The Joey Votto Hall of Fame Debate

Joey Votto announced his retirement last week in the most Joey Votto way possible, followed by this gem on Twitter:

Before we get into the nitty gritty, let’s pause for a moment and note what a refreshing personality Joey Votto has, one I hope remains in the game in some fashion. Votto would engage with young fans, he’d make jokes at his own expense, and just brought a different vibe to interviews than most ballplayers. He’s fun, and baseball needs fun. Maybe he doesn’t want to be an announcer or media personality now, but he’d certainly be great at it if that’s the path he decides to go down.

As much as his personality would be missed, he’ll be missed even more as a player. He walked away from the game as a career .294 hitter. Do you know how many active players have come to bat at least 100 times and have a career average of .294 or better?