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Joseph Daniel "Joey" Votto, (born September 10, 1983) is a Canadian Major League Baseball first baseman for the Cincinnati Reds. In 2010, he won the National League MVP Award, the National League Hank Aaron Award, and the Lou Marsh Trophy as Canada's athlete of the year.

Early life
Votto was born on September 10, 1983 to Joseph and Wendy Votto, in Toronto, Ontario, and grew up in Etobicoke, a district in the west end of Toronto. His mother was a sommelier and restaurant manager. His late father was a chef and a baseball fan. He is of Italian descent. As a kid, Votto adorned his wall with a Ted Williams poster. He enrolled at Richview Collegiate Institute in 1997. At his high school, Votto also played basketball and hockey. He played for the Etobicoke Rangers baseball program.

Early career
Votto was drafted out of high school in the second round of the 2002 MLB amateur draft by the Reds (44th overall), Votto's first few professional seasons with the Reds' rookie-level affiliates were quiet. However, Votto burst onto the scene in 2004, when he hit 26 doubles, 14 home runs, and sported a batting average of .302 with the Class A Dayton Dragons. He was promoted to Class A Advanced Potomac, and hit five more home runs in 20 games to end the season with 19.

Votto's consistency declined during 2005 campaign with Sarasota. While he still hit 19 home runs, Votto struck out 122 times and his batting average dropped nearly 50 points to .256.

Votto rebounded in 2006 with the best of his minor league career. Playing with Class AA Chattanooga, he improved his batting average to .319 and hit 46 doubles and 22 home runs. He led the Southern League in batting average and total bases and was third in the league in home runs and RBI. Votto was selected to play in the 2006 Futures Game on the World Team. He also played on both the Mid-Season and Post-Season Northern League All-Star teams, and was voted a minor league all-star by Baseball America. Votto culminated his season by winning the Northern League MVP award. During his five seasons in the minors, Votto carried Ted Williams' The Science of Hitting with him.

2007–08 seasons
Votto started off the 2007 season playing in Triple-A for the Louisville Bats. He was called up on September 1, 2007. He made his Major League debut on September 4, 2007, striking out against Guillermo Mota of the New York Mets. In his second major league at bat Votto hit his first career home run. He went 3 for 5 and scored 2 runs. The Reds won the game, 7–0. On September 8, Votto went 1 for 3 with a home run and 3 runs batted in. His 3 RBIs were the only runs the Reds got as they lost to the Milwaukee Brewers, 4–3. In his next game, he went 2 for 4. On September 14, Votto stole his first career base against the Brewers. Votto ended the season on a good note, going 2-for-4 with a home run and 5 RBIs in the Cincinnati Reds' final game of the 2007 season. Votto would finish the season batting .321 with 4 home runs and 17 runs batted in.

Beginning the 2008 season, Votto shared time platooning at first base with Scott Hatteberg, until Manager Dusty Baker began playing Votto as the Reds' starting first baseman in early April. On April 15, Votto hit his first home run of the season off of Michael Wuertz. Votto drove in a career high 5 runs against the Cubs 2 games later. Votto also had a nice defensive play in the game. In the 7th inning, Votto stretched and made a fine play when he robbed Mike Fontenot of a base hit and ended the Cubs threat with runners on second and third. “I’m glad I came through in that situation early in the game,” Votto said. “I think that leaving here without getting swept is really important.”

On May 7, 2008, Votto hit three home runs in a game against the Chicago Cubs. “I’m like a kid,” said Votto, a second-year player who had never hit more than one in a game. “I thought it was cool. It’s not a big part of my game.”

Votto hit his first career pinch hit home run against Cleveland's Cliff Lee, who would go on to win the AL Cy Young Award. He broke the Reds' record for the most runs batted in by a rookie in a single season. The previous record was held by National Baseball Hall of Fame outfielder Frank Robinson with 83 RBI set in 1956. Votto drove in 84 runs during the 2008 season. On August 31, Votto had his first career 4-hit game against the San Francisco Giants. He knocked in 4 runs in a 9–3 Reds victory. On September 18, Votto and teammate Jay Bruce each homered 2 times. They became the fifth rookie teammates in the divisional player era to hit 20 home runs in the same season. Votto also drove in 4 runs in the game. Votto then ended the season by going 2 for 2 with a home run, 2 runs batted in, and a base on balls.

He finished second in National League Rookie of the Year voting to the Chicago Cubs' Geovany Soto. Votto led all NL rookies in hitting (.297), hits (156), HR (24), total bases (266), multi-hit games (42), on-base percentage (.368) and slugging percentage (.506).

2009 season
Votto played for Canada in the 2009 World Baseball Classic. In Canada's first game against the United States, Votto had 4 hits in 5 at-bats, one of which was a home run.

Votto began the 2009 season strong as the outright starter at first base. In the second game of the season, Votto went 3 for 5 with a homer and 3 RBI in a loss to the New York Mets. In the next game against the Mets, Votto had another homer and 4 RBI. He had a 6-game hitting streak from April 12 through April 18. Votto's short hitting streak ended when he went 0-for-4 against the Houston Astros. On April 23, Votto went 4-for-5 with a home run and 2 runs batted in against the Cubs. Votto ended out with a .346 batting average, 3 home runs, and 20 runs batted in in the month of April.

Votto opened May with a 5-game hitting streak. In a May matchup against the St. Louis Cardinals, Votto had two homers for 4 RBI. He finished out the month with 5 home runs and a .378 batting average. However, Votto was placed on the DL to open June after missing time in May due to personal issues. Prior to his return game during the 2009 season he indicated he had been suffering from depression and anxiety issues as a result of the death of his father in August 2008, and had sought treatment for them. He had previously missed time because of dizziness related to an inner ear infection.

Votto made his return against the Toronto Blue Jays on June 23. Joey went 1-for-4 but struck out 2 times. In his third game back, Votto went 4-for-5 with a home run and 4 runs batted in. After going hitless in his fourth game back, Votto had a 14-game hitting streak. During that stretch, Votto batted .389 with 3 home runs and 14 runs batted in. His hitting streak ended against the Mets on July 12 when he went 0-for-2.

Votto was named the National League Player of the Week for September 21–27, 2009, after hitting 10 doubles in a five-game span, a concentrated display not seen in 77 years. Hall of Fame outfielder Paul Waner did it for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1932. Votto went 2-for-3 with a home run, 3 RBIs, and 2 bases on balls against the Pirates on October 3. In the last game of the season, he went 3-for-4 with a base on balls and raised his average over the .320 mark.

Despite missing 31 games overall, Votto finished the 2009 season among the National League leaders in batting average (.322), on-base percentage (.414), slugging percentage (.567), and hit 25 home runs.

2010 season
Votto started the 2010 season by going 3 for 5 with a home run and a run batted in. By the end of April, Votto had 4 home runs and 12 runs batted in. His average was only at .275 but his on base percentage was at an even .400 due to 18 bases on balls.

Votto played better in the month of May. He batted .344 with 6 home runs and 21 runs batted in. However, he missed the last 6 games that month due to a sore neck. Votto would be back on June 1 in a game against the Cardinals. He went 4 for 5 with a home run and a run batted in. The Reds won the game to regain the NL Central lead. "I wouldn't use the word nerve-wracking, but I think this year we've proven to other people and proven to ourselves that no lead is safe," Votto said. "We have to respect the opposition and play hard all the way through nine innings."

Votto was not initially voted to the 2010 All-Star game in Anaheim, California, but made the roster via online fan voting through the National League's Final Vote. Votto was named on 13.7 million of the 26 million ballots submitted. Though, after the game, despite a National League victory, Votto refused to congratulate fellow NL All-Star and Cub Marlon Byrd, who made a key second out in the ninth inning by throwing out David Ortiz. Votto stated, "I don't like the Cubs. And I'm not going to pat anybody with a Cubs uniform on the back. But because he made that really cool play, it turned out to be a really cool experience. I'm really glad we got the win today." Votto went 0 for 2.

On August 25, Votto went 4 for 7 with 2 home runs and 4 RBI. Votto also drove in the tiebreaking single off of Giants pitcher Barry Zito. "We had such a comfortable lead for most of the game," Votto said. "For them to come back like that, it could have been difficult to recover. Momentum plays a big role in a game like this. We just showed some resiliency to come back ourselves." Votto made the cover of Sports Illustrated on the August 30, 2010 edition.

On September 11, Votto hit his first career walk-off home run of his career off of Pirates relief pitcher, Justin Thomas.

On the season Votto hit .324 with 113 RBIs, 106 runs scored, and 37 homers, including a grand slam off of Tommy Hanson of the Atlanta Braves on May 20. He finished the season leading the Major Leagues in On Base Percentage (.424), and led the National League in Slugging Percentage (.600), and On-Base Plus Slugging (1.024). The Reds would make the postseason but would lose to the Phillies in the National League Divisional Series, in a three-game sweep. Votto struggled in the series, batting .091 with no home runs and only one run batted in.

Votto won the 2010 Hank Aaron Award in the National League.

He was announced as the 2010 NL MVP, coming within one vote of winning unanimously (Albert Pujols received the other first-place vote). He was only the third Canadian to win the MVP award, after Larry Walker and Justin Morneau. He became the first Reds player to win the National League MVP since Barry Larkin won it in 1995. "Not to be dramatic or anything, but after I was told, I couldn't help but cry because I know how much at some point this meant to me and would have meant to my (late) father," Votto remarked after being named MVP. He added, "I did some pretty good things, and most importantly, we won. We went to the playoffs -- it's been a long time since we'd been to the playoffs -- and I think those all together were the reason I won."

2011 season
On January 16, it was announced that the Reds and Votto agreed to a 3-year, $38 million deal.

Votto homered in the Reds first game of the 2011 season, a solo homer off of Kameron Loe of the Brewers. He also reached base two more times by bases on balls. Votto recorded his first 4-hit game of the season against the Arizona Diamondbacks and raised his average to .455. On April 13, he had 3 hits but the Reds lost the game against the San Diego Padres, 3–2. By the end of April, Votto had a .370 batting average, 4 home runs, and 14 runs batted in. He continued to get on base and posted a .500 on-base percentage. Votto began the season by reaching base in 27 consecutive games dating back to last season. The club record was by Dave Collins with 34 in 1981.

On June 25, Votto hit his 100th career home run against Brian Matusz of the Orioles. He later added another home run in the game. That was also his first multi-homer game of the season. He also drove in 5 runs, the most in a game during the entire season. "That was a big night. Hit his 100th home run," Reds manager Dusty Baker said. "Boy, we need him badly."

On July 3, Votto was voted in by the players for the 2011 All-Star Game as a reserve. Votto went 0-for-2 with a strikeout. During the second half, Votto was still hitting for great average and getting on base. However, his power numbers were down from last season. On August 28, Votto hit a walk-off home run against the Nationals in the 14th inning.

On September 24, Votto drove in 2 runs against the Pirates for his 100th and 101st of the season and becoming the first Reds player to drive in 100 runs in back-to-back seasons since Dave Parker did it from 1985 to 1986. Reds Manager Dusty Baker was happy for Votto but he still felt it was more important for the Reds to win games. “You always want to see your players achieve goals, but the main thing is to win and we haven’t won nearly enough this year,” Baker said. Votto had a chance to hit 30 home runs for the second straight season but went 0-for-3 in the last game of the season. Nevertheless, he led the Reds in runs batted in, and batting average and was second on the Reds in homers, behind Jay Bruce.

Votto finished with a .309 batting average, 29 home runs, and 103 runs batted in. He also led the NL in doubles (40), bases on balls (110), and on-base percentage (.416).

On November 1, Votto won his first Gold Glove Award. Votto would finish 6th in the NL MVP voting.

2012 season
On April 2, 2012, Votto signed a 10-year, $225 million contract extension with Cincinnati, running through the 2024 season. The deal includes the two years that remained on Votto's previous contract and pushes the total worth of the contract to 12 years, $251.5 million, officially becoming the longest active deal in baseball. The deal (including the one-year team option), is the fourth-largest deal in MLB history, behind only Alex Rodriguez's contracts with New York (10 years, $275 million) and Texas (10 years, $252 million) and Albert Pujols' deal with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (10 years, $240 Million), and is the longest guaranteed contract in MLB history. The contract made Votto the highest paid athlete from Canada.

On May 13, Votto went 4 for 5, hit 3 home runs, 6 RBI, including a walk-off grand slam against the Washington Nationals to win 9-6. It was the first time in major league history that a player hit 3 home runs including a walk-off grand slam in a single game.

On July 1, Votto was selected by the fans as a National League team starter in the 2012 MLB All-Star Game. At the time of his selection to the roster he was hitting .350 with 14 home runs and 47 RBI.

On July 16, the Reds announced that Votto would need arthroscopic knee surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee. He is expected to miss three to four weeks due to the injury. He originally hurt the knee June 29 sliding into third base. He left the next day before the bottom of the fifth inning and missed the next two games due to inflammation in the knee. At the time surgery was announced, Votto was leading the NL in walks, doubles, OBP, and extra-base hits. He was second in RISP average and third in slugging percentage.

On September 5, Votto returned to the Reds lineup in a game against the Philadelphia Phillies. In his first at bat since July 15, he lined a single off of pitcher Roy Halladay in the first inning. He would finish the game by going 2 for 3 with a base on balls. After his return off of the disabled list, Votto struggled with his power numbers. In 25 games, he hit eight doubles but did not have a single home run and drove in just seven runs. Votto still got on base at a high clip, at .505, by walking 28 times. In that span, he also batted over .300(.316).

Votto finished the season having played in 111 games, the fewest games that he has played in a season since becoming the Reds starting first basemen in 2008. He had a .337 batting average, .474 on-base percentage, and a .567 slugging percentage to go along with 14 home runs, 56 runs batted in, and 44 doubles.

2013 season
In late February, Votto was voted by fans as the "Face of the MLB," a contest that pits the "Face" of every MLB team against each other and is voted on using Twitter. Votto out-voted Joe Mauer, Jose Bautista, Derek Jeter, Andrew McCutchen, and, lastly, Matt Kemp.

Votto played for Team Canada in the 2013 World Baseball Classic.

In the second game of the season, Votto had the game-winning hit against the Angels, hitting a grounder that deflected off of the glove of Albert Pujols that scored Shin-Soo Choo. Votto homered on consecutive days from April 20–21 against the Marlins, making it the first time since September 10–11 of 2011 that he has homered in consecutive games.

Player profile
Through June 9, 2013, Votto had a career .317 batting average, 143 home runs, and 486 runs batted in. Votto has been known to show great patience at the plate. He led the NL in base on balls with 110 in 2011 and did it again in 2012, with 94, despite missing 51 games. His career on-base percentage is .417. He led the NL in that category in 2010, 2011, and 2012.

Votto is also known for being a clutch hitter. Through June 9 of 2013, Votto had a career .349 batting average with 37 home runs and 331 runs batted in with runners in scoring position.

Votto has been recognized for his defensive play as a first baseman. He led the league in assists for first basemen in 2008 with 136 and did it against in consecutive years from 2011-2012. He finished 5th in 2009 with 101 assists and second in 2010 with 128 assists. In 2011, he also led all NL first basemen in putouts (1,341), and was third in fielding percentage (.996). That year, he won his first Gold Glove Award.

Personal life
Votto lives in Mount Adams, Cincinnati. He has three brothers; Tyler, and twin brothers named Ryan and Paul who now attend Williams Parkway Sr. Public School. Votto's adopted mastiff-golden retriever mix is named "Maris," after former baseball player Roger Maris. Votto is represented by sports agent Dan Lozano.

Career awards and honors
Major League:
 * 2011 National League All-Star (Cincinnati)
 * 2010 Tip O'Neill Award
 * 2010 National League Most Valuable Player
 * 2010 National League Hank Aaron Award
 * 2010 Ernie Lombardi MVP Award (Cincinnati)
 * 2010 National League All-Star (Cincinnati)
 * 2010 Lou Marsh Trophy, awarded to Canada's athlete of the year
 * 2009 National League Player of the Week (Week of Sept. 21–27) (Cincinnati)

Minor League:
 * 2007 INT Post-Season All Star (Louisville)
 * 2007 INT Mid-Season All Star (Louisville)
 * 2007 INT Rookie of the Year (Louisville)
 * 2007 Baseball America Triple-A All Star (Louisville)
 * 2006 Baseball America Double-A All Star (Chattanooga)
 * 2006 SOU Most Valuable Player (Chattanooga)
 * 2006 SOU Mid-Season All Star (Chattanooga)
 * 2006 SOU Post-Season All Star (Chattanooga)