Joey Votto Backs Reds Handling of Injury

Joey Votto felt a little discomfort in his knee after he slid into thirdbase on June 29 in San Francisco.  He thought it was just one of the many bumps and bruises that a professional athlete has to endure.

"I always would want to have surgery if I have to have surgery but I feel great.  It wasn't until a couple days ago that I felt that I had to talk to Paul Lesard and Walt Jocketty.  I feel great.  Those four days off for the All-Star Game and then coming back I was 85-90 percent as far as running.  All of a sudden it just started swelling up and it felt like it did back in San Francisco. I thought it was handled perfectly.  I got to play against the California teams and the All-Star Game.  I thought I healed, then my knee told me the truth."

"Sunday was the day.  The day before I was running out balls. I was able to play deep defensively.  I could hit.  The following day it acted up.  That's when I knew there was something wrong. I tried to get through that game and I did.  We won."

"I'm really optimistic about my recovery time.  I'd like to come back the day I'm eligible to come off the DL but I don't want to get ahead of myself.  You never know how things shake out."

"I take my job very seriously.  It is very stressful, I find. I ask a lot of myself. To be honest with you its very nice to have some time off considering I didn't have any time off.  The All-Star game and not very many days off this season and last season.  It's part of the gig and why I like playing so much.  It's going to be nice to spend some time on the couch and relax.  And watch my teammates beat up on a number of different opponents."

Votto would not have done anything differently.  He wanted to play against the best and did.  The effects of the original injury took a while to manifest itself.

"I really wouldn't have it checked out any sooner.  All of us players deal with things here and there.  Sometimes we think we might need some help, then it heals.  Other times we think we don't need help and it's something serious.  I was always taught to just stay out of the training room as much as you can.  If you can play, play.  For better or for worse in the long run it is going to pay off for me and for the Reds.  I healed very quickly after the initial injury.  When I got taken out of the game in San Francisco, I healed real well. I was very optimistic.  I was hoping that it was something muscular.  If you ask 100 different ballplayers, you just play as long as you can.  If you can't run or you can't be agile that's when you stop.  We are in first place and trying to win the division, that's another reason that I felt I should wait it out."

The organization took every precaution and tested Votto immediately after the initial injury.

"The team gave me every test they could and I passed them all.  When a team give you all those tests and they see progress to the point the player is back to normal.  It's hard for an organization or training staff to tell the player not to play.  I was healing so quickly.  Nobody is at fault here."

Votto's competitive spirit was satisfied playing against all the division competitors, the Dodgers, Giants and Cardinals.

"I got to play against the California teams and in the Cardinal series.  No disrespect to these other teams but now we are playing these under .500 teams so if I'm going to take some time off.  Now is the time."