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Cincinnati Reds

Midseason form on Opening Day

By Scott Priestle, CNATI.com Posted April 5, 2010 6:14 PM ET

While others celebrate Opening Day, Joey Votto endures it. He prefers batting practice and film study to posing and press conferences. He is not one for pomp or circumstance.

"I'm so used to routine," he said. "I think we all are."

Despite the distractions Monday, Votto lined a single and a home run in his first two at-bats of the season, which temporarily gave the Reds a chance. With the game out of reach in the ninth inning, he lined another single.

In the opposing dugout, Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols provided further evidence of the power of tunnel vision. He hit two home runs and two singles in five at-bats, turning Cincinnati's annual baseball party into just another summer day. And an 11-6 win for the Cardinals.

In 142 career games against the Reds, Pujols has hit .365 with 42 home runs and 121 RBI. The calendar changes, the weather changes, sometimes the Cincinnati pitcher changes, but it seems Pujols does not.

"There's never any difference with Albert," Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said. "He works like a maniac and he's ready every game."

Afterward, Pujols retreated to the bowels of Great American Ball Park to work out. He finally met with reporters an hour after the last out.

"It doesn't matter if it's opening day or not," he said. "You do whatever it takes to get yourself ready. The goal is when they say, `Play ball' and throw the first pitch, be ready to go."

Votto has a similar style. He begins and ends every work day with a workout, regardless of his performance during the game, and he is reluctant to talk about himself. He can set a tone for his teammates without saying a word.

As with Pujols, Votto's ability to induce hyperbole from others is tied directly to his willingness to suppress awe in himself. He is intentionally boring, so the results are not.

After Reds starter Aaron Harang struck out the first two batters of the game Monday and came within one strike of ending the inning, Pujols launched a home run to deep left field and 42,493 went quiet. In the bottom of the fourth inning, Votto lined an opposite-field home run that jolted the crowd back to life. In the seventh, Pujols hit a line-drive, two-run home run to right-center to push the St. Louis lead to 6-2.

"At times it's unfortunate for him, because he's expected to do it," Cardinals pitcher Chris Carpenter said. "He never surprises me. He's amazing. I don't think you'll see another player like him."

Right fielder Ryan Ludwick echoed Carpenter's sentiment.

"Nothing he does surprises me. Not any more," he said. "I've seen it too often."

Ludwick has had a front-row seat to baseball greatness. He broke into the big leagues with the Texas Rangers when they had Alex Rodriguez, Ivan Rodriguez, Rafael Palmeiro and Juan Gonzalez. In Cleveland, he played with C.C. Sabathia, Grady Sizemore and Travis Hafner. He said Pujols stands out for his judgment of the strike zone.

Pujols has more home runs against the Reds than strikeouts, and twice as many walks as strikeouts.

"If he gets a mistake, he hits it hard. He doesn't miss 'em," Ludwick said. "And when I say he doesn't miss 'em, he doesn't miss 'em."

Pujols's second home run Monday came on a hit-and-run. He hit a line drive to right field that might have gone through the outfield wall if it had not skimmed the top.

The first home run was more impressive for the sound it made and the lack of sound that followed. La Russa noticed the sudden silence in the stands.

"You strike out the first two guys, then all of a sudden you're losing 1-0. That's quite an answer," he said. "That's why there's nobody better playing the game than him."

 

Categories: Cincinnati Reds, Featured Stories, Profiles

Tags: Albert Pujols, Cardinals, Joey Votto, Opening Day, Reds