Joey Votto criticizes Cincinnati Reds' roster building and star player contracts

Former Cincinnati Reds MVP Joey Votto has criticized the organization's approach to roster construction and talent development. During an interview on the Foul Territory Show, Votto argued that the club is “pinching pennies” in critical areas such as minor league development and analytics. He suggested that the organization should invest more in software engineers and artificial intelligence to improve data integration and uniformity across the team.

Votto also addressed the financial implications of maintaining star players, specifically suggesting that the Reds should consider trading shortstop Elly De La Cruz for prospects. He argued that De La Cruz’s future contract could potentially reach $650 million, which would consume a disproportionate amount of the team's total payroll. Votto noted that committing a third or half of a team's spending to a single player is not a sustainable strategy, citing his own long-term extension as an example of a deal that might have been better handled via a trade.