Dizziness benches Votto a second time

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By Hal McCoy, Staff Writer Updated 10:09 PM Sunday, May 17, 2009

The mysterious ailment that is plaguing Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto concerns manager Dusty Baker, but he doesn’t know how concerned to be.

“You don’t know what to be concerned about because we don’t know what it is,” said Baker.

For the second time on this trip, Votto left a game Saturday with dizziness after leaving a game Tuesday in Arizona.

“This one was similar to the one in Arizona, only not quite as bad,” said Votto. “I can’t focus. I get dizzy and I can’t see straight.”

Votto wasn’t in Sunday’s lineup, but his name was on the card as Baker’s only lefthanded pinch-hitter and when asked if he would use him, Baker said, “I hope not.

“Something has to be wrong for him not to play or come out of the game because this guy is a gamer, big time,” said Baker. “Let’s just hope they find out what it is. Just because they run tests doesn’t mean they’ll find it.”

Votto will see an internist in Cincinnati today.

A step at a time

Know why Edinson Volquez’s back is bothering him? He did something to it running up steps, taking two steps at a time.

“He was stiff other the day when he skipped a step at home,” said Baker. “You know, us old guys go up steps one at a time and young guys skip a step. When he landed he felt something.”

Volquez left Saturday’s game in the sixth inning when his back stiffened and Bakers said, “We’re working on a treatment. Man, he was dealing until that happened.”

Actually, he started slow, giving up two runs, three hits and two walks in the first two innings, then the Reds began to score and Volquez began to roll, “Because he smelled that lead,” said Baker, a lead that turned into a 16-inning 6-5 defeat.

Liking each other

Despite two straight losses in San Diego, Baker remains unfazed.

“I like this team and they like each other,” he said. “Everybody Saturday was saying, ‘Let’s win this one for Micah, because they like Micah.’”

Micah Owings was into his sixth inning of relief when San Diego catcher Nick Hundley homered in the 16th with two outs to win it.

Owings retired the first nine from the 11th through the 13th, gave up two hits and a walk in the 14th, surrendered two walks in the 15th, then the homer in the 16th.

“Can’t say I’ve ever been in that situation, but it was an opportunity to help the team out,” said Owings.

“I heard a lot of talk about the 18-inning game last year, over and over again, and it’s funny how you talk about something and then it happens.”

Owings was supposed to start Wednesday against Philadelphia, but now that spot will be taken by Aaron Harang, who will pitch on his full four days of rest.

Weathering a storm

David Weathers was obviously upset with umpire Jim Joyce in the eighth inning Saturday when Joyce called a 2-and-2 pitch ball three. Instead of strike three to end the inning, the count went to 3-and-2 and Weathers walked Chase Headley on the next pitch to load the bases. Then Weather walked Drew Macias, also after a 3-2 count, forcing in the tying run (5-5).

“I still had another shot to get him out and walked him,” said Weathers. “I was shocked he took the pitch — a slider for a strike (but called ball three).”

Asked about the verbal exchange between him and Joyce as him as he walked off the field, Weathers said, “I came off and asked him where the pitches were and he said, ‘Way in.’ Nothing I could do about it and I shouldn’t have put myself in that position.”

Quote of the day

San Diego catcher Nick Hundley to writers after his 16th inning home run Saturday beat the Reds: “Do you guys get overtime? Neither do we.”

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