That was revealed by a fascinating MLB.com story published this week.
Turns out when Votto was struggling in the first half of last season, it was because he had become obsessed with notching a .500 on-base percentage (.474 is his career high in 2012).
"It ended up being an unrealistic goal for this day and age, and at least for my skillset," Votto said. "I ended up making it too hard on myself.
"I'd get far too deep into at-bats, complicating things, and taking good pitches I probably should've swung at."
This is noteworthy for a few reasons:
1. Everything Votto does is noteworthy.
2. This sounds a lot like an actual complaint of some observers that was brushed aside by the numbers nerds.
3. Nobody can get Votto out since.
As you probably know, he hit over .400 in the second half last season.
This year he’s putting up numbers similar to his MVP season of 2010, and swinging at more good pitches is part of the reason why.
About the Author
