In an off-season that has so far seen them improve by standing pat and witnessing their division foes succumb to attrition, the Cincinnati Reds have finally started making a little noise of their own. After watching Albert Pujols leave the St. Louis Cardinals via free agency and Ryan Braun leave the Milwaukee Brewers , at least temporarily, at the hands of a suspension for the use of performance enhancing drugs, the Reds on December 17 pulled off what I would consider to be a blockbuster trade. In the deal, the Reds paid a king’s ransom to bring in starting pitcher Mat Latos from the San Diego Padres, although the young hurler has a chance to actually be worth the price. What is really encouraging to me about this trade, though, is that it represents the first sign that Cincinnati might make an honest effort to retain Joey Votto beyond this season.

In order to acquire Latos, general manager Walt Jocketty shipped starting pitcher Edinson Volquez, first baseman Yonder Alonso, catcher Yasmani Grandal and right-hander Brad Boxberger to the Padres. Grandal and Boxberger are two highly-regarded prospects with high ceilings, but Alonso is the key name among the castoffs. The young first baseman has been viewed alternately as the heir apparent to Joey Votto at first, or as being blocked by Votto, depending on who is speaking and how cynical the mood. With Alonso moved out of town, it would seem that the Reds don’t plan to pluck Votto off the sack in Great American Ballpark anytime soon.

Votto is in his final season before free agency, and we’ve been debating his future with the Reds for a couple of years now. Votto is 28 and in his prime, so he is likely to command something close to the contract that Pujols inked with the Los Angeles Angels, which would put him in the neighborhood of $20 million per season for 10 or more years. That seems like a lot for the Reds to pay any one player, but with Alonso gone, they don’t appear to have a ready alternative as a slugging first baseman. With second baseman Brandon Phillips hitting free agency this off-season, the Reds also have the opportunity to open up a little salary room simply by letting Phillips walk.

Whether or not Votto sticks around after 2012, it will be very interesting to watch the results of this deal develop from both sides. Latos is coming to a decidedly hitter-friendly park, so we may be in for a period of adjustment. If he can make that leap and stay healthy, though, all indications are that he could be a legitimate top-of-the-rotation starter. That’s a rare creature in these parts.

Adam Hughes was raised, and still lives, in rural Indiana. He has been a Cincinnati Reds fan since the early 1980s, when gods like Dan Driessen and Cesar Cedeno roamed the ethereally green Riverfront turf. He thinks that Dusty Baker is the anti-Davey.

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

Feel free to leave your comments below.

With actual baseball games still going on, it’s my belief that October trade speculation is the province of team-specific blogs. After all, we won’t have any shortage of time to talk hot stove once the World Series is over and winter rolls around.

However, it’s not every day that the talk centers around an MVP like Joey Votto(notes). The Cincinnati Reds first baseman has been the subject of many loud whispers ever since ESPN’s Buster Olney reported that rival teams might be sending some trade offers the Reds’ way.

The whispers have grown so loud, in fact, that Reds GM Walt Jocketty has been compelled to go on the offensive and publicly insist that Votto isn’t going anywhere soon.

From Cincinnati.com:

“I’m tired of talking about it,” [Jocketty] said. “We’re not shopping him. We’re not entertaining offers. It’s frustrating. He’s one of the best players in the game. Why would we trade him? I wish people would stop writing about it.” [...]

“Everyone is assuming they know our business,” Jocketty said. “They don’t. Then they write this and I have to call Joey and his agent and let them know there is nothing to it. It’s not fair.”

Jocketty can claim that the Reds aren’t shopping Votto — something that Olney never reported, by the way — but it’s easy to see why rivals might want to poach Votto and blogs like Jays Journal are already picturing the Toronto native playing first for the Blue Jays. He’s going to be very expensive once he’s eligible for free agency in 2014; the Reds already have prospect Yonder Alonso(notes) waiting in the wings and he could pull a good package of prospects from teams that lose out on the Albert Pujols(notes) and Prince Fielder(notes) derby this winter.

At the same time, it’s easy for us to see where Jocketty is coming from. The Reds crept back into relevance with their 2010 NL Central title and trading away the team’s best player would destroy any inroads the club has made at repairing its reputation locally and nationally. There may come a day when Jocketty has to deal Votto if the team either can’t afford him or he decides he’d like to play elsewhere. But it does no favors to Jocketty’s bargaining position if he allows the belief that Votto will be easy pickings.

Want more Big League Stew all postseason long?
Follow ‘Duk on Facebook and Twitter!

Related: Yonder Alonso, Joey Votto, Prince Fielder, Albert Pujols, Cincinnati Reds

If anybody needs tickets to games, remember to click the tickets link at the top.

Leave your comments on the news below.

Ross Detwiler might have thrown his best game as a Washington National. It wasn’t good enough to beat Johnny Cueto and the Cincinnati Reds, however.

Although Detwiler struck out a career-high seven in six innings — his longest outing this season — the Nationals lost 2-1 on Wednesday night as Cueto pitched into the ninth inning.

Detwiler (1-3) left one inning shy of his career high. He hadn’t pitched more than 5 1-3 innings this season.

“He pitched great,” teammate Jayson Werth said. “Not too many times you look up there and see a lefty throw 94, 96. He had good stuff.”

The only blemish for Detwiler was Joey Votto’s 20th home run with two outs in the first inning on a fastball that stayed up.

“Looking at it now, throw anything but what I threw there, and hopefully he doesn’t hit it out,” Detwiler said.

After falling behind 2-0 going into the ninth inning, the Nationals rallied.

Ryan Zimmerman hit a home run on Cueto’s first pitch of the inning, and Washington loaded the bases against closer Francisco Cordero before Wilson Ramos grounded into a double play to end the game.

“He made a good pitch and got out of it,” Werth said. “We were in position to win the game. I think as time goes on with these guys and this team, you keep getting your opportunities and eventually you’re going to turn the corner and get it done.”

Cordero walked Werth with one out, then Danny Espinosa singled and Jonny Gomes reached on shortstop Paul Janish’s error to load the bases before the final double play.

“We were fortunate to get that one,” Reds manager Dusty Baker said. “We squeaked that one out big time.”

For most of the game, the 1-0 lead from Votto’s homer looked like it would be enough for Cueto (9-5), who allowed six hits, struck out five and did not walk a batter.

Washington had runners reach third base in the second and fourth innings, but each time Cueto easily got out of the jam.

“He had a special outing tonight,” Nationals manager Davey Johnson said. “Our problem was we had guys on third base with nobody out and we didn’t get anybody in.”

After the homer, Detwiler primarily relied on his sinker, which he was able to keep down in the zone, to keep the Reds to the one run.

Detwiler got out of a jam in the third when the Reds loaded the bases with one out. Brandon Phillips singled, Dave Sappelt doubled and Votto walked before Detwiler struck out Jay Bruce and Miguel Cairo hit a fly ball to shallow right field to end the inning.

Detwiler picked up his third straight loss despite not allowing more than three earned runs in any of his four starts this season.

“I feel like Ross has pitched well the last couple outings,” Nationals shortstop Ian Desmond said. “We haven’t given him very much run support.”

On the other side, Cueto, who opened the game by striking out the first three batters, narrowly missed his second shutout of the season. He leads the majors with a 1.89 ERA after the outing gave him enough innings to officially qualify.

The Reds picked up an insurance run in the eighth. They had a chance to pick up a few more but left the bases loaded.

Consecutive singles by Votto and Bruce against reliever Sean Burnett put runners on the corners with no outs. Cairo grounded sharply up the middle, and Burnett snagged it and threw to third to catch Votto, who had started for home on the play. Another walk by Burnett loaded the bases.

Ryan Mattheus replaced Burnett, and Hernandez hit a grounder up the middle that was fielded by Desmond. A slight slip when Desmond fielded the ball left him unable to turn a double play, but he did throw out Hernandez while Bruce scored.

Another walk by Mattheus loaded the bases for Cueto, who grounded to second to end the inning.

NOTES: Nationals RHP Steven Strasburg, who had Tommy John surgery last year, made his third minor-league rehab start for Class A Hagerstown. Johnson said Strasburg may eventually replace RHP Jordan Zimmermann, who has an innings cap this season because of his 2009 Tommy John surgery. Johnson said Zimmermann likely has three more starts, and the manager speculated Strasburg may fill his spot on Sept. 2. … Desmond batted leadoff for the first time since April 14. … Phillips led off for the first time this season. … Zimmermann (7-10) starts Thursday against Reds RHP Bronson Arroyo (7-9) in the final game of the series.

Subscribe to our feed!.

If anybody needs tickets to games, remember to click the tickets link at the top.

Feel free to leave your comments below.

What are your opinions.

CINCINNATI (AP)—Carlos Beltran(notes) and Orlando Cabrera(notes) could not help their
new teammates this weekend.

The Giants wrapped up a 2-4 road trip with their worst loss of the season on
Sunday, a 9-0 loss to the Cincinnati Reds that completed a three-game sweep.

Manager Bruce Bochy pointed out that the Giants played from behind for
almost the entire series, giving up a total of 10 runs in the first inning.

“We got beat up the last couple of games,” Bochy said. “The first inning
killed us. Ten runs in the first inning is too much. You’ve got to find a way to
fight back.”

Cabrera arrived Sunday after being acquired in a deal with Cleveland on
Saturday night. He went 0 for 3. Beltran is 2 for 17 with an RBI since coming
over from the Mets on Thursday.

Johnny Cueto(notes) pitched a three-hitter and Joey Votto(notes) added a three-run homer
and tied his career high with five RBIs for the Reds.

Rookie Todd Frazier(notes) hit his first career home run and Drew Stubbs(notes) had a
career-high four hits as the Reds rebounded from being swept by the New York
Mets in four games to post three consecutive wins for the first time since
sweeping the Los Angeles Dodgers June 13-15.

Cueto (7-4) missed the first month of the season with irritation in his
right upper arm and needed 7 1-3 innings to qualify for the National League ERA
lead. He went into the game with a 1.88 ERA and lowered it to 1.72 with his
first shutout since beating Pittsburgh 9-0 with a one-hitter on May 11, 2010.
The complete game was his third of the season, but he lost the other two. Cueto
had one walk with six strikeouts while allowing just one baserunner past first
base.

“Give their pitcher credit,” Bochy said. “He pitched great.”

San Francisco left-hander Barry Zito(notes) was handed his third straight loss
after a stretch in which he won three in a row as the Giants were swept for the
fifth time this season and first since losing three straight at Oakland June
17-19.

For the second consecutive game, the Reds grabbed a first-inning lead.
Stubbs, Edgar Renteria(notes) and Votto all singled to produce one run. After Zito’s
wild pitch, Brandon Phillips(notes) produced a sacrifice fly, and Jay Bruce(notes) singled up
the middle for a 3-0 lead.

“The pitches to Renteria and Bruce were up,” Zito said. “They were
pitches that didn’t finish.”

The Reds led 5-0 after the first inning on Saturday.

Frazier hit a 1-1 pitch from Zito 368 feet over the left field fence for a
4-0 lead with one out in the fourth inning. The Reds made it 5-0 on Bruce’s
sacrifice fly in the fifth.

Zito (3-4) allowed eight hits and five runs with two walks and four
strikeouts. He also threw a wild pitch.

The Reds broke it open in the seventh on Votto’s 414-foot, three-run homer
to center field on a full-count pitch from Guilleromo Mota.

The Reds wrapped up the scoring with Stubbs’ double and Votto’s RBI single
in the eighth.

The Giants lost twice by eight runs this season. Bochy isn’t concerned, even
with Arizona—first-place San Francisco’s closest pursuer in the NL West—
coming in for a three-game series. The East-leading Phillies follow for a
four-game weekend series.

“This club is resilient,” Bochy said. We’ve been through this before. It’s
not easy. There are always going to be bumps in the road, and this was a big
one. It’s up to us. We’ve got to go out there and play our best ball. We’ve got
the talent. We’ve just got to do it.”

NOTES: San Francisco optioned rookie SS Brandon Crawford(notes) to Triple-A Fresno
before the game to make room on the roster for newly acquired SS Orlando
Cabrera. … After their six-game road trip, the Giants return home for their
second 10-game home stand of the season. After the first of their two 10-game
home stands, the Reds leave for a six-game trip to Houston and Chicago. …
Phillips extended his hitting streak to 10 games (15 for 42, .357), the team’s
longest current streak.

Leave your comments on the news below.

That’s all for today guys, i’ll be back to blog you tomorrow.

Leave your comments on the news below.

CINCINNATI, June 1 (UPI) — Jay Bruce and Joey Votto hit two-run homers Wednesday and Francisco Cordero earned his 300th career save, bringing the Cincinnati Reds a 4-3 win over Milwaukee.

The Brewers owned a 3-0 lead heading into the seventh but Bruce hit his 17th homer in that inning and Votto put the Reds in front in the eighth.

Cordero then worked a perfect ninth and became the 22nd pitcher in major league history to reach 300 saves. This is his 13th season in the majors and his fourth with the Reds.

The Cincinnati comeback made a winner out of Nick Masset (1-3), who struck out the only batter he faced to end the eighth.

After Shaun Marcum gave up two runs on five hits in seven innings as the Milwaukee starter, Kameron Loe (2-5) served up the homer to Votto and took the loss. It was only the third setback in Milwaukee’s last 12 games.

Cincinnati played a game for the 20th consecutive day, but will have Thursday off.

Leave your comments on the news below.

CINCINNATI —  Entering the bottom of the ninth inning, it looked like the Cincinnati Reds’ Opening Day losing streak was set to extend to four years. The Reds had already stranded 10 runners in the first eight innings, and they looked incapable of taking advantage of opportunities. Down to their final three outs with a three-run deficit to close, things looked bleak for Cincinnati.

The empty seats in Great American Ball Park were evidence of fans who gave up on their team’s chances.

But in the Reds’ dugout, hope sprang eternal.

With two runners on and two out, Ramon Hernandez blasted a three-run home run into the Reds’ bullpen to give Cincinnati a 7-6 walk-off victory over the Milwaukee Brewers.

“We never lose hope,” Hernandez said. “We always have faith.”  

The roller-coaster ninth started with a deep shot by Brandon Phillips that ricocheted off the wall in left field, but an unlucky bounce to Brewers’ left fielder Ryan Braun kept Phillips from advancing past first base. Joey Votto walked to bring Scott Rolen to the plate with runners on first and second.

Rolen hit a bouncer to third baseman Casey McGehee, a ball that looked sure to result in an out. But McGehee elected to try to tag Phillips as he advanced to third. Phillips eluded the tag, and McGehee’s throw to first was too late to oust Rolen.

After a Jay Bruce strikeout by Milwaukee reliever John Axford, Jonny Gomes hit a long fly ball to bring Phillips home.

That’s when Hernandez stepped to the plate to deliver the Reds their first Opening Day victory in four attempts.

“That’s as excited as I’ve been in a long, long time,” Reds manager Dusty Baker said. “We haven’t won an opener — (Reds owner Bob) Castellini told me — since me and (Reds general manager) Walt (Jocketty) have been here. It didn’t look like we were going to win another one, and then we won it at the end. So there’s (win) No. 1, and hopefully we win a whole lot more.”

Hernandez appeared in just 13-of-32 Spring Training games for the Reds while struggling with injuries, and Baker said he had considered starting Ryan Hannigan at catcher instead.

“Everyone was wondering if Ramon was going to be all right … after missing some time during Spring Training,” Baker said. “He told me, ‘Skip, I’m fine. No problem.’ So I guess he knew what he was talking about.”

Hernandez went 4-for-5 with three singles on the day.

Axford took the loss for Milwaukee (0-1), while Logan Ondrusek picked up the win for Cincinnati after pitching a scoreless inning of relief.

It was a rough day for Cincy starter Edinson Volquez, who surrendered back-to-back home runs to Rickie Weeks and Carlos Gomez to start the game and five runs overall, all earned. The lead-off homer was the first during a season opener for Milwaukee in franchise history, and the back-to-back dingers to kick off the first game of the season was a feat not accomplished since 1969 by the Reds.

Despite surrendering four runs in the first two innings, Volquez was able to go a full six for the Reds.

Baker expressed surprise at the rough start, but was grateful Volquez was able to settle down.

“The main thing is, he kept us in the game,” Baker said. “I didn’t have to go to my bullpen too early. He gave our offense a chance to come back.”

The Brewers got a quality start from Yovani Gallardo, who gave up two runs on seven hits over six innings.

The Reds offense struggled early on. After Drew Stubbs led the home first off with a double, sacrifices by Phillips and Votto brought him home for the first Cincinnati run. The Reds still trailed 3-1.

Cincinnati wouldn’t get another run until the fourth, when Stubbs hit a two-out homer on a 1-1 count to bring the tally to 4-2 Milwaukee.

After Reds reliever Jordan Smith gave up a run in the top of the seventh to give the Brewers a 6-2 lead, Votto got the run back with a towering one-out blast off of Brewers reliever Kameron Loe.

Cincinnati had opportunities to score even more, but couldn’t convert. The Reds stranded two runners in the first inning, one in the second, two in the sixth and left them loaded in the fourth inning.

“You hate to see that,” Baker said. “They were getting some hits with runners in scoring position and we weren’t. But you keep putting them out there and sooner or later something good is going to happen. That’s the key. The key is opportunities. Without them, you don’t have much of a chance.”

NOTES: Votto was recognized prior to the game for being named the 2010 National League Most Valuable Player. … The Reds honored the legacy of former manager Sparky Anderson, who managed the Big Red Machine and led Cincinnati to World Series victories in 1975 and 1976. Anderson died last year at the age of 78. … Pop singer Bryan McKnight and his two sons sang the national anthem. … Retired Cincinnati police chief Tom Striecher threw out the first pitch of the game. …The game was a sellout, with 42,398 in attendance.

MIL    310 010 100—6  9 0

CIN    100 100 104—7 12 1

W — Ondrusek (1-0). L — Axford (0-1). 2B — Nieves (M), Weeks (M), Stubbs (C). HR — Weeks (M), Gomez (M), Braun (M), Stubbs (C), Votto (C), Hernandez (C).

Records — Milwaukee 0-1, Cincinnati 1-0.

 

Thanks for visiting our blog =).

Walt Jocketty and the Reds’ organization have constructed a roster loaded with young players that come at reasonable prices.

BIG-TICKET ITEM

Surprisingly, the highest-paid player on the 2011 Reds’ roster is 35-year-old closer Francisco Cordero, at $12.1 million. The club holds a $12 million option or $1 million buyout on Cordero for 2012, so his performance this year could be key. Though he did save 40 games for the Reds last year, his ERA rose from 2.17 in 2009 to 3.86 in 2010. Plus, 23-year-old lefty fireballer Aroldis Chapman is waiting in the wings and could take over the closer’s role soon if Cordero falters.

BANG FOR THE BUCK

Think first baseman Joey Votto is a bargain at just $7.5 million this season? Consider that he made just $550,000 last year while racking up 37 home runs and 113 RBIs on his way to winning National League MVP honors. The Reds quickly bought out Votto’s arbitration years and gave the 27-year-old a three-year, $38 million contract. Votto’s salary jumps to $11.5 million in 2012 and $19 million in 2013 before he is eligible to become a free agent.

FREE AGENCY LOOMS

The Reds have just three players who are set to reach free agency after this season: outfielder Jonny Gomes, 30; catcher Ramon Hernandez, 34; and shortstop Edgar Renteria, 35. If all three are allowed to walk it would shed $6.85 million from the Reds’ payroll, with Hernandez accounting for almost half of that ($3 million this season). The team also must decide on club options in 2012 for Cordero ($12 million) and second baseman Brandon Phillips ($12 million).

BUILT TO LAST

These Reds aren’t going away in the NL Central anytime soon with the vast majority of the team’s core locked up through 2012, and many others years beyond that. Cornerstone position players Votto and outfielder Jay Bruce are signed through 2013 and 2016, respectively. And then there’s the starting pitching: Bronson Arroyo and Edison Volquez do not reach free agency until 2014, while Johnny Cueto and Chapman are signed through 2014. Super pitching prospect Homer Bailey does not clear his arbitration years until 2015. GM Walt Jocketty should have the pieces in place for years to come.

What are your opinions.

GOODYEAR, Arizona — Contrary to what his statistics suggested, Joey Votto’s MVP season in 2010 didn’t come easy.

He’s not loafing around the Cincinnati Reds’ spring training complex watching his teammates do all the work. He’s taking extra batting practice, fielding more ground balls at first base and soaking up as many tips from teammates and coaches as he can.

He wants to improve on last year’s numbers (.324, 37 home runs, 113 RBIs) and be even better this season.

“I want to be more efficient and more consistent,” Votto said Tuesday prior to his team’s Cactus League encounter with the Oakland A’s. “I’m continuing to learn this game. The way I have played in the past, I have been stubborn at times. It was either my way or the highway. But it’s important for me to let go and understand I don’t know everything.”

In just his third full season at the major-league level, the Toronto native edged perennial MVP candidate Albert Pujols last year to win the National League MVP award. He also pivotal role in the Reds’ push to the NL Central Division title and a berth in the playoffs.

Outfielder Jay Bruce wasn’t too shabby, either. After an injury-plagued 2009 campaign, Bruce enjoyed a productive 2010 season in which he reached career bests in average (.281), homers (25) and runs-batted in (70). But he, like Votto, is far from content.

“I don’t think I have come close to reaching my potential yet. I am nowhere near my peak,” Bruce said. “There are improvements that I have to make. Being more consistent is one them. There are times when I feel I went down when the team needed me to be better. I want to limit those down times as best I can.”

Both Votto and Bruce are anxious for their team when it comes time to show what they can do for an encore this season. Building on a division title and advancing further than a first-round playoff exit are two expectations.

“Last year was a very important year for us,” Votto said. “I think the way we perform this year will say a lot about our players and our organization in general.

“I don’t think it will necessarily be the final say, but I think if we have good health, it’ll be a fair representation.”

Baseball pundits have the Reds and improved Milwaukee Brewers to be the front runners for the Central Division this season. The Reds didn’t make any big splashes during the off-season like the Brewers did. Milwaukee adding former Cy Young winner Zack Greinke and Toronto Blue Jays ace Shaun Marcum to their rotation.

“We won the division for a reason last year,” Bruce said. “We’re better this year than we were a year ago. The Brewers didn’t win the division last year, so they had to go out and make improvements. We stood pat an we feel we’re going to be even better.”

One key addition to the Reds’ roster was shortstop Edgar Renteria, last year’s World Series MVP with the San Francisco Giants. Otherwise, it was a fairly quiet winter for the club.

Still, Bruce sees the Reds as favourites in the division.

“We have a higher level of expectation for ourselves now,” Bruce said. “This year it’s more of expecting to get where we want to be rather than wanting to get there.”

The Reds will open the regular season on March 31 when the Brewers come to town.

Regina Leader-Post

cslater@leaderpost.com

© Copyright (c) The Regina Leader-Post

Leave any suggestions in the comment box.

CINCINNATI (AP) — Joey Votto signed a three-year, $38-million deal on Monday that allows the Cincinnati Reds to avoid going to arbitration with the National League MVP.

The first baseman was arbitration-eligible for the first time and would have received a huge increase over the $525,000 he made last season, when he led the Reds to their first playoff appearance in 15 years.

The deal gives the Reds some budget certainty for the next three years. The 27-year-old Votto doesn’t have to argue over salary every year.

“I think it gives me the opportunity to avoid arbitration and to also just concentrate on playing in the next three years,” Votto said in a conference call. “It has absolutely nothing to do with getting to free agency or that, although a lot of people would interpret it that way. I can’t imagine playing for another team right now.”

Last month, the defending NL Central champions agreed to a six-year, $51-million deal with right fielder Jay Bruce, another one of the team’s young stars. Votto was more interested in the shorter deal.

“I wanted three (years) and I think the team wanted three,” Votto said. “It worked out well for me.”

The deal leaves the Reds with three players eligible for arbitration: right-handed starters Johnny Cueto and Edinson Volquez and left-handed reliever Bill Bray.

Votto was an All-Star for the first time last season, finishing second in the league with a .324 batting average and third with 37 homers and 113 RBIs. He led the league in slugging percentage and was the most consistent hitter in the NL’s top offense.

The Reds led the NL in batting average, runs, hits, total bases, homers, RBIs and slugging percentage. It was only the third time since 1900 that Cincinnati topped the league in average, homers and RBIs.

Copyright 2011 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Running low on time today, i’ll be back tomorrow hopefully with some more news.