Votto, an introverted perfectionist, certainly fits that description. He showed it in his argument with home-plate umpire Bill Welke in the Reds' 5-4 loss to the Pirates at Great American Ball Park, never mind that Cincinnati was 30 games behind St. Louis with only 25 games left in the season.
Written off by some after a two-year run in which a variety of leg injuries limited him, Votto, who celebrates his 32nd birthday today, is having one of the best seasons in a career that saw him win the National League MVP Award in 2010. He worked harder than ever last offseason and has put himself back into the NL MVP Award discussion, despite the difficulties of playing on a team that fell double digits in arrears during a nine-game losing streak in May.