Fansided

Best MLB player on each team in 2019

By Joshua Sadlock

ANAHEIM, CA - MAY 02: Mike Trout #27 of the Los Angeles Angels reacts to his solo homerun for a 1-1 tie with the Baltimore Orioles during the first inning at Angel Stadium on May 2, 2018 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
ANAHEIM, CA - MAY 02: Mike Trout #27 of the Los Angeles Angels reacts to his solo homerun for a 1-1 tie with the Baltimore Orioles during the first inning at Angel Stadium on May 2, 2018 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /
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CINCINNATI, OH – APRIL 11: Joey Votto #19 of the Cincinnati Reds runs around the bases to score a run after a double by Yasiel Puig in the fifth inning against the Miami Marlins at Great American Ball Park on April 11, 2019 in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Reds won 5-0. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
CINCINNATI, OH – APRIL 11: Joey Votto #19 of the Cincinnati Reds runs around the bases to score a run after a double by Yasiel Puig in the fifth inning against the Miami Marlins at Great American Ball Park on April 11, 2019 in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Reds won 5-0. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

Cincinnati Reds: Joey Votto

Call Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto “old” or “past his prime” at your own risk. The six-time All-Star and 2010 MVP does not take kindly to those words despite the fact that he is 35 years old and coming off a mediocre (by his lofty standards) season in 2018. Votto has been the best player on the Reds for over a decade, and is a future Hall of Famer.

The next great Reds lineup is forming to blast taters and pile up runs in the Great American Smallpark, and Votto is still the key to making everything work, especially with Scooter Gennett on the shelf. If not for a severe groin strain that will keep him out for at least two months, the second baseman may have been the unlikely pick for best player on the Reds.

Votto has had a phenomenal career, and he still warrants All-Star consideration. He will be a Hall of Famer when his career is over, even if he falls well short of 3,000 hits. Votto has already drawn over 1,100 walks to go along with nearly 2,000 hits and has a career line north of .300/.400/.500, which is one of the gold standards for MLB production. Only 18 players have retired in that club, and all are in the Hall of Fame except Manny Ramirez (PEDs) and Todd Helton and Larry Walker (likely in at some point).

Throughout his career, Votto has caught criticism for not producing enough runs or being too prickly with fans or the media. Neither of those are fair points of criticism. Joey Votto draws walks, hits for high average with plenty of doubles and home runs and does not suffer fools.

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