I have been a Cincinnati Reds fan my entire life. For the majority of my life, I lived in a small town straight down State Route 50 from Cincinnati called Hillsboro Ohio. I have found memories of my childhood in Hillsboro, and quite a few of them involved sports. Most of them, that were sports related, involved my hometown team the Cincinnati Reds. For the last 17 years, those memories centered around one man, in my opinion the greatest man ever to put on a Reds uniform. That man was Joey Votto.

There are several reasons why I want to say thank you. Here is the first, after finishing second in National League Rookie of the Year voting to Geovany Soto of the Chicago Cubs you did not make a big deal of it. Even though you clearly deserved it. You led all National League rookies in hitting (.297), hits (156), home runs (24), total bases (266), multi-hit games (42), on-base percentage (.368), and slugging percentage (.506). You also broke the Reds’ record for the most RBI’s by a rookie in a season previously held by Hall of Fame outfielder Frank Robinson. Thank you for not complaining.

I want to thank you for June of the 2009 season. You posted a .346 batting average with 3 home runs and 20 RBI in April. In May five home runs and a .378 batting average. However, you were placed on the disabled list to open June after missing time in May due to personal issues. You missed 22 total games in May and June after your torrid start to the year. Prior to returning to the team, you told us you been suffering from depression and anxiety as a result of the sudden death of your father in August 2008 and had sought treatment. Thank you for being human.

You were the August 30th 2010 edition of Sports Illustrated. On the surface this may sound weird for me to be thankful for, but in Spring Training the following year in Goodyear Arizona, you took the time to sign that very magazine for me, and had a 30-60 second conversation with me. It was not life altering, but it was something that you did not have to do. It is still the centerpiece of my “Reds room” despite the fact that over the years you have signed 6 other items for me. Thank you for taking the time.

In 2010 after winning the National League Hank Aaron Award and the National League’s Most Valuable Player award you remarked;

“Not to be dramatic or anything, but after I was told, I couldn’t help but cry because I know how much at some point this meant to me and would have meant to my (late) father,” Votto remarked after being named MVP. He added, “I did some pretty good things, and most importantly, we won. We went to the playoffs—it’s been a long time since we’d been to the playoffs—and I think those all together were the reason I won.”

Thank You for being compassionate.

On April 2, 2012, you signed a 10-year, $225 million contract extension with the Reds, which ran through the 2024 season.Your deal included the two remaining years on his previous contract and pushed the total worth of the contract to 12 years and $251.5 million, the longest active deal in baseball and the longest guaranteed contract in MLB history at the time. I can honestly say, I was worried of how the money would change you. But it didn’t, it changed how the fanbase looked at you. They expected more home runs, like dollars and dingers are somehow correlated. You were an on base machine. I was afraid because of how the fanbase seemed to turn on you, you were going to turn. Thank you for not changing your approach both at the plate, and to your fans.

I remember October 2nd when you tied a Reds record set by my favorite Red at the time, Pete Rose when he got on base in your 48th straight game. In 158 games during 2015, you had an MLB-leading 143 walks, a .314 batting average, 29 home runs, and 80 RBI. You walked in 20.6% of your at bats (leading the major leagues), and you swung at only 19.1% of pitches outside the strike zone (the lowest percentage in the majors). That year you finished 3rd in the MVP voting. And honestly, I did more complaining about than you did. You should have won. Thank you for being gracious towards your piers.

You brought much deserved attention to your fellow teammates. Even if it did cost you a donkey named Donald. Zack Cozart got the recognition he deserved. Thank you for being a great teammate.

I could list all the eye-poping state for the 2017 season, you were the best player in Major League Baseball. Seriously, go look up the stats readers, they were outrageous. That season, the MVP voting was the closest it had ever been. But you lost to Giancarlo Stanton by 2 votes. You should have won again. Thank you for not going to media and complaining about how you are constantly overlooked and under appreciated.

2019 was significant. Especially because of something you did for the first time after 6,829 plate appearances. You hit a pop-up to the first baseman. Thank you for not printing off t-shirts and hats for the occasion, gloating like most players would have done. Though it was a shame that the feat went basically unnoticed.

You lead the league in on base percentage 7 times. Thank you for being consistent.

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Even in your final at bat on October 1st 2023 I can thank you, even though it was by far the result I wanted. I am sure you remember, you got thrown out of the game. I asked my television from my recliner in the room where your autographed Sports Illustrated hung on the wall not a few feet from me, “how could he allow that to happen?” I feared it would be the end. And it was. But in typical Joey Votto fashion, you said umpire Shane Livensparger was right to eject you. Thank you for being honest.

Joey Votto, thank you for being a Red I can be proud of as a fan. I laughed when you did a dance on social media with a little girl in Arizona. I laughed, when you sped around Red’s camp on a Segway making circles around your teammates. You didn’t beat a woman, take a drug, or disrespect the game I love while wearing the uniform of the team I root for day in and day out.

I will end with this. The year you had the Segway, myself and two kids I had just met did not realize it was you on the Segway. They were brother and sister and you had a hoodie pulled down around your face. I told them you were heading to the half field in the front of the Goodyear Spring Training complex. They were young, and full of energy and they trusted me as they ran with vibrant legs and a baseball in one hand and a ball point pen in the other two the spot I told them to go. I jogged behind to get an autograph on a Clubhouse Collection Patch Card I purchased of my favorite player Joey Votto. You autographed each ball for the kid and they were jumping around like Tigger. I politely asked you for an autograph. You said you had to get your work in at 1st base. I replied, “have a great season, I will be rooting for you and my favorite team.” There was no one else around it was actually a couple days before the official start of Spring Training. You stopped dead in your tracks, turned around, took the clipboard that contained the card and the sharpie and simply said, “thanks for being a fan.” Thank you Joey Votto for making me a proud one.

Stats and information from Wikipedia

Photo Credit; WROC TV, Barstool Sports, New York Times,