Elliott: Stroman-Trout beat Greinke-Votto in PG Dynamic Duo finale
Toronto Blue Jays RHP Marcus Stroman teamed up with OF Mike Trout to win the Dymanic Duo tournament featuring the best hitter and pitcher from 19 years of Perfect Game events. Stroman-Trout beat Zach -Greinke-Joey Votto in the final.
By Bob Elliott
Canadian Baseball Network
Joey Votto was a star catcher with the Etobicoke Rangers.
Yet, his coming out party came as a grade 13 student at the Perfect Game Sunshine Showcase in 2001 at Fort Myers, Fla. Votto, caught the eye of Cincinnati Reds scout John Castlebury. He was back at the PG National Showcase at Tropicana Field.
The top pitcher that year was RHP Zack Greinke. Votto teamed with Greinke to form one Dynamic Duos as the WWBA World championship of the best hitter and pitcher from each year went head to head against the best from other years.
The Votto-Greinke reached the final in the competition losing to Mike Trout and Marcus Stroman from 2007. The Trout-Stroman pair opened with a win over Ian Anderson and Gavin Lux; then the Toronto Blue Jays right-hander and the Los Angeles Angels outfielder knocked off Edwin Diaz and Carlos Correa; then Corey Kluber and Todd Frazier and in the semi-finals Jose Fernandez and Javier Baez.
Votto-Greinke knocked off Michael Foltynewicz and Christian Yelich in the semi-final match; before that the Reds first baseman and the Arizona Dimaondbacks righht-hander beat Matt Harvey and Freddie Freeman; Gerrit Cole and Eric Hosmer in the second round; and opened with a win over Jordan Hicks and Brendan Rodgers.
The Reds selected Votto in the second round (62nd over-all) and he won the 2010 National League MVP. He has a career average of .311 is a six-time all-star and has led the league in walks five times. He won the Lou Marsh Trophy in 2010 and 2017.
Joey Votto (Etobicoke, Ont.) as a teenager Perfect Game Sunshine Showcase in 2001 at Fort Myers, Fla.
The other top pitcher and hitter pairings eliminated (in groups of five): Clayton Kershaw and Brandon Belt, Jeremy Bonderman and David Wright; Matt Cain and Prince Fielder; Yovani Gallardo and Lorenzo Cain; Rick Porcello and Anthony Rizzo.
Plus, Jeremy Hellickson and Buster Posey; Chad Billingsley and Adam Jones; Mike Clevinger and Nolan Arenado; Kevin Gausman and Kris Bryant; Travis Wood and Andrew McCutchen.
As well as Wade Davis and Josh Donaldson; Chad Green and Manny Machado; Wade Miley and Justin Upton; Stephen Strasburg and Kyle Seager; Aaron Nola and Trevor Story.
RHP Zack Greinke
Plus Touki Toussaint and Rafael Devers; Tyler Danish and Austin Meadows; Lance McCullers and Corey Seager; Walker Buehler and Alex Bregman; Michael Fulmer and Francisco Lindor;
And finally Matt Tabor and Tristan Beck; Matthew Liberatore and Jared Kelenic.