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Washington Twp. residents helped Votto on his road back

Gregg and Linda Trebnick and their 20-year-old daughter, April, are close friends with Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto. The Trebnicks were Votto’s host family when he played for the Dragons, and the major-leaguer sometimes lives with them in the offseason, vacations with them and talks with them daily.

Staff photo by Jim Witmer Gregg and Linda Trebnick and their 20-year-old daughter, April, are close friends with Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto. The Trebnicks were Votto’s host family when he played for the Dragons, and the major-leaguer sometimes lives with them in the offseason, vacations with them and talks with them daily.

ENLARGE PHOTO

Cincinnati Reds' Joey Votto, right, is congratulated by Brandon Phillips after Votto hit a solo home run off St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Brad Thompson in the fifth inning of a baseball game, Saturday, July 4, 2009, in Cincinnati. The Reds won 5-2.

Associated Press photo by David Kohl Cincinnati Reds' Joey Votto, right, is congratulated by Brandon Phillips after Votto hit a solo home run off St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Brad Thompson in the fifth inning of a baseball game, Saturday, July 4, 2009, in Cincinnati. The Reds won 5-2.

ENLARGE PHOTO

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April (left) and Amy Trebnick of Washington Twp. celebrate with Joey Votto at his 24th birthday dinner the September he was called up to the major leagues.

Contributed photo April (left) and Amy Trebnick of Washington Twp. celebrate with Joey Votto at his 24th birthday dinner the September he was called up to the major leagues.

Trebnicks knew Reds first baseman needed them.

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During this time, Linda made sure Votto focused on the right things: “He worried people would think he was slacking and that his team felt let down.”

Gregg nodded: “But Mr. Castellini (Reds owner Bob Castellini) called him up and said, ‘Joey, you do whatever you have to do to get better and you do it at your pace.’

“I didn’t know anything about the Reds organization, but I thought to myself, ‘Now that’s class.’ They did everything from the top on down to help. They had two psychologists right here at our house with him. They showed true concern for Joey.”

Votto said the same should be said about the Trebnicks: “It’s been a big-time struggle over the last month or month and a half, but they were there for me.”

Linda smiled, but redirected the praise: “We were his support, but give him the credit. He did it. He knew he needed help and he got it. I told him one day, ‘You’re a very strong person physically and emotionally and you will come back.’ ”

Using humor for insulation, she said she also reminded him of an option: “For a couple of years, he took night classes online because one day he wants to teach.

“After we picked him up that first night, I saw he had a sense of humor, so the next morning I said, ‘Well, if baseball doesn’t work out, you can always be a teacher.’ He said, ‘I think I want to play baseball.’ ”

He proved it, Gregg said, by coming back faster than most people: “The average guy would have needed two months at least.”

Linda said it helped when Votto finally shed the secrecy of his absence and opened up to the media 12 days ago while sitting in the dugout in Toronto: “It was like a weight was lifted off of him. He realized everybody has problems.

“I think he was really happy to realize his worst fears were not as bad as what he thought they’d be. He realized he was going to be OK.”

And now he’s showing it. When he joined the Dragons for a two-game test of his mettle two weeks ago, he hit a home run on the first pitch thrown to him.

After rejoining the Reds and pouring his heart out, he won the game for the team a couple of nights later with a home run. He did the same thing Thursday, getting four hits, including the game-winning RBI single in the 10th inning against Arizona.

And so it turns out that guy at Yankee Trace was right.

Joey Votto does have something special.

Actually many things — but especially a family that will answer his 4 a.m. call, share some late-night ice cream and brownies and then the next morning make sure the sun shines in on him.

Contact this reporter at  (937) 225-2156 or tarchdeacon @DaytonDailyNews.com.

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I'm actually the player that broke the 3 rules. Can you blame me? High five!

Adam Dunn
4:38 PM, 7/9/2009

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Cool story. Good to have Votto back. I actually sat next to Amy in a history class in college. Shes a Braves fan... Gross.

Jeff
5:09 PM, 7/6/2009

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What a great article. Wish all of the guys had a family like that they were attached to and they could talk heart-to-heart with.

bsu1
6:48 AM, 7/6/2009

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Great Story. I wish more athletes were as realistic at Joey.

Brian
12:10 AM, 7/6/2009

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DDN: Leave this story up on the Reds page for awhlie. This is a great story of how people should treat each other. What a great family. Again, Votto allowing his story to come out is going to help a lot of people. God bless Votto and The Trebicks.

Cait
10:44 PM, 7/5/2009

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