PHOENIX — Joey Votto isn’t merely concerned with stats when the Reds add a player.
“I don’t want to play with a bunch of jerks,” Votto said. “(General manager) Walt (Jocketty) has done a good job of bringing in good guys.”
One of the ways Jocketty limits the jerk factor is by bringing in players that he is familiar with from his days in St. Louis.
Five players in camp spent some time with Jocketty on the Cardinals: Scott Rolen, Miguel Cairo, Ryan Ludwick, Brian Esposito and Daryl Jones. In previous years, Jocketty has brought in former Cardinals Jim Edmonds, Edgar Renteria, Russ Springer and Aaron Miles.
“I think if you look at any club, any general manager, they’ll do that,” Jocketty said. “You want people you’re familiar with because you know them and know what they can do and what they can bring to the club.
“You bring in guys who were good for you in the past.”
Jocketty did the same thing when he was in St. Louis. He brought in Mark McGwire, with whom he had worked in Oakland, and Larry Walker, who he knew from Colorado.
Jocketty’s first big move as the Reds GM was trading Edwin Encarnacion and pitching prospects Josh Roenicke and Zach Stewart to Toronto for Rolen in 2009.
The move seemed puzzling at the time. The Reds were out of the race. Giving up young talent for an aging veteran due to become a free agent seemed counter to the direction the Reds were trying to go.
The move turned out to be key to the run the Reds made to win the 2010 Central Division title. Rolen quickly emerged as the leader. He’s not extremely vocal but he sets an example by playing and preparing the right way.
Jocketty puts a premium on a player’s makeup – his character and intelligence – before making deals. All the players obtained this offseason – Ludwick, Ryan Madson, Sean Marshall and Mat Latos -- are good guys in the clubhouse.
“I think makeup’s important,” Jocketty said. “You have to have talent, but you have to have guys with strong character and good leaders. They spend a lot of time in the clubhouse together.”
Cairo plays a role similar to Rolen’s. Young players often cite Cairo as someone who helped them with the game.
“I talked to Miguel a lot about pinch-hitting because I wasn’t starting a lot,” Todd Frazier said. “Miguel would say: ‘Todd, watch this guy. Watch his tendencies. Watch how many times he throws a fastball. Watch where he throws it. Understand what they’re going to throw you.’ He really helped me.”
The Cardinal connection works both ways. Free agents are inclined to sign with GMs they’re comfortable with.
“I think knowing somebody who is in charge of bringing guys to the ballclub helps,” Ludwick said. “If he was a jerk, I probably wouldn’t have come here. I’ve got a lot a respect for Walt. When I’m done playing, if I were to run into Walt, I’d consider him a friend. He’s a good human being.”
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