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Reds Tidbits (2011 Season)

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Reds just signed Fred Lewis from Toronto for 1 year 900K. Too lazy to link.

Nice signing.

-average defense (which is an upgrade)
-OBP skills (leadoff hitter solved)
-lefty
-less Gomes

all that for 900K

Walt is rolling.
 
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From the Better off Red blog
http://ramsey.mlblogs.com/archives/2011/01/fox-sports-announces-2011-reds-broadcast-team.html

FOX SPORTS ANNOUNCES 2011 REDS BROADCAST TEAM
I received in my inbox today a press release from FS Ohio announcing their 2011 Reds broadcast team. Here are the highlights...

Former Red Sean Casey, who never met a person that didn't like him, is joining the FS Ohio team for approximately 15 games and endless "awesome mans" and "hey buddys".

Thom Brennaman returns for his fifth season to serve as the main play-by-play voice for the majority of FS Ohio Reds broadcasts. It's in his contract to wear his infamous green trousers at least once a homestand.

Chris Welsh enters his 19th season with FS Ohio and will once again be the lead color analyst for the network's Reds telecasts. No word on whether his moustache will return, though.

Jeff Brantley is coming back.

Jim Kelch will take on an expanded role this season for FS Ohio. In 2010, Kelchie completed his first full season as a play-by-play announcer on Reds Radio and did an excellent job.

Jim Day and Jeff Piecoro will both continue their roles as co-hosts of Reds Live pre- and postgame shows. This is great for me, personally, because it means another season of Day's spot-on impression of Karl Childers from Sling Blade, and Piecoro's fist-bumps.

George Grande continues to enjoy his retirement. However he's available to fill-in if the need arises. FS Ohio says we can expect to hear from George on a select number of games.

Paul Keels is not returning due to his commitment to Ohio State athletics. I'm disappointed to hear that because Paul is one of the nicest guys I've ever had the privilege of meeting. He was great to be around in 2010 and I'll personally miss his presence in '11.
 
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Ahiacitian;1857978; said:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/baseball/mlb/01/16/votto.reds/index.html?eref=sihp

I'm glad to see the Reds attempting to sign Votto to a multiyear extension. I was hoping they would try for a longer deal something along the lines of 6 years/$72 mil but a three year deal if it gets completed at least avoids arbitration.
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Yeah I am kind of meh about this one.

Saved some money for the 3 arb years most likely, risk is he could get hurt, but at the same time it paints a pretty clear time line of when Votto will be leaving Cincy.

Club affordable LTC in the next two years or he has to be traded. If he's actually wanting 18MM+ a year kind of money for his FA years then trade him as soon as Alonso looks like he is ready.

Sucks but that is the business side of it.
 
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I'm pretty ambivalent about the Votto deal too, but I understand the motivation from both sides.

I would've liked for the Reds to be able to buy out at least one FA year, but if Votto was adamantly against that the Reds should not have let that preclude at least getting some cost certainty and avoiding arbitration. I don't buy the notion that Votto or any other free agent will return goodwill to the team or the city or the fans by giving them what they want now, but I'm 100% certain that eventual free agents return ill will. Votto seems like the type that you want to avoid arbitration with at all costs if you want a chance to sign him long-term down the road. To me, keeping that possibility open is worth the risk the Reds are taking by guaranteeing his salary through his arb years while getting little else in return.

I don't blame Votto for not wanting any FA years bought out. The fact is, at 27 he's at an advanced age for a budding superstar. He's really going to have one chance in his career at age 30 to cash in with a major contract, and he owes it to himself and that family to keep that possibility open.
 
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Perhaps I'm being naive, but I really look at Votto as being very similar in both attitude and ability to Rick Nash. He's a great player and the only legit star on an otherwise young team that seems to be trending upwards. He doesn't strike me as a guy who is looking for a big market with a huge paycheck. If the organ-eye-zation continues to improve and build around him, I'm holding out a ton of hope that he will recognize that and reward the team when free agency does roll around with a lengthy contract at a somewhat lesser value than he could demand elsewhere.
 
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Fay's conversation with Votto

http://cincinnati.com/blogs/reds/2011/01/17/votto-i-cant-imagine-playing-anywhere-else/

"I can't imagine playing anywhere else," he said. "I enjoy myself. I can't imagine being with a better team. The Yankees or Red Sox ? that's a lot to deal with. I don't want to go anywhere else."

"Three years was just what he came to," he said. "I'm very happy. I don't have to fool with arbitration. It's cost certainty."
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More quotes at the link. Sounds like Votto really doesn't give a shit. If Cinci commits to putting out a winner, he'll stay for fair pay. Not only does it sound like he doesn't need the big market lime light or the big market contract, but he really wants to completely avoid it.

This cat is cut from a different cloth than 99% of pro athletes. Cincinnati is lucky to have him.
 
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Indeed. If the Reds are indeed as committed to winning and putting butts in the seats as the last year+ has indicated, I think they might be able to put together enough money for "fair compensation" in three years' time. The only other option for Votto I'm really worried about would be him wanting to go to Toronto.
 
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I don't have any doubt Votto wants to stay in Cincy and isn't a big market kind of guy.

I'm just trying to be realistic about "fair market value" and if a 70-80MM a year payroll type team can afford him no matter how much he wants to stay. Fair market for Votto is 18MM+ if he stays healthy and produces at a similar level as 2010.

That's roughly 25% of an 80MM payroll in one guy who happens to play a position that is one of the easier to replace with another healthy stick. If you can get 70% of Vottos production from an Alonzo for 500K a year and Votto commands 18MM in the open market, well.....
 
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