Joey Votto: Reds' clubhouse full of leaders

GOODYEAR, Ariz. — Joey Votto said he was tired of hearing people talk about leadership or a lack thereof in the Reds' clubhouse.

The topic has been a hot one since former pitcher Mat Latos, who was traded to Miami over the winter, criticized the team's lack of accountability in an interview with FOXSports.com over the weekend.

Votto, however, said his comments after Tuesday's workout weren't directed at his ex-teammate, but the general noise about accountability on the team.

The first baseman vented to the writers who cover the team, going on for nearly five minutes and becoming emotional during the soliloquy:

"Ever since Scott (Rolen) left, there's been a lot of talk about leadership," Votto said, "and the importance of having one focal point. That's not how . . . that's not what's really going on in the clubhouse. We're a group of guys who have come up in the organization together at different times. As we grow, we're doing it collectively. So there's not going to be one focal point. We're doing it collectively as a unit.

"I know when we traded for Marlon (Byrd) the conversation was about his leadership qualities. Marlon's going to come here and be himself and bring what he brings and he's also going to fit in.

"The thing I wanted to say is we're doing all right. We just lost last year. We won three of the last five years. We had a couple of not-so-good runs in the playoffs. There's a lot of variables involved. There's no excuses. We just lost in the playoffs, but we got there. We won the division two out of three times.

"Last year, I would like to think was a bit of an aberration."

"The thing that upsets me most is the people who are talking about leadership and our clubhouse are not in clubhouse. They're not consistently here to make any sort of comment on the clubhouse. These are guys who very rarely show their face in the clubhouse. They're never on the bus, not in the hotel, certainly not on the field. These guys are constantly commenting about the importance of leadership with no sort of experience to be able to have that conversation. They don't see the interaction. They don't see the bench. They're going to write and talk endlessly about something they have no information on. And, to me, that's doing a disservice to this team. It's doing a disservice to the front office, the coaching staff. I think it's highly, highly convenient because we lost last year to highlight that.

"I played with Scott, a wonderful, wonderful teammate, but Scott was one of the more quiet guys I ever played with. He led as an example. We've got guys that don't need to be led because we are that example. You don't see any guys."

"Brandon (Phillips) has become a wonderful leader on this team and a wonderful teammate. It's been such a great experience playing with him and learning from him. He never gets any credit and he does little things nobody sees. The people who write and talk about it are not being very fair, I don't think. I think it's totally out of left field. I think, in my opinion, it's just talk. We win this year, all of a sudden there's going to be a leader on the team or a group of leaders, and so and so did this or so and so did that, we win and all of a sudden everything changes. We have one unhealthy year last year — not a good year, let's not forget about that, we did not have a good year last year — we need this and we need that. Leadership is one of the things people have been pointing out. I don't think it's objective."

Votto was asked who is this coming from?

"The less they're in our clubhouse, the more they have an opinion on our leadership," he said. "The less present they are, it seems to me, the more of an opinion they have on our leadership. I don't know anybody specifically (laughs, big smile). I take that back. I feel like there's several voices that feel a certain way and have a perception of what leadership looks like. I'm telling you, these guys are grinders, ass-kickers, you're not going to lead Devin Mesoraco. He's part of the leadership.

"You're not going to lead Brandon, he's part of the leadership. You don't need one focal point, we don't need rah-rah, we don't need everyone to be slapped on the ass and patted on the back, because we're not that group of guy. None of these guys need to be motivated to be at their very best. I'd like to think that this year we're going to play and play well and win and win the division again and all that chatter will just be chatter — chatter in the rear-view mirror. I just wanted to say something like that, because if it because a subject that's steady throughout the season, I think it does a disservice to the effort we put into (the season) and the personality we have in the clubhouse. I think it's just a specter, you know, it's not true. It's not true. So, take it for what you will."

Leadership had been a major topic Tuesday before Votto said his piece. Reds manager Bryan Price was asked about it in his morning session.

"I'm a firm believer in leadership. But I also know from my experience that telling someone to be a leader is completely different than having someone who has inherent leadership ability. What we're trying to do is free up that ability. We're trying to get away from feeling like the oldest, most-established players have to that responsibility if it's not within who they are, if it's not within their temperament.

"If that means a bigger voice, a bigger influence comes from a player like Devin (Mesoraco) or Zack Cozart or Todd Frazier . . . it's not about respect, it's about the fact someone is capable and willing to step up and be that person."

Frazier, maybe the most vocal of the Reds, is willing to take that on.

"I'm very comfortable with that," he said. "I've done it in high school and college. I know it's different here. I think you need a lot of people to lead. You need a lot of people to back you up. I talked to Marlon Byrd about it the other day. If you stand up for something, you need other people to stand up behind you."

Byrd, the veteran outfielder, was brought in through trade to help the offense. But Price and general manager Walt Jocketty talked about Byrd's clubhouse presence when the Reds obtained him.

"He's a veteran guy who has the respect of veteran players as well as our young guys," Price said. "I think he's well-versed enough in how to play the game and set and uphold a standard that needs to be set and upheld inside the clubhouse.

"It's having someone or some players that are capable of doing that is a benefit. I don't believe you can tell someone to lead. I think we all sniff that guy out, who tries to lead and isn't capable of it. He doesn't believe. He's doing it out of necessity, instead of out of an inherent ability. There's a big difference. ... Players sniff it out."

Byrd and Skip Schumaker were two of the more outspoken players in reacting to what Latos said.

Price echoed what Votto said: If players are doing what they should be doing, leadership isn't an issue.