Joey Votto’s new between pitches routine is quite unusual

Cincinnati Reds slugger Joey Votto is one of the smartest hitters in the game. The 32-year-old is constantly adjusting during at-bats, and his mastery of the strike zone is unparalleled.

[Sign up for Fantasy Baseball | Play for $40K | Expert rankings | Mock draft ]

Since batting is such a cat and mouse game, it’s important that Votto has enough time to think through his at-bat between pitches. Thankfully, his new routine allows him to do just that … at least, we think?

Your browser does not support iframes.

We’re going to be honest, we have no clue what’s going on here. Los Angeles Dodgers catcher A.J. Ellis also had some questions about the routine. During the above at-bat, Ellis asked Votto why he kept leaning on his bat between pitches. Votto’s answer: “I’m thinking.”

Joey Votto, asked by catcher A.J. Ellis why he was leaning on his bat after every pitch, said: “I’m thinking.”

— Ken Gurnick (@kengurnick) March 27, 2016

So, there you have it. That’s Votto’s explanation. We’re still a little perplexed, but who are we to question Votto? The man has a career .311 batting average. If he thinks something works at the plate, we’re willing to believe him at this point.

[Elsewhere: Jason Heyward was swarmed by bees during a Cubs spring game]

Even if Votto’s new pose helps him flirt with .400 this season, we have a hard time thinking we’ll see his teammates adopt his method. You have to be fairly established at the plate to pull off the bat lean without being laughed at by everyone else on the field.

More MLB coverage from Yahoo Sports: