On a July night in Milwaukee, Joey Votto got his revenge.
Votto, the first baseman for the Cincinnati Reds, had seen a clip weeks earlier of the broadcaster Chris Russo, known as Mad Dog, voicing doubt that he and Royals pitcher Zack Greinke belonged in the Hall of Fame. Now, with the opportunity to confront Russo during an appearance on the MLB Network’s “High Heat,” Votto was planning something special.
Standing in foul territory and wearing a headset, Votto looked into a dugout camera. When Russo’s co-host, Alanna Rizzo, asked a question, Votto smiled and answered engagingly. When Russo took a turn, Votto managed just a few sullen syllables in response. Quickly, Russo caught on — “Funny! You’re funny today” — spurring Votto into a minute-long rant befitting a pro wrestler.
With big hand gestures and a rising tone, Votto inveighed against Russo’s supposed slight toward him and Greinke. “You’re looking down on us, a couple small-market Midwest ballplayers, just because we’re not big-city just like you!” Votto lectured. His eyes widened as he bellowed critiques of Russo’s “Fifth Avenue ties” and “perfectly coifed, Broadway hair.”
Finally, the climax. “Not everyone can be the next Roger Peckinpaugh!” Votto yelled, reaching into the dead-ball era for a good-not-great former Yankee. “You should be ashamed!”
The rant, which Votto and Jim Day, the sideline reporter on Reds’ broadcasts, had been rehearsing for weeks — including on the team plane, which confused more than a few Reds personnel — went viral: One of baseball’s funniest characters had delivered again.