As Joey Votto celebrates his 43rd birthday on Thursday, the former Cincinnati Reds first baseman is enjoying being a rookie again.Votto, who last played in a big-league game in 2023 and retired during the 2024 season after signing with his hometown Toronto Blue Jays, is in his first season as part of NBC/Peacock’s expansive baseball broadcast crew, serving as what the network has called an “Inside the Pitch” analyst. During the final weekend of August, Votto appeared on the network’s coverage of the Reds’ game against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field, along with play-by-play broadcaster Jason Benetti, Reds analyst Jeff Brantley and former Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo.While the other three were in the booth, Votto watched from the dugout level and weighed in not just on what happened on the field, but with some of the less serious parts about the game, including a claim to have never eaten nachos. (He later noted on X that this was not true.)Online, praise for the broadcast was effusive. Votto, who spoke to The Athletic by phone last week, said he was appreciative of the positive feedback, but more interested in what he felt were valid criticisms of his performance.Some of the asides, like the nachos or reflections on Votto’s career or relationships with players like Rizzo, charmed some viewers and annoyed others, but he had plenty of insight on the Reds, Cubs and the game.A 3-time MLB all-star's trick to reset under pressureElise DevlinVotto, who will return for Peacock’s Sept. 20 “Sunday Night Baseball” broadcast between Milwaukee and Baltimore before contributing to the network’s playoff coverage, weighed in on his first year of broadcasting, where he can improve and what the future holds.Note: Questions and answers have been lightly edited for clarity and length.I really felt like your first broadcast was a lot of fun. How did you feel about the experience?