"Joey Votto was known for many things, including frequently destroying the Cubs at Wrigley Field. But when I think about him as a hitter, there's one collective thought that comes to mind: the guy was just so good at working an at bat toward either a walk or a line drive."
"Part and parcel of that skill set was something that was also extremely valuable, but doesn't get discussed too often: Joey Votto never popped out. A ball in play is better than a strikeout almost every time, but a pop fly on the infield is just about as automatic of an out as a strikeout."
"His career 1.9% infield fly ball percentage was lower than all but two other hitters in the last 20 years. He even had a stretch where he went an ENTIRE SEASON without a single pop up three times out of five years!"
Joey Votto, a future Hall of Famer, was renowned for his ability to work at bats towards walks or line drives, achieving over 40% of his plate appearances in these outcomes. His exceptional understanding of the strike zone and bat control contributed to his success. Notably, Votto never popped out, maintaining a career infield fly ball percentage of 1.9%, one of the lowest in the last 20 years. This skill is crucial for hitters, as avoiding pop outs is nearly as valuable as avoiding strikeouts.
Read at Bleacher Nation
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