Reds' Votto dislikes Cubs, disses All-Star teammate Byrd

[oldschooler]

[b][url="http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/post/Reds-Votto-dislikes-Cubs-disses-All-Star-teamm;_ylt=ArbhzKPVyVVitPx7UDqPPsSrO4d4?urn=mlb,256004"][size="4"]Reds' Votto dislikes Cubs, disses All-Star teammate Byrd[/size][/url][/b]
By [url="http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew;_ylt=AjNPwh0scxW0e8ZeL3OlF_mrO4d4?author=David+Brown"]David Brown[/url]


Apparently, [url="http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/teams/cin/;_ylt=Av0Chm5JgUzVVrv3oic3tYWrO4d4"]Cincinnati Reds[/url] slugger [url="http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/7946/;_ylt=AntB5yEy.BjABEsJKhuVQpqrO4d4"]Joey Votto[/url][url="http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/7946/news;_ylt=AqJKaHBPk_Jkgh8Lu5zedo6rO4d4"](notes)[/url] never caught the All-Star spirit. Votto refused to congratulate [url="http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/teams/chc/;_ylt=AiKka6GCxceKSTa442vnwEWrO4d4"]Chicago Cubs[/url] outfielder [url="http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/6863/;_ylt=AmavKjzn1l1wlcKZJrbvTyurO4d4"]Marlon Byrd[/url][url="http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/6863/news;_ylt=AsOer0ONvtORYlgNPARoYgKrO4d4"](notes)[/url] on his performance — one that helped the National League claim home-field advantage in the World Series — because Votto's temporary teammate comes from a despised division rival.

Byrd made a head's up play in right field that forced Boston's [url="http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/5909/;_ylt=Au380LtQwS31hvQMttpHx_mrO4d4"]David Ortiz[/url][url="http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/5909/news;_ylt=AheazCNbvixXmjISWJffqR.rO4d4"](notes)[/url] at second base, and also worked a key walk in a seventh-inning rally that led to [url="http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/post/Atlanta-s-McCann-leads-NL-to-first-All-Star-vict;_ylt=AoknLhOl1xCb1u8vm_DSeuqrO4d4?urn=mlb,255841"]the NL's first victory[/url] at the All-Star game since 1996.

Such an effort certainly is worth a high five ... a handshake ... a wave ... a wink ... a nod ... a glance ... a happy thought.

Not from Pal Joey.

[b]Via the planetary front-runner, [url="http://us.lrd.yahoo.com/_ylt=Arrh_rzwpM1YSrPI4.nXLkSrO4d4/SIG=12lsn6ugm/**http%3A//espn.go.com/blog/chicago/cubs/post/_/id/1474/byrd-helps-nl-with-bat-glove"]ESPN[/url]:[/b]

[indent]"I don't like the Cubs," Votto said. "And I'm not going to pat anybody with a Cubs uniform on the back. But because he made that really cool play, it turned out to be a really cool experience. I'm really glad we got the win today."

[/indent]What a leech — and a sorry excuse for an All-Star.

Even if the harmless Cubs weren't 10 1/2 games behind the first-place Reds in the NL Central, you're supposed to check the intraleague rivalries at the door for the All-Star Game. Ask ... oh, anybody who's ever made a team for either side.

Votto obviously is new here.

And, how did [i]he[/i] help the NL win? Oh, yeah, he didn't. Votto went 0 for 2.

It's a good thing Votto had Reds teammates on either side Brandon Phillips[url="http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/6857/news;_ylt=Aq7Kw9uvTJWJLRF5oAKsBHyrO4d4"](notes)[/url], pictured, and [url="http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/5668/;_ylt=Aur3ogj2rC1jvozuGH7kkPCrO4d4"]Scott Rolen[/url][url="http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/5668/news;_ylt=ApVeCHwLAsa0mZMmYmTiEVqrO4d4"](notes)[/url] to the left) during introductions, or else he would have had to [i]interact[/i] with the "enemy." The horror.

He should have made the NL roster the first time around but needed to win a final Internet vote to be recognized. [url="http://us.lrd.yahoo.com/_ylt=ApDTWRhEZP8lKcuM2jOMXn6rO4d4/SIG=12sskvm1h/**http%3A//bats.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/07/07/votto-the-reluctant-candidate-wants-your-vote/"]The "Vote Votto" process[/url] should have made Votto especially happy to be in Anaheim. Yet, he seems to be harboring lingering bitterness about ... something.

Or maybe that's just [url="http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/post/Answer-Man-Joey-Votto-talks-bowling-mustaches-;_ylt=AkJIB6WT92t9_i2p.Y_tDKSrO4d4?urn=mlb,158587"]how he is[/url].




[url="http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/post/Reds-Votto-dislikes-Cubs-disses-All-Star-teamm?urn=mlb,256004"]http://sports.yahoo....?urn=mlb,256004[/url]

[Bengals1181]

ahh written like a writer with an axe to grind against Votto. This is much ado about nothing, and here's a take from Hal McCoy from when this guy interviewed Votto in 2004 and asked a bunch of stupid questions that Joey didn't bite on.



[quote]From the Real McCoy:

JOEY VOTTO granted somebody from Yahoo.com an interview in the clubhouse Tuesday, being polite as usual.
"But the guy started asking me a bunch of strange questions," said Votto. He asked about bowling and mustaches and why didn't Votto play for the Italian team in the World Baseball Classic instead of Canada?
Votto, polite as always, let the guy finish but shook his head later and said, "I was nice to him, polite to him. But I should have shut him down. That was a good learning experience for me."
[i](Just let it be known that it was JOEY VOTTO who mentioned "mustaches" first, not I. He was polite, though I would call it civil more than anything. And if you're wondering "Where's the bowling?!?" just wait a moment.)[/i] [/quote]


sounds like this guy's the one holding grudges.

[oldschooler]

[b][size="5"]Reds' Votto: 'I don't like Cubs'[/size][/b]

By Bruce Levine
ESPNChicago.com


[url="http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=5033"][color="#225fb2"]Marlon Byrd[/color][/url] made two big plays to help the National League beat the American League for the first time in 14 years, but All-Star teammate [url="http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=28670"][color="#225fb2"]Joey Votto[/color][/url] wasn't about to congratulate the [url="http://espn.go.com/mlb/team/_/name/chc/chicago-cubs"][color="#225fb2"]Cubs[/color][/url] outfielder.

"I don't like the Cubs," said Votto, the first baseman for the NL Central-leading [url="http://espn.go.com/mlb/team/_/name/cin/cincinnati-reds"][color="#225fb2"]Cincinnati Reds[/color][/url]. "And I'm not going to pat anybody with a Cubs uniform on the back."

Asked why he has such disdain for the Cubs, Votto said: "We are Cincinnati Reds. We're taught to hate everything in the Central Division. That's just how it is."



Byrd's walk in the seventh inning loaded the bases and set the stage for a bases-clearing double by [url="http://espn.go.com/mlb/team/_/name/atl/atlanta-braves"][color="#225fb2"]Atlanta Braves[/color][/url] catcher [url="http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=6309"][color="#225fb2"]Brian McCann[/color][/url].



Then Byrd turned in a heads-up play in right field in the ninth inning when he forced Boston's [url="http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=3748"][color="#225fb2"]David Ortiz[/color][/url] at second base. Toronto's [url="http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=5407"][color="#225fb2"]John Buck[/color][/url] flared a ball to right field and Byrd had to decide whether to go for the shoestring catch, or try to force Ortiz with a throw. Byrd's perfect throw forced the slow-footed Ortiz out at second base, setting up the final out of the game as [url="http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=6197"][color="#225fb2"]Ian Kinsler[/color][/url] flew out to [url="http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=6514"][color="#225fb2"]Chris Young[/color][/url] in center field.

After the game, Votto was a little more kind.





"Because [Byrd] made that really cool play, it turned out to be a really cool experience," Votto said. "I'm really glad we got the win [Tuesday]." Byrd was asked Thursday about Votto's statements before the Cubs hosted the [url="http://espn.go.com/mlb/team/_/name/phi/philadelphia-phillies"][color="#225fb2"]Philadelphia Phillies[/color][/url].



"That's the competitiveness in Joey Votto," Byrd said. "He's an MVP candidate right now.



"He's going to say what he believes. But at the same time, I don't think any Cubs are going to be patting a Cincinnati Reds player on the back during the season."



Byrd was asked if Votto is a particularly aggressive player.



"He's a great guy," Byrd said. "But when it comes to baseball, he's like I am on the field, go get 'em. I can smile at the opposing player, but at the same time, I don't wish them well when I'm playing against them. I'm going to play against the Phillies. I'm friends with a lot of guys. [url="http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=4258"][color="#225fb2"]Jimmy Rollins[/color][/url] is my man, but he knows I'll flip him if I have to."



With the Reds in first place in the NL Central at the break, the irony is that Byrd's plays may help Votto and the Reds end up with home-field advantage if Cincinnati makes it to the World Series. The winning team in the Midsummer Classic gives its league home-field advantage in the World Series.

Votto may not like the Cubs, but he has to love playing against them. He's hit 15 homers in only 43 games against Chicago, by far the most he's hit against any opponent. And he's even more at home at Wrigley Field, batting .322 with eight homers in only 25 games.

Votto is hitting .314 with a league-leading 22 homers and 60 RBIs this season, making his first All-Star team. Byrd was also a first-time All-Star based on his .317 average and league-best 27 doubles.



The next series between the Cubs and Reds is Aug. 6-8 in Chicago.





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