Cincinnati Reds

Joey Votto is to Cincinnati what Albert Pujols is to St. Louis.  The Cincinnati Reds are trying to negotiate a long-term deal with Votto but so far, nothing has been signed.  They have already signed outfielder Jay Bruce to a long-term deal and Colorado’s Carlos González also signed a seven-year, $80 million deal; so why hasn’t Joey Votto signed? 

Earlier this week, the Cincinnati Reds signed veteran shortstop Edgar Renteria to a one-year, $2.1 million contract.

Renteria was signed to fill the hole left by Orlando Cabrera after the Reds announced that they would not re-sign him.

However, Renteria will not be the everyday shortstop. He will back up Paul Janish, who in his rookie season last year batted .260 with five home runs.

Cincinnati Reds fans are anxious for the start of the 2011 season. Unfortunately, many of us have been engaged in the NFL and haven't followed the Reds very closely. There have been a few off-season player transactions to catch up on.

The Reds didn't make any huge deals like this one or this one but they did do something.

Here are the moves they did make.

The Cincinnati Reds made some news this week when they signed Edgar Renteria to a one-year, $2.1 million contract. The deal also allows Renteria to make another $900,000 in incentives.

Was the Reds success of last season an aberration or a trend?  They were 43-24 against the Astros, Brewers, Cubs and Pirates, and 48-47 against everyone else.

1--Who among the Reds' young stable of starting pitchers will take it to the next level?

Homer Bailey: 4-3, 4.46 ERA, 19 starts, 109 innings

Johnny Cueto: 12-7, 3.64 ERA, 31 starts, 185 innings

Mike Leake: 8-4, 4.23 ERA, 22 starts, 136 innings

Edinson Volquez:  4-3, 4.31 ERA,  12 Starts, 62 innings

The Baseball Writers Association of America will soon decide who will be elected into the Hall of Fame in 2011.

Among those who are trying to make it to Cooperstown, I believe only five will receive the necessary 75 percent needed to make it to the Hall.

First-timers include three MVPs in Jeff Bagwell (1994), Larry Walker (1997), and Juan Gonzalez (1996 and 1998). Another first-timer is Rafael Palmeiro, who probably would've been a shoe-in his first try, but it was revealed in 2005 that he used steroids.

Earlier in the week, I filled out my Hall of Fame ballot here at The Ghost of Moonlight Graham.

Congratulations goes out to Joey Votto once again this year.

After being named the NL MVP this year, by compiling a .324 average with 37 home runs and 113 RBI, he has now been crowned the 2010 Canadian Male Athlete of the Year. The pile of accolades continue to increase for the 27-year-old native of Toronto, Ontario Canada and he truly deserves all the praise coming his way.

Dear Bud Selig,

Baseball is America's Pastime.

It earned that title through hustle, tradition, and hard work.

No player embodies those points more than Pete Rose.

Nobody loved the game more than Rose. He played every game like he had been let out of jail for one day.

Baseball was his life.

People say love is a strong word, but in the case of Pete Rose it's not strong enough to describe his feeling toward baseball.

The Cincinnati Reds have as much young talent as any team in baseball.