GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Joey Votto rarely lets outsiders delve into matters concerning his hitting approach. His thoughts inside the batters' box are his alone. Therefore, what the Reds' first baseman was doing in the box in the sixth inning vs. the Dodgers on Sunday will remain a mystery.
"I'm not being coy," Votto said on Monday. "I'd just rather not get into it. Nothing good can come out of it for me."
Between pitches in the sixth, Votto didn't step out of the box, but placed his bat between his legs, the bottom on the ground and the handle around his belt, and bent over with his hands on his knees. Since the game was televised by the Dodgers, it drew the attention of their broadcasters while photos and video clips went viral among fans on social media.
Votto finished the plate appearance with a line single to center field. He noted it wasn't the first time he had done the peculiar at-bat routine and was a little surprised that it caught on as a big deal.
"Clearly we need a regular-season game," Votto said. "Holy cow, we need to play some baseball. This is just ridiculous. And I've done that before, during a regular-season game. And it must have been on TV. And someone must have taken notice that wants to say something about it."