Joey Votto hates the Cubs...and so do I - LucianoJJ's Blog

LucianoJJ's Blog

Joey Votto hates the Cubs...and so do I

Posted on July 14, 2010 at 05:16 PM.

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Towards the end of this article by veteran Chicago baseball reporter Bruce Levine is a rather inflammatory quote from Reds first baseman Joey Votto.
http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/cubs...with-bat-glove

Free agency and excessive player movement has made fraternization between opposing players fairly common. On one side you want to see some sportsmanship. But onlookers from the old school frown on too much friendly interaction. They view the opponent as the enemy, and there is a clear divide between the two combatants. The old school might look at the LeBron/Bosh/Wade Miami troika as fraternization morphing into collusion. They may also look at opponents being too friendly as opening the door to game fixing.

It's encouraging to see someone in the middle of a pennant race professing a dislike of a division rival. Maybe he is as frustrated by seeing blue shirts outnumber Reds shirts in the stands at Great American Ballpark when the Cubs come to the River City, and their fans make the pilgrimage down Interstates 65 & 74 to join in the fun.

The Cubs could easily play the role of spoilers down the stretch, and determine whether there will be postseason baseball in either Cincinnati or St. Louis. Neither team is likely to win the NL Wild Card, but having the rest of the NL Central to beat up on could be an advantage. The Brewers and Astros will be selling off players at the end of July. The Pirates appear to have very little to offer. The Cubs will have to assume further financial obligations to rid themselves of their aging underachievers with bloated contracts. GM Jim Hendry will have to pull off another miraculous Bradley-for-Silva ripoff to save his job.

With one candid comment Joey Votto has taken on a major burden. He has succeeded Barry Larkin in the role of Cub killer, going 10-for-36 with 3 home runs and a .556 slugging percentage in thirteen games in 2010. Votto has the look of a fighter. Now he has taken on half a city, and a sizable national fan base. There will still be Sox fans who will gladly pick up the tab the next time he is sighted in Chicago. But Joey Votto will have to maintain the 2010 All-Star/MVP pace to silence the Wrigleyville faithful ready to ambush him.