Around Baseball 2018

[BTS]

He'll go down as the idiot that no one remembers because he forgot to use his brain and ended up locking himself up on one of the worst teams in baseball for the entirety of his career; what a genius. He may not care about Canada or Canadian baseball, but he sure seems to embody sack-less Canadian pacifism with his seemingly complete lack of drive for actually competing. Name any other superstar player in any sport who seemingly spent 10+ years being content playing for a cellar dweller, honestly. Votto comes off like a complete beta.

 

Votto signed his extension in April of 2012. They won 97 games that year, then 90 in 2013. At the time he signed a $225M contract to stay with one of the best teams in baseball.

[Grant77]

I don't take anything that Joey Votto says at face value. If he didn't care about Canada then he wouldn't have represented the team on many occasions.

[Spanky__99]

Anyone know why Darvish left after 60 pitches?

 

Likely because he just came off the DL, bruh.

[P2F]

Anyone know why Darvish left after 60 pitches?

 

I found the answer on the Twitter.

 

[P2F]

I found the answer on the Twitter.

 

 

When I found that, I also found this little feel-good nug:

 

[Spanky__99]

I would just like to say, once again, Eugenio Suarez is good at beisbol.

[P2F]

I would just like to say, once again, Eugenio Suarez is good at beisbol.

 

Guy has the virtually ideal batted ball profile.

 

[Deadpool]

He'll go down as the idiot that no one remembers because he forgot to use his brain and ended up locking himself up on one of the worst teams in baseball for the entirety of his career; what a genius. He may not care about Canada or Canadian baseball, but he sure seems to embody sack-less Canadian pacifism with his seemingly complete lack of drive for actually competing. Name any other superstar player in any sport who seemingly spent 10+ years being content playing for a cellar dweller, honestly. Votto comes off like a complete beta.

 

Every time someone on this board calls someone a beta or a cuck, I think they're just awful.

 

This is a really dumb comment that confirms my beliefs.

[Spanky__99]

Anyone watching this M's and Rangers game, you think the play is interference?

[Abomination]

Anyone watching this M's and Rangers game, you think the play is interference?

No, but I really want it to end while I'm still hanging on by a hair in a double up lol. In other news, it looks like Vogt's career may be over after he re-injured his shoulder during a rehab game. Apparently there's major damage to everything that can possibly be damaged in a shoulder.

[Spanky__99]

No, but I really want it to end while I'm still hanging on by a hair in a double up lol. In other news, it looks like Vogt's career may be over after he re-injured his shoulder during a rehab game. Apparently there's major damage to everything that can possibly be damaged in a shoulder.

 

That sucks for Vogt. Well, at least the games over.

[TheHurl]

He even says that this won't be popular.

 

He also says that he felt good for James as a fellow baseball player Not because he's Canadian ... then said his rant, so it is more about this example. Then when the interviewer asked him after his rant that he just thought it was a cool thing. Votto apologized for being a downer. Then the interviewer said when it comes to the Raptors he cares. Votto answered with that's financial, a deeper run means he sells his season tickets for a bigger profit.

 

It was very specifically "baseball" he was talking about. Not that he doesn't care about Canada...he just doesn't care about Canadian baseball in that way. He sees baseball as baseball.

Edited May 16, 2018 by TheHurl

[G-Snarls]

Dodgers have lost 5 in a row while playing Cincinnati and Miami

 

Ouch

[Krylian]

I'm disappointed that Votto apologized. The butthurt rule the world.

[Spanky__99]

Joey Votto apologizes after saying ‘I don’t care’ about Canadian baseball

 

By The Canadian Press

 

Wed., May 16, 2018

 

Cincinnati Reds all-star Joey Votto has penned an apology after saying in a podcast on Tuesday that he doesn’t care about Canada, Canadian baseball or his hometown of Toronto.

 

Votto, who played for Canada at the 2009 and 2013 World Baseball Classics and won the Lou Marsh Award as Canada’s athlete of the year in 2010 and 2017, distanced himself from his home country in an interview with Yahoo! Sports Major League Baseball podcast.

 

“I don’t care almost at all about Canadian baseball,” said Votto, who was also the National League MVP in 2010. “I wasn’t raised inside of Canadian baseball really. I’m coming up on half of my life being in the United States working and being supported by American baseball.”

 

But in an email posted on the Canadian Baseball Network website after the Reds lost 5-3 to the San Francisco Giants Tuesday night, Votto said he is “terribly ashamed” of his comments and called them “ridiculously selfish and short-sighted.”

 

Votto added: “I am saddened that I was so flagrant with my remarks and more importantly that I offended so many people that mean so much to me.”

 

Votto’s initial comments came after he was asked about James Paxton of Ladner, B.C., throwing his recent no-hitter for the Seattle Mariners against the Blue Jays in Toronto, becoming the first Canadian in MLB history to do so on home soil.

 

“As far as Toronto, and Canadian baseball, and the country of Canada, and (James Paxton) being Canadian, I don’t care at all,” said Votto. “(Paxton), or the Jays, or Canada, in general, may disagree with that, but I really couldn’t give a rat’s ass about that.”

 

Votto did clarify in the podcast that he was happy for Paxton as a baseball player, but not as a fellow Canadian.

 

In his apology, Votto said being asked about baseball in Canada, the Blue Jays and the Paxton no-hitter recalled his resentment for not making Team Canada or being drafted by the Blue Jays out of high school and not being picked for the Olympic team while in the minors.

 

“Clearly my reply came out of a side of jealousy for a Canadian baseball athlete being celebrated in the city of Toronto. It was an odd reply and one I am terribly ashamed of,” he wrote.

 

“I go back to Toronto each off-season and feel renewed every time I cross the border to my home and native land. I would not be where I am now without the efforts of so many Canadian baseball people and the fans of Canadian baseball.

 

“To James Paxton, the Blue Jays, the Toronto fans, the women and men all across Canada that work so hard to promote and support Canadian baseball, I am sorry for my selfish comments and I humbly ask for your forgiveness.”

 

https://www.thestar.com/sports/baseball/2018/05/15/joey-votto-on-canadian-baseball-i-dont-care.html

[BTS]

I wonder if all the butthurt morons are happy now that he’s apologized for telling the truth instead of giving the standard athlete ******** response.

[Boxcar]

I wonder if all the butthurt morons are happy now that he’s apologized for telling the truth instead of giving the standard athlete ******** response.

 

Yeah, because forgiveness is something they are really known for.

[Krylian]

I wonder if all the butthurt morons are happy now that he’s apologized for telling the truth instead of giving the standard athlete ******** response.

 

People don't want the truth.

[LGBJ29]

I dont know, I'm not gonna sit here and pretend like I wasnt a little bothered by Votto's comments. I grew up playing in the Baseball Canada program, I know people who coached Joey and worked hard to get him drafted out of high school. I know those people take pride in what he's done and are working endlessly to promote and grow the game in Canada. It's a pretty big slap in the face to then hear that from arguably the greatest Canadian player of all time.

 

I've always liked Votto and still do. He's free to say and feel whatever he wants. He didn't need to apologize for it if that's how he feels, but he should recognize it was disrespectful. It's also just a little strange it comes a year after this article where he celebrates growing up and playing in Canada; "It means a tremendous amount to me."

 

http://torontosun.com/2017/05/29/no-matter-what-toronto-will-always-be-home-to-joey-voto/wcm/fca49cf5-e436-4849-81f4-3dc0efbd07ea

[Jonn]

I wonder if all the butthurt morons are happy now that he’s apologized for telling the truth instead of giving the standard athlete ******** response.

 

I feel Paul Joseph Watson wrote this comment. The way some of you spin s*** to sound edgy is comical. Some people just enjoy watching the world burn.

 

The only person that came off “butt hurt” is Votto himself. What he should have done is dismiss the question. That would have been bad ass. That would have made his point. Attacking Canadian Baseball was a low blow. No need for it at all. It was completely unnecessary in anyway you could possibly fathom.

Edited May 16, 2018 by Jonn

[BTS]

I feel Paul Joseph Watson wrote this comment. The way some of you spin s*** to sound edgy is comical. Some people just enjoy watching the world burn.

 

The only person that came off “butt hurt” is Votto himself. What he should have done is dismiss the question. That would have been bad ass. That would have made his point. Attacking Canadian Baseball was a low blow. No need for it at all. It was completely unnecessary in anyway you could possibly fathom.

 

He didn't attack Canadian baseball. The point he's making is that he sees himself as a baseball player, not a Canadian baseball player. He doesn't care if he plays for the Blue Jays, and he doesn't care extra about Paxton's no-hitter because Paxton is Canadian.

 

I don't understand why anyone paying attention would prefer canned responses to actual honesty. That doesn't make sense to me at all. Would it have made you feel good inside if he lied about enjoying Paxton's no-hitter a little more than usual because Paxton is Canadian?

 

Also, I have no idea who Paul Joseph Watson is.

[KevinGregg]

Lol I am pretty sure votto didn't write the apology.

 

Totally different styles of speech between the initial comments and the apology

[King]

 

Apology tour lol

[BTS]

 

Apology tour lol

 

Unbelievable

[LGBJ29]

He didn't attack Canadian baseball. The point he's making is that he sees himself as a baseball player, not a Canadian baseball player. He doesn't care if he plays for the Blue Jays, and he doesn't care extra about Paxton's no-hitter because Paxton is Canadian.

 

I don't understand why anyone paying attention would prefer canned responses to actual honesty. That doesn't make sense to me at all. Would it have made you feel good inside if he lied about enjoying Paxton's no-hitter a little more than usual because Paxton is Canadian?

 

Also, I have no idea who Paul Joseph Watson is.

 

Idk saying "I dont care at all about Canadian Baseball" seems pretty clear to me but I'm not really interested in arguing semantics. If that was in fact the only point he was trying to make, he did a pretty poor job at annotating it. It could have been worded completely differently and it doesnt necessarily make those who saw the quotes butthurt morons simply because they didnt take them to fit an unspecified context.

 

I mean, especially the way the media portrayed it. To get real context I listened to the podcast. The comments were about an hour into the hour and a half show. Im not gonna blame the folks who took the headlines and quotes at surface level instead of searching through a worthless podcast like I did.

[wilko]

http://mlb.mlb.com/images/6/9/4/71460694/VottoMountie_d4jics3t.gif

[John_Havok]

"In his apology, Votto said being asked about baseball in Canada, the Blue Jays and the Paxton no-hitter recalled his resentment for not making Team Canada or being drafted by the Blue Jays out of high school and not being picked for the Olympic team while in the minors."

 

That statement would seem to indicate he cares a great deal about being a Canadian baseball player, and was pretty upset that he didn't get chance to rep Canada or play for the Jays when he was younger. Obviously those feelings lingered and his initial statement about not caring at all was born of that frustration.

 

Much like Brett Hull when he was passed over for even trying out for the World Championships for Canada in 1986, but was still eligible to play for the US and did, then always played for the US in future tournaments because he felt he owed it to them for giving him that chance.

[TheHurl]

I dont know, I'm not gonna sit here and pretend like I wasnt a little bothered by Votto's comments. I grew up playing in the Baseball Canada program, I know people who coached Joey and worked hard to get him drafted out of high school. I know those people take pride in what he's done and are working endlessly to promote and grow the game in Canada. It's a pretty big slap in the face to then hear that from arguably the greatest Canadian player of all time.

 

I've always liked Votto and still do. He's free to say and feel whatever he wants. He didn't need to apologize for it if that's how he feels, but he should recognize it was disrespectful. It's also just a little strange it comes a year after this article where he celebrates growing up and playing in Canada; "It means a tremendous amount to me."

 

http://torontosun.com/2017/05/29/no-matter-what-toronto-will-always-be-home-to-joey-voto/wcm/fca49cf5-e436-4849-81f4-3dc0efbd07ea

 

meh there are loads of us here that came through the OBA or Canadian Baseball. I've run tournaments, officiated (scorekeeper not umpire) Nationals 3 times and played for 12 years and watched teammates get screwed over by the National system (which is a million times better right now). I don't think any player owes s*** to the teams they played for. In Ontario traditionally the system has held players back and forced them to the U.S. to get proper coaching/exposure. The Elite system works but the many have to pay for the few (once you are on the 3rd team you aren't elite anymore, just paying your $10K to fund those that they cut deals for). Treat the players better when here and maybe they will be happy to give back.

[LGBJ29]

meh there are loads of us here that came through the OBA or Canadian Baseball. I've run tournaments, officiated (scorekeeper not umpire) Nationals 3 times and played for 12 years and watched teammates get screwed over by the National system (which is a million times better right now). I don't think any player owes s*** to the teams they played for. In Ontario traditionally the system has held players back and forced them to the U.S. to get proper coaching/exposure. The Elite system works but the many have to pay for the few (once you are on the 3rd team you aren't elite anymore, just paying your $10K to fund those that they cut deals for). Treat the players better when here and maybe they will be happy to give back.

 

Screwed over in what way? Overuse for pitchers? Because I know they've always tried to get as much exposure to their players as possible. Even so if that's the case, as you have said it's improved. Wouldn't he want it to continue to improve so that players that are in a position similar to his have a greater chance at success? Because I can almost guarantee you any mistreatment isn't done maliciously.

 

You're right, he owes them nothing, sure. Just as no player owes the community anything when they start foundations or charities. You can still respect where you came from and try to reinforce positive change. Dominican players come from s*** situations too, far worse than Canada. You dont see those players saying I dont give a s*** about my homeland because America does it better.

[BTS]

Idk saying "I dont care at all about Canadian Baseball" seems pretty clear to me but I'm not really interested in arguing semantics. If that was in fact the only point he was trying to make, he did a pretty poor job at annotating it. It could have been worded completely differently and it doesnt necessarily make those who saw the quotes butthurt morons simply because they didnt take them to fit an unspecified context.

 

I mean, especially the way the media portrayed it. To get real context I listened to the podcast. The comments were about an hour into the hour and a half show. Im not gonna blame the folks who took the headlines and quotes at surface level instead of searching through a worthless podcast like I did.

 

But even if he doesn't care about Canadian baseball: why does it matter? He's just stating how he feels, right? You either care about something or you don't. That's not a decision you make. I still don't see why anyone would take issue with him being honest and not giving a canned response.