CINCINNATI REDS DUGOUT: Is 15 Days Enough For Joey Votto?

As I wrote in my article yesterday, it appeared to me that Joey Votto’s malady was more than dizziness. 

In a move to help Votto overcome this health problem, the Reds have placed him on the 15 day DL. So, we will be without our star slugger for a minimum of two weeks. It would not surprise me to see him have to stay out longer. He is currently leading the National League in hitting with a .357 mark.

As I said yesterday, to someone who has never suffered through an anxiety, or "panic attack", the affliction may seem minor and transient. Once you go through it the first time however, it is highly unlikely to be the end of the story.

Votto was not the only player to go on the shelf for stress-related problems. Khalil Greene of the St. Louis Cardinals was placed on the DL as well. He is off to a very poor start this season. He is presently batting .200 with two HR and 14 RBI. His team claims he is putting too much pressure on himself to perform within his abilities.

The same cannot be said about Votto. He has hit the ground running this year, having been in the top three or four in batting average all along. He has already had three games in which he has at least three RBI.

To say his presence in the lineup will be missed by the upstart Reds is putting it mildly.  With him out of the order, the real only long ball threat they currently feature is Jay Bruce.

To fill Votto’s spot on the roster, the team has called up Wilkin Castillo for the second time in this young season. He is only hitting .196 with Louisville so I doubt Central Division teams will be shaking in their boots.

Strangely, First Base is the only position other than pitching, that Wilkin has never played in this pro career. Having said that, it would appear Dusty Baker is planning on moving Ramon Hernandez to first, and playing Ryan Hanigan behind the plate with Castillo apparently relieving him occasionally.

An idea worth mulling over would be to try Johnny Gomes at first, a position he has never played professionally. It wouldn’t seem out of the realm of possibility to try Edwin Encarnacion there.

Any way you slice it, it is a terrible blow to a rising team, but a more devastating one to a wonderful 25 year old man with limitless possibilities.

©  2009 Clifton Eastham