian first-baseman paused at Sahlen Field, after a day game in which he had not played, with the minor-league stadium and Buffalo’s skyline in the background, recorded a nine-second Instagram, and sent it, along with a message that oozed shrug, composed from the heart, announcing his retirement from major-league baseball. That’s it, that’s all. Typical Votto.

There was no cheesy farewell tour, bestowed with gifts he might never use, no tipping of the helmet, stepping out of the batter’s box to acknowledge a standing ovation for his final at-bat in every city, no gathering of former teammates at second base to sit awkwardly on the field, each taking his turn telling stories about their friend and colleague. No, not for our man, Joey. Instead, this was Votto heading directly from the Bisons post-game clubhouse to parking lot, to record and compose for Instagram, then to the car for the 90-minute drive to Toronto, Uber to the ballpark — answering his driver’s question, “Are you a player?” with a simple, “No!” — working his way past security down to the visitors clubhouse to say goodbye to his old teammates, followed by an informal availability with media, then off into the night for the rest of his life.

This was never the plan. Votto had signed a minor-league deal with the Jays in February with an invite to major-league training camp. There was room for a veteran DH for a team that expected to compete for a wild-card, but after finally working his aging body into Grapefruit League playing shape, Votto appeared in an early March split-squad game in Clearwater vs. the Phillies. He homered in his first at-bat, but stepped on a loose bat on the floor of the dugout as he celebrated the blast, severely injuring his ankle and spending the next four months trying to return to playing shape.

Unfortunately for Votto, that 40-year-old version of “back into playing shape”, once he attained it, was no longer good enough to compete against eager, hard throwing kids in the Complex League looking to make their mark against a future Hall-of-Famer, nor did it play well in the low-A Florida State League, or even at AAA-Buffalo, where there was clearly going to be a plan, if things went well, for Votto to come back to the major-league club in time for the Reds series and then to play out the final month of September with his home-town team, as a DH, first-baseman, mentor, in the country of his birth. What is it they say about the best laid plans?

No need for a GoFundMe campaign as Votto heads towards a life of mortality having earned north of $253-million. So what lies in store for the complicated Canuck?

He could look to become the Boris Spassky of Canada, honing his chess skills at his favourite downtown Toronto chess club. He could test his broadcast skills by going in studio with Sportsnet this October for the post-season to see if he likes it. He could keep his hand on the field as a player by joining the Etobicoke Senior baseball team next summer, playing again with his good friend Mark Capone. Both men were members of the Toronto Star GTA high school all-star team in 2001. He could, if he chooses, become a huge advertising pitch-man with his quirky personality making him a Canadian media star. Or he could, as Mark deRosa of the MLB Network suggested this morning, pack it all in and go jet-skiing in Tahiti.

Whatever he chooses, Votto has already touched lives to an extent that few other active players have. Do yourself a favour and find video of all the times he has interacted with children both on the field and off. It’s special.

The link included here is of the first column I wrote with Votto, for The Star, back in 2009, as part of the World Baseball Classic games at Rogers Centre. It was written a year after Votto had lost his dad, his mentor and his best friend at age 52 and the anxiety issues that he was living with at the time.

Enjoy your retirement Mr. Votto.

https://www.thestar.com/opinion/star-columnists/votto-opens-up-about-his-battle-with-depression/article_10f719ac-7210-51b1-ad71-739b351fc573.html