Reds, healing Votto cautiously optimistic about 2015 return

CINCINNATI — Joey Votto thinks his leg is doing better. The Reds first baseman says his left knee certainly feels better and he likes the progress he's been making since the end of the season.

Just what that means for Votto and the Reds in 2015 is anyone's guess but with the start of spring training still more than two months away there is optimism that the former NL MVP can return to some semblance of his old self as the Reds try to put a disappointing 2014 behind them.

Votto spoke with media Friday night at the FOX Sports Ohio Redsfest presented by PNC Bank as the team's annual two-day fan convention got underway at the Duke Energy Convention Center. Votto wasn't making any promises or predictions about his health status when the players reconvene in Goodyear, Ariz., in mid-February but he said things were going about as good as possible.

When it comes to Votto's health, the Reds can't ask for much more right now.

"I feel like I've made progress and I feel like I'm headed in the right direction," said Votto. "I would say it's coming along and I would say that I feel like I've made a lot of really good progress in the right direction."

Redundancy aside, that was as much as Votto would say about the distal quad strain in his left knee that forced him to miss 99 games last season. When Votto was in the lineup he suffered through his most difficult season at the plate, compiling career lows in batting average (.255) and slugging percentage (.409) and his first sub-.400 on-base percentage season (.390) since 2008 when he finished up a .368.

Those numbers might be OK for some players but not Votto, who led the National League in OBP four consecutive seasons and had a career slugging percentage of .541 entering last season.

Votto said he is working towards being ready to play when spring training begins. He is training in Toronto this offseason, as he has done in the past.

Manager Bryan Price said he's spoken often with Votto. From all of the reports Price has been given, things are going well.

"I'm optimistic there will be zero limitations when he gets to spring training," said Price. "If he's at 100 percent I think we're getting him ready for a big league season. I think with your guys, for the most part, it's a slow (process). You see it. They'll play three innings and then have a day off, play three innings or four innings and have a day off. It's a pretty slow re-introduction to baseball when you come to spring training if you're Joey Votto or Brandon Phillips or these types of guys."

Votto wasn't the only injury the Reds had to deal with in 2014 — they had 15 players make a total of 19 appearances on the disabled list — but his was the most significant.

"Once this is in the past I'm looking forward to it being completely in the past," said Votto. "(I am) very excited, very motivated. Last year was quite a bit of a disappointment. It was a new experience for me and I'd like to right the ship."

AWARD WINNERS: The Reds announced the Cincinnati chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America 2014 season award winners during Friday night's festivities.

Johnny Cueto was named the Ernie Lombardi Award winner as the team's Most Valuable Player. He also won the Johnny Vander Meer Most Outstanding Pitcher Award. Cueto, who was runner-up to Clayton Kershaw of the Dodgers in the NL Cy Young Award balloting, became the first Reds pitcher since 1985 (Tom Browning) to win 20 games in a season. Cueto finished the year 20-9 with a 2.25 ERA in 33 starts.

Catcher/first baseman Brayan Pena won the Joe Nuxhall Good Guy Award for his consistent availability and help with the media.

Right-handed pitcher Ben Lively, who played a High-A Bakersfield and Double-A Pensacola, was named the winner of the Sheldon "Chief" Bender Award as the organization's Minor League Player of the Year. He went 13-7 with a 3.04 ERA in 26 starts. Outfielder Kyle Waldrop, who also played at Bakersfield and Pensacola, was named the organization's Hitter of the Year, while Nick Travieso, who went 14-5 with a 3.03 ERA at Class-A Dayton, was named Pitcher of the Year. Jon Mathews, who played in 80 games and hit .317 between Dayton and Bakersfield, won the Minor League Community Service Award.