Maybe the Cincinnati Reds don’t want to mess with Joey Votto’s mojo. Maybe they just aren’t a sophisticated organization. More than likely they are kowtowing to the talent again.
Votto’s exceptionalism is well documented. This site has referenced it repeatedly. So have many secondary media outlets when discussing his second half last season and his run at the MVP this year.
The organization acts like Votto is only in town April to October. If you believe the residents of his Indian Hill, Ohio, neighborhood, he is in town something like April through December. Toronto in the winter isn’t fun even for a multi-millionaire.