Let me see you Votto Stuff

[justinbittner220]

jshortt,
can you email me a pic or two of your 2007 minor league bat?
justinbittner220@hotmail.com

[murfsteve25]

Before Votto's first season with Dayton, I saw on the local news a small story about him and another player. It was just basically how they were top draft picks and they'll be with Dayton that year. I made it a goal to get his autograph that year. My parents and I went to opening day and after the game, during the post game fireworks, i went to the dugout to see if i could get him to sign my ball. By the time got got down there, players were starting to walk to the clubhouse, but I maaged to get Votto's attention and get his sig. I remembered about how I looked him up online and found out he attended a specific baseball showcase (called Perfect Game USA) while he was in high school. A lot of the top draft picks went through that showcase, so i asked him about it. We had a conversation about what it takes to be a professional player and he told me "it's gotta be everyday...it's ok to take a day off every once in a while but you gotta play everyday". I thanked him for the autograph and he asked if i was going to come to anymore games. I told him I would try to make it to another game soon.

The next week my friend and I went back to another game and I talked to Joey before hand. He remembered me and asked how i was doing. Thats basically how it went for the whole season. I've never been to so many Dragons games in a season before, but I went because I thought it was cool to be able to talk to him and have normal conversations. One day after a game, Votto was the guest signer in the Dragons gift shop. It was a long line but I waited in it anyway to have him sign a picture that I took of him. When I finally made it to the table, he looked up and me and but his pen down. He reached his hand out to shake my hand and asked how I was. I handed him my picture and he asked if it was ok if he wrote something on it. Of course I said yea. It took him a long time to write on the picture but when I finally got it back I thanked him and left. As i was walking out of the shop I look at the picture to read what he wrote and it said" Hey Steve, I'm glad that you say hi to me everytime I see you. Good luck in baseball. Your friend, Joey Votto" I thought that was pretty awesome, especially since I didnt even ask him to personalize it, he did it on his own. Next time i saw him, he told me that he had some extra batting gloves in his locker, and i could have them if i wanted. I said sure. I didnt get a chance to see him after the game, and he got demoted to Sarasota before I had a chance to catch another game.