July 26, 2024

By Bob Elliott

Canadian Baseball Network

BUFFALO _ We looked hard. We really did.

Joey Votto sat on a trunk outside the Buffalo Bisons’ clubhouse on Friday afternoon.

There was nary a black storm cloud hanging over his head like Joe Btfsplk in Al Capp in his old ‘Li’l Abner’ comic strip.

The name of the game is getting on base and during a 10-year period Votto (Etobicoke, Ont.) led the National League in getting on base (2010-13 and 2016-18) -- which should earn him a plaque inside the museum in Cooperstown some day.

Yet, 2024 has been like a year in the life of bad luck Joe Btfsplk.

In his first at-bat in a Toronto Blue Jays uniform in March, he homered in a spring training game against the Philadelphia Phillies. He was so excited -- what Canadian wouldn’t be? -- that he jumped from the top step onto the cement floor of the dugout and landed on a loose bat. The result was a sprained right ankle.

Then, last week he reported to triple-A Buffalo and was supposed to make his debut. Except while fielding a bucket of ground balls pre-game at first base and tossing them aside to another bucket, he stepped on a ball. He was scratched from the lineup and has not played since.

“I’ve stepped on lots of baseballs before ... it happens,” Votto said.

Yet, it was the first time it has happened when he was recovering from a sprained ankle.

Votto said he did not fracture his ankle and had an MRI when in Florida.

“I have to keep working, the pain is going to go away, the soreness isn’t as bad as it was a week ago,” Votto said.

Votto was asked how frustrating this injury has been?

“I started building up towards returning, the hard work was paying off -- I was playing at Dunedin right up until the all-star break and trending the right way ... then this,” said the 2010 NL Most Valuable Player. “You can’t cut corners. You cut corners you will get devoured in the major leagues.

“I don’t have any time frame for playing. Right now, I’m a Buffalo Bison.”

Votto had high praise for the Blue Jays’ management for giving him the chance to rehab.

“They let me play and prepare, I was taking at-bats away from someone who might be the future of the franchise. They were patient and allowed me to progress at my pace.”

Votto mentioned Adam Ingle, assistant medical director, and Andrew Pipkin, major league director of health and performance, for allowing him to proceed at his own pace and helping him get healthy so he could join the Dunedin lineup.

“I’ve had a dream career,” he said, “but injuries happen. Sometimes you get hurt early in your career, sometimes at the end.”

Votto played 16 games with class-A Dunedin -- including three with the rookie-class Blue Jays in the Complex League -- batting .186 with three doubles, a homer, eight RBIs and a .646 OPS. His last game in Florida was July 13. He now shares the clubhouse with former Blue Jays starter RHP Aaron Sanchez and Vauxhall Jets 1B Damiano Palmegiani (Surrey, BC).

As a former member of the bat boy union (Kingston, 1960-63 -- 25 cents a game, $1 if my father’s team won) we have wondered in the past if the bat boy that day in Clearwater should have been demoted.

“It’s important to me that no one on the field or behind the scenes feels called out, I did it to myself,” Votto said. “More importantly, the effort of the bat boys, clubhouse staff, etc. put into games is very important to us. I would never go out of my way to make them feel anything but appreciated.”

Votto was asked about a recent report that he would be in a Blue Jays uniform when the team that drafted him in 2002, the Cincinnati Reds visit Rogers Centre Aug. 19-21, according to Votto’s friends.

“I don’t have any friends,” replied Votto quickly with a smile, before adding he did not make that prediction to anyone.

He stays in a bed and breakfast -- his first time in Buffalo since 2007 when he was with the Louisville Bats.

“There is an awful lot of pride in this city, I go for walks, I drive around,” Votto said. “This is a proud city. It has a distinct identity.”

He has seen the ‘Go Bills’ stickers on so many cars and SUVs. And plenty of Herd bumper stickers in support of the Bisons. Votto said Buffalo reminds him of Cincinnati.

“Not a minute do I regret this season,” Votto said. “My goal is still to play for the Toronto Blue Jays. To play in front of my family, my friends, my city and my country. I want to do the best I can chugging forward.”

Years ago, Votto once told me as a youngster how on a drive to Buffalo for a sandlot games he saw the bright lights in the distance and wondered “how could a bunch of Canadians from Bloordale compete against Americans.”

He competed then. He competed the past 17 years for the Reds.

And despite the sprained ankle and despite the re-sprain, he is in Buffalo and still trying to compete for what is left of another season.