Daugherty: Votto espouses Teddy Ballgame’s theories on hitting

And coming from one of the knights of the keyboard, that’s pretty high praise.

Joey Votto no longer needs the book Ted Williams wrote, called The Science of Hitting. In a year when he pursues a Triple Crown and an MVP trophy—and, mostly he would tell you, a World Series ring—Votto is making some science of his own.

“A legend,’’ Votto says of Williams, the last man to hit .400, arguably the best hitter the game has produced. “Beyond a legend. He was mythic.’’

Votto still tracks down people he guesses might have seen Williams play. He has read everything written about Teddy Ballgame. He watches the old black-and-whites of Williams employing that big stride and long, graceful swing. He reads the bible. “The thesis of the book was, get a good pitch to hit, be quick, make sure your swing is prepared,’’ Votto says. It’s everything every hitter wants to do, but few are able. Votto, it seems, is among the few.

...Do you ever waste a swing?’’ I ask him. “Take a pitch off? I mean, even in batting practice?’’

“No, I don’t.’’

Care to elaborate?

“I’ve made that mistake before and it’s cost me. You get a little older, you can’t waste swings. Your body can only handle so many. I don’t have the energy,’’ explains Votto, who is all of almost-27. “I think of baseball so much as my job. I just try to be efficient. I’m not here to mess around.’’