Why Giancarlo Stanton and Joey Votto Will End Up on the Same Team

By Adam Hughes | Nov 18, 2014

Sep 8, 2014; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Miami Marlins right fielder Giancarlo Stanton (27) hits a solo home run in the third inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

When the Miami Marlins agreed to a record 13-year, $325-million deal with rightfielder Giancarlo Stanton on Monday, they sent shockwaves throughout the sports world, and they also helped set the final career trajectory for two of the biggest hitters of the last five years. To wit, Stanton and Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto are now destined to join forces on the same team within, say, five years.

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Here’s how it might play out …

Votto Gets Expensive

In a way, Joey Votto is already expensive, if you consider that he made $12 million in 2014 for his 1.9 WAR. But really, he is will make just $14 million in 2015 when he will be just 31 years old. IF he’s healthy next year, then Votto might be a downright bargain.

Then it gets dicey, though, because in 2016, when Votto is 32, he will make $20 million. Then it’s $22 million at age 33, and then six straight seasons at $25 million to finish off his thirties.

The Reds current incarnation has, maybe, one more year to compete before they have to do something drastic in order to rebuild. Trading a pitcher or four before they become free agents might help, but trading Votto, if it can be done at all, will be vital to Cincinnati’s long-term success.

Blasphemy? Maybe, but Pete Rose walked away from Cincinnati, Frank Robinson was jettisoned to the American League and even Junior Griffey got smacked on the backside by the Riverfront door.

It can and should happen with Votto, too.

Marlins Get Gutted … Again

Everyone knows the Miami Marlins’ pattern: win a World Series or sign a bunch of talent to big contracts, or sign a bunch of talent to big contracts AND win a World Series, and the blow the thing up because you’re the Marlins.

The franchise will be giddy with Stanton’s contract for awhile, maybe even a good while. But sometime within the next few years, whether they’ve won a championship or not, Miami ownership will realize that they’re paying one guy more dollars in a year than fannies they bring to the ballpark in 25 years.

And so, the fire sale will begin. Maybe the fire sale will just consist of trading Stanton, but that will be enough.

Yankees Get Frustrated

Um, it’s been like five years since the New York Yankees won a World Series, and they really didn’t look very good this year. They probably won’t be very good next year either, and they don’t have a ton of talent coming up through their minor leagues, either.

So, what do the New York Yankees do when they want to win, like yesterday? Break out the Steinbrenner checkbook, of course!

First, they’ll cast admiring eyes Votto’s way, because first baseman Mark Teixeira is old and hurt, but Votto would be something shiny and new for the Yanks.

Then, after a season or two of Votto hitting .280 with 15 home runs and being lauded for his Bronx grit, the Yankees still won’t have won anything.

It’s then that one of the Steinbrothers will just happen to bump into Jeffrey Loria at a Rolex convention, and one of them will say, “Hey, wouldn’t it be keen if …”

And then they will.

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Sure, this is a tongue-in-cheek scenario, but I won’t be all that surprised if it actually plays out like this, or close to it. After all, the Yankees love to eat bad contracts, and Votto and Stanton represent two of the juiciest morsels to come along since Alex Rodriguez was still clean.

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