Votto passes Rose as Reds' career BB leader

CINCINNATI -- Pete Rose holds a lot of top spots in the Reds’ record book, but he lost one to Joey Votto on Sunday. During a 7-3 victory over the White Sox, Votto walked three times to tie and then pass Rose as Cincinnati’s all-time leader with 1,211.

Votto, 37, broke into the Major Leagues in 2007. He has led the league in walks five times and in on-base percentage seven times. On Friday during a three-hit game, he passed Barry Larkin for fifth in club history with 962 RBIs.

“I’ll have to watch what I say because, of course, I want to be respectful, but when you’re in the middle of playing, or at least me personally, I’m not thinking about it until maybe down the line,” Votto said. “I really haven’t even thought about much in my career, as far as what I’ve done -- and I really haven’t done anything, to be honest with you. But I’ll look back maybe when I’m done playing. Maybe at the end of the year. I’m not really sure entirely.

“I’ve done a couple things that I look back on and gave myself a pat on the back, but … I think almost exclusively about wins on a daily basis and how can we get into the playoffs, can we play good baseball and really win a championship this year -- those sort of things. My teammates are great, have been great about congratulating me and supporting me, which is really such a good feeling.”

It was a wild day in general for White Sox pitchers, who issued 11 walks and hit two batters through the first five innings during the series finale at Great American Ball Park.

In his second plate appearance, Votto walked against Dylan Cease in the third inning. Lefty Ross Detwiler issued the walk that tied the record in the fourth. Steve Cishek walked Votto to put him in sole possession of the top spot for bases on balls.

Per a personal Sunday tradition in recent years, Votto was wearing a customized Reds clubhouse attendant shirt. It was given to him by clubhouse manager Rick Stowe and his staff.

“Well, if you’re on the Reds’ Major League roster for 10 years and the clubhouse staff likes you, they bestow upon you a shirt. Bronson Arroyo has one, and I have, I think, the second," Votto said. “[I wear it] every Sunday home game, and if the cleats are out there, I help clean the cleats, because if you wear the shirt, you have to do a little bit of work.

“I’m so lucky to have such a good staff here that I consider friends. This was literally like the coolest thing. This is the sort of thing that I would put up, side by side with my MVP award. This is like one of the proudest of my career right here.”