Joey Votto swatted a vintage oppo-bomb against the Pittsburgh Pirates yesterday in the GABP season finale, and proceeded to follow it up with a gargantuan 466 foot blast that nearly exited the stadium stage right. It was the latest in a year that Votto has never quite replicated in seasons prior, a combination of free-swinging and power that few humans anywhere can compare with, and it’s been truly magnificent to behold.
It’s all traced back to his late-August swing change during the 2020 season, a season unlike any other in history. Fanless stands, shortened seasons, semi-quarantined teams, and ample time for players to reflect on just about everything in their lives in ways not provided before, perhaps the perfect backdrop for a then 36 year old Votto to contemplate just what exactly he was doing here.