CINCINNATI, OH (FOX19) -

Three-time All-Star Sean Casey, Big Red Machine infielder Dan Driessen and 19th century first baseman John Reilly will be the next three players inducted into the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame.

Casey was selected by the fans through the Modern Player Ballot presented by Cincyfavorites.com. The Veterans Committee selected Driessen and Reilly to make up the Reds Hall of Fame Class of 2012.

The trio will be honored June 22-24 during Reds Hall of Fame Induction Weekend, which will include on-field ceremonies at Great American Ball Park, the star-studded Hall of Fame Induction Gala and a variety of festivities at the Hall, including meet and greets with Reds Hall of Famers and alumni.

One of the most popular players to ever wear a Reds uniform, Casey came to be known as “The Mayor” during his eight-year Reds career.

A versatile infielder of the Big Red Machine clubs of the 1970s, Dreissen played 12 seasons for the Reds from 1973 to 1984.

A Cincinnati-native and dominant first baseman in the 1880′s, Reilly wore a Reds uniform for his nine-season Major League career and held Reds records for most singles, double, triples, home runs, runs scored, RBI and games played.

Casey was the top vote-getter of the thousands of ballots cast online at RedsMuseum.org, at Great American Ball Park and at participating Skyline Chili and Montgomery Inn locations.

Driessen and Reilly were selected by the Reds Hall of Fame’s Veterans Committee, comprised of members of the media, Hall of Famers, historians and Hall of Fame executives.

“Since 1958, the fans have played an integral part in the Hall of Fame election process, and this year was no exception as record participation resulted,” said Reds Hall of Fame Executive Director Rick Walls. “I’d like to thank Cincyfavorites.com, the thousands of fans that voted, and the Veterans Committee for recognizing the contributions of these players.”

The addition of Casey, Driessen and Reilly will bring the Hall’s membership ranks to 75 players, three managers, and three executives.

• Sean Casey (First Baseman, 1998-2005): One of the most popular players to ever wear a Reds uniform, first baseman Sean Casey came to be known as “The Mayor” during his eight-year Reds career. Acquired by the Reds on the eve of Opening Day in 1998, Casey overcame a serious eye injury and established himself as the club’s starting first baseman and would remain in that position for the next seven seasons. A lifetime .305 hitter as a Red, Casey eclipsed the .300 mark five times during his Reds career, posting a career-best .332 average in 1999. Casey was one of the offensive forces of the 1999 Reds, a club that won 96 games and fell just one win short of securing a playoff berth. For the 1999 season, Casey led the Reds in batting average, hits, doubles, on-base percentage and slugging percentage. During his Reds career, Casey ranked in the league’s top ten in batting average three times and was the Reds batting average leader in six of his seven seasons as a starter. Only twelve players in Reds history posted higher career batting averages than Casey’s .305 mark. A three-time National League All-Star, Casey was also the 1999 winner of Major League Baseball’s Hutch Award, was twice the recipient of the Reds’ Joe Nuxhall Good Guy Award and was the 2004 winner of the Reds’ Most Valuable Player Award.

 

• Dan Driessen (First Baseman/Third Baseman, 1973-1984): A versatile member of Cincinnati’s Big Red Machine clubs of the 1970s, Dan Driessen was signed by the Reds as an 18-year-old, undrafted free agent in 1969. In his Major League debut season of 1973, Driessen’s .301 average helped propel the Reds to the Western Division title and earned him a third place finish in National League Rookie of the Year voting. Over the next three seasons, Driessen excelled at multiple positions for Reds teams that averaged over 100 victories a season and won back-to-back World Championships in 1975 and 1976. In the 1976 World Series, Driessen became the first designated hitter in National League history and hit .357 in the Reds sweep of the Yankees. In 1977, Driessen became the Reds everyday first baseman and enjoyed his finest offensive season, batting .300 with 17 home runs, 91 RBI and 31 stolen bases. One of the finest defensive first basemen of his era, Driessen led the National League in fielding percentage three times and shares the Reds all-time single season record for fielding percentage at the position. A member of the Reds from 1973 to 1984, only eight players in history have appeared in more games as a Red than Driessen.

 

• John Reilly (First Baseman, 1883-1891): The Reds starting first baseman from 1883 to 1891, John Reilly was the club’s leading hitter for most of the 1880′s and paced the club in home runs, RBI and batting average with a .301 mark. At 6’3″, Reilly was tall for his era, earning him the moniker “Long John” years before he played his first professional game. A Cincinnati native, Reilly wore a Reds uniform for his nine-season Major League career. Reilly held single-season Reds records in numerous offensive categories including most doubles, triples, home runs, RBI and slugging percentage at multiple points in his career. When he retired after the 1891 season, Reilly held Reds records for most singles, double, triples, home runs, runs scored, RBI and games played. While all of these records have since been broken, Reilly remains one of only four players in Reds history to lead the league in home runs twice. Reilly died in Cincinnati on May 31, 1937 at the age of 78. 

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CINCINNATI — Milwaukee Brewers left fielder Ryan Bruan has been awarded the 2011 National League Most Valuable Player Award.Braun received 20 of a possible 32 first-place votes from members of the Baseball Writer’s Association of America.The Dodgers’ Matt Kemp finished second in voting, followed by Prince Fielder, also of the Brewers, Justin Upton of the Arizona Diamondbacks and Albert Pujols of the World Series Champion St. Louis Cardinals.Last year’s winner, Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto, finished sixth in voting.

Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto(notes) added a Gold Glove to the National League MVP award already in his trophy case at the start of the offseason. Now he gets to sit through an offseason that’s already had a few rumors involving him.

The Dayton Daily News Tuesday notes that rumors are afloat about Votto being traded to the Tampa Bay Rays for pitcher James Shields(notes). After all, Votto is expected to test free agency after the 2013 season. The team owes him $9.5 million next year and $17 million for the season after that.

Now Reds GM Walt Jocketty is making it clear that he has no plans to trade Votto this offseason, according to SI.com. Take heart, Reds fans, because Jocketty also says he’s hoping to sign Votto, who hit .309 with 29 homers and 103 RBIs this past season, to an extension in the next year.

Find out before your friends. Follow Scoop du Jour on Twitter or Facebook.

Source: Dayton Daily NewsSI.com

Related: James Shields, Cincinnati Reds, Tampa Bay Rays

CINCINNATI, Jan. 17 (UPI) — National League MVP Joey Votto has signed a three-year, $38 million contract with the Cincinnati Reds, the team announced Monday.

The deal allowed the Reds to avoid arbitration with the slugging 27-year-old first baseman, who was second in the NL with a .324 average and was third in both home runs (37) and RBI (113).

Votto earned $525,000 in 2010 while playing a key role in helping the Reds win the NL Central Division title.

Cincinnati selected the Canadian in the second round of the 2002 draft and he has compiled a career .314 batting average with 90 home runs and 298 RBI since.

Votto overcame anxiety/depression issues to notch his breakout season in 2010.

Reds General Manager Walt Jocketty expressed a desire in December to sign Votto, but he had seemed hesitant about inking long term deal, MLB.com reported.

CINCINNATI (AP)—Joey Votto(notes) powered the Cincinnati Reds to their first playoff appearance in 15 years, winning the NL MVP award for a breakthrough season.

The first baseman earned a raise, and boy, did he get one.

Votto has agreed to a $38 million, three-year contract with Cincinnati, buying out his arbitration years and giving the reigning NL Central champs some short-term budget security.

A person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press about the deal on Sunday on condition of anonymity because the contract had not yet been announced.

Votto was a first-time All-Star in 2010, finishing second in the NL in batting average at .324 and third in homers (37) and RBIs (113). He led the NL in slugging percentage (.600), topped the major leagues in on-base percentage (.424) and had 16 stolen bases in 21 chances.

He made $525,000 last year and was eligible for arbitration for the first time.

Now 27, Votto didn’t become a major league regular until two years ago. Following the death of his father in August 2008, he went on the disabled list and missed 21 games the following year partly because of depression and anxiety.

He was a runaway winner in the MVP balloting by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, receiving 31 of 32 first-place votes and 443 points. Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols(notes) was second with the remaining first-place vote.

Born in Toronto, Votto became the third Canadian-born MVP, following Colorado’s Larry Walker (1997) and Minnesota’s Justin Morneau(notes) (2006).

AP Sports Writer Ronald Blum in New York contributed to this report.