Reds pitcher Matt Belisle will enter the starting rotation mix this spring knowing that he’s got a bit more financial security after agreeing to a one-year, $1.25 million contract with the team on Thursday.
Belisle, who went 8-9 last season with a 5.32 ERA, made $390,000 in 2007. He became arbitration eligible and asked for $1.65 million.
“He’s happy, we’re happy, and we’re looking forward to an even better year this year,” said Reds general manager Wayne Krivsky.
“It’s always good when you can avoid the arbitration process and settle a deal that makes both sides happy,” Krivsky said.
I agree with that, and I’m glad to have Belisle back in the fold. I really feel that Belisle is poised to take a huge step forward this year.
Only one arb-eligible Red remains: Brandon Phillips.
Baseball fans understand that outs are the only scarce resource in baseball. They understand that you only get 27 of them, and that each one you use puts you that much closer to running out of chances to score. So instead of tallying on-base percentage, which really only seems to resonate with folks who already buy in to advanced performance metrics, how about focusing on outs?
Very interesting stuff. Check out the entire post; it’s really worth thinking about.
The Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday signed top first base prospect Joey Votto to a new one-year contract for 2008.
Votto, a Toronto native, hit .321 with four home runs and 17 RBI in 24 games for the Reds last season. In 133 games for Class AAA Louisville, Votto hit .294 with 22 home runs and 92 RBI en route to Rookie of the Year honors in the International League.
The 24-year-old is now being tabbed to beat Scott Hatteberg in the battle for first base during Spring Training.
The Reds also signed a handful of other players to one-year deals, including pitchers Richie Gardner, Daryl Thompson, Tyler Pelland and Sergio Valenzuela, along with C Craig Tatum, CF Chris Dickerson, C Ryan Hanigan, and SS Paul Janish.
Absolutely no Reds-related content here, but I wanted to recommend a great movie to you: Juno. We saw it yesterday afternoon, and it’s just a brilliant film. Well-written, quirky, and if Ellen Page doesn’t win a Best Actress Oscar, it will be a travesty.
Everyone’s favorite BubbaFan found this pic, apparently from the Washington Court House “radio caravan” stop. First note the Kriv-Dog’s sweater, which is pretty egregious. Then turn your attention to his left hand. Two kids pulled that stunt in our 8th grade basketball team picture, and Coach had them running suicides for a week.
–We all knew the Reds weren’t going to get Erik Bedard from the Orioles, and now it is semi-official: Bedard will be a Mariner.
–It appears that our friend and fellow blogger Doug will be making a move to another site soon. Doug’s coverage of the Reds’ minor league system is outstanding, and we promise to follow wherever he goes. I encourage you to do the same.
–While we’re at it, check out Doug’s post on Homer Bailey, Johnny Cueto, and other miscellania.
–Over at Red Reporter, they’re doing a community projection on David Ross. How Ross performs this year is a big wild card, but I’m not very optimistic. The poor guy looked lost all season in 2007. We’ll keep our fingers crossed, though.
–Red Hot Mama went to the Reds Caravan stop in Muncie, Indiana, and she has the pictures to prove it. Fellow Redleg Nation editor Chris tried to get to the Columbus stop, but couldn’t find a place to park and found a line out the door. Sounds like the Reds are getting great turnout for these PR events.
–Redlegs Rundown takes a look at the new first baseman, Joey Votto.
Okay, this is completely off-topic, but it’s the off-season and there’s only so much discussion we can have about Jeremy Affeldt. A buddy sent this to me, and I just find it completely hilarious. The Reds really need to find a “Gino” to play during games.
Who is Gino, you ask? Well, he’s described here in the following way:
“He resembles Adrian Zmed of “TJ Hooker” fame, only with a lot more facial hair, and he knows how to work his sexy snake hips. Once you see him move, you just try to resist shaking your bottom.”
Interested yet? Well, some of your questions will be answered here:
The traditional Reds Winter promotional Caravan starts tomorrow and runs through the weekend. As in prior years, there will be two separate caravans, one in the north (OH and IN) and one in the south (WVa and KY). I may swing by one of the Columbus stops Thursday or Friday — any thoughts on whether the caravan is worthwhile?
Lincolns: Krivsky, BP, Coffey, LHP prospect Matt Maloney, Lee May (Thursday & Friday AM), Tom Browning (weekend), Marty, and (sigh) “Gapper.”
Davises: Dusty, Freel (Farney TBA), Jay Bruce, Jon Adkins (when did we get him?) (Huntington only), IF Andy Green (who?) (Lexington only), Thom, Brantley, Phil Castellini, Gene Bennett (Charleston, Huntington only) and Mr. Redlegs (the mascot, not the blog commenter).
In the afternoons, they’re also doing a “Radio Caravan” for the smaller-town affiliates in “Reds Country” (currently southern and western Ohio, western WVa, and parts of Kentucky and Indiana). Not sure if that’s new, but it’s a good idea.
Daedalus asks a good question: why isn’t Indianapolis exclusively Reds country? I know one of our contributors here at Redleg Nation is from Indy; what’s the story?
The Reds have agreed to a contract with left-hander Jeremy Affeldt, pending a physical.
Affeldt is expected to come to Cincinnati Tuesday or Wednesday for the physical. General manager Wayne Krivsky would not confirm the deal.
“I have nothing to say,” Krivsky said. “We’ll announce something when we have it.”
That is Krivsky’s usual policy. Foxsports.com reported deal is for one year and $3 million.
Affeldt, 28, was 4-3 with a 3.51 ERA with the Colorado Rockies last season. He was used exclusively in relief, but 42 of his 286 major-league appearances are as a starter. He made nine starts in 2006 for Kansas City.
Affeldt is reputed to have decent stuff, is left-handed, and should be entering his prime. However, I’m not sure what in his history makes anyone believe he’ll be a better option as a starter for this team than, say, Matt Belisle or Edinson Volquez. If nothing else, he should be better than Mike Stanton out of the bullpen.
I have no problem with this signing, though I wouldn’t put him ahead of Belisle, Volquez, Johnny Cueto, or Matt Maloney for a spot in the starting rotation.
"No game in the world is as tidy and dramatically neat as baseball, with cause and effect, crime and punishment, motive and result, so cleanly defined."
