Some good stuff from Lance McAlister's blog...

Consider some of the dollars the Reds committed have over the next couple of years. This does not factor in arbitration dollars for guys like Stubbs, Bailey, Leake, Bray, Ondrusek and Volquez over next couple years.

Offseason signings
Arroyo: '11 $6.5M, '12 $7m, '13 6.5M
Cueto: '11 $3.4M, '12 $5.4M, '13 $7.4M, '14 $10M, '15 $10M*
Bruce: '11 $2.75 M, '12 $5M, '13 $7.5M, '14 $10M, '15 $12M, '16 $12.5M, '17 $13M*
Votto: '11 $5.5M, '12 $9.5M, '13 $17M
(*team option)

2011:
Cordero $12M
Phillips $11M
Votto $5.5M
Arroyo $6.5M
Rolen $6.5M
Cueto $3.4M
Hernandez $3M
Bruce $2.75M
Chapman $1M
That's 9 players making $51.6M in '11, representing 64% of '11 payroll ($80.8)

2012:
Phillips $12M (If option picked up)
Votto $9.5M
Arroyo $7M
Rolen $6.5M
Cueto $5.4M
Bruce $5M
Chapman $2M
(Minus)Cordero $12M, Hernandez $3M
That's 7 players at $47.4M in '12, representing 61% of their '11 payroll ($80.8M)

2013:
Votto $17M
Cueto $10M
Bruce $7.5M
Arroyo $6.5M
Hanigan $2M
Chapman $2M
(Minus) Rolen $6.5M, Phillips $12M
That's 6 players at $45M in '13, representing 56% of their '11 payroll ($80.8M)

MLB cincinnati reds, reds payroll, joey votto, bronson arroyo, brandon phillips, francisco cordero, scott rolen

We are 41 games into the Reds’ 2011 season and it’s time to hand out some grades…

DUSTY BAKER (B+) – It’s hard to criticize Baker too much, but he fails to get an A for his over patience with Jonny Gomes and his failure to force his hand and get Edgar Renteria to budge off playing shortstop.

JOEY VOTTO (A-) – The defending MVP is currently tied for second in the NL with a .345 BA and has reached base it all but one game in which he’s played. His power numbers are a bit down though as he’s only mustered 5 HR and 23 RBI, but his walk rate is up (leads NL with 5 IBB).

BRANDON PHILLIPS (A) – Phillips has dazzled with his glove and his bat and adapted to wherever Baker has slotted him in the order. His team-leading 26 RBI put the Gold Glover on pace for his first 100 RBI season of his career. Add to it an impressive .322 average and he’s on track for a second All-Star game appearance.

SCOTT ROLEN (C+) – Limited to just 21 games due to a right shoulder injury, Rolen has a small sample size to consider. He got out of the gate slowly, but since his return to the lineup last Friday he’s had nine hits over four games and has his average up .273. His glove has been a bigger concern as he’s already has four errors after just committing eight during his Gold Glove 2010 campaign.

PAUL JANISH (C) – His glove and versatility has never been questioned and both attributes have proven to be assets to this point of the season. His bat continues to be another story. Janish has had some good moments throughout the year, but over the opening stretch of the year he’s batting just .250 while getting just two hits over his last 25 at bats.

JONNY GOMES (F) – If we were grading clubhouse and fan popularity or bad haircuts, Gomes would be at the top of the list, but on the field he is below the pack. He has 7 HR, but went over a month without one. He has gone without a hit in 18 of his 37 games and is boasting a 38-to-22 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Gomes hands down is the worst defender on the team and it’s not even close.

DREW STUBBS (B+) – Stubbs is on pace for career marks across and is currently hitting .281. He covers as much ground as any centerfielder in the National League and has a strong arm to boot. His strikeout rate is still high, but improving and Stubbs appears to becoming more comfortable in the leadoff spot and currently reached base at least twice in nine straight games.

JAY BRUCE (C+) – Fresh off signing a big, long-term contract, Bruce is still trying to get things going at the plate. He has homered three times over the last 10 games, but had some terrible at bats and struggles in April. His defensive prowess is a plus, though he has made a few bad judgments in right field.

RAMON HERNANDEZ/RYAN HANIGAN (A-) – Catcher remains the most underrated and non-talked about position on the team. The Hernandez-Hanigan platoon has been lethal. Both players have handled the staff well and held would-be base runners down. Throw in the dramatic homeruns delivered by each and they are even better. Since the start of last season Reds catchers are ranked second in the majors in RBIs (116), first in batting average (.301), second in OBP (.376) and third in slugging (.446).

BENCH (B+) – Chris Heisey continues to be an under-used weapon, but he’s made the most of his playing time and been invaluable as a pinch hitter and late-inning defensive replacement. Miguel Cairo filled in nicely for Rolen when he was out. Renteria and Fred Lewis appear to be nice veteran free agent additions.

EDINSON VOLQUEZ (F) – Volquez has made just six innings in two of his eight starts this season and has walked an alarming 33 batters in 42 1/3 innings. His 5.74 ERA indicates that his record should be much worse than the 3-1 mark would indicate. With an abundance of pitching depth, Volquez will be on a short leash to work out his issues at the major-league level.

BRONSON ARROYO (B-) – Consistency has always been Arroyo’s staple and to this point of the season 2011 appears to be no different. He hasn’t had many stellar outings, but has yet to get roped either. He has a 36/12 strikeout-to-walk ratio and is 3-3 with a 3.78 ERA through eight starts.

TRAVIS WOOD (C+) – After going 0-3 with an 8.39 ERA in his first five trips to the hill, the Reds’ lone lefty in the rotation has gone 2-0 with a 1.93 mark over his last three outings. He still has some work to do before getting his stats back down, but it appears as if his spot in the rotation is safe for now.

JOHNNY CUETO (Incomplete) – Cueto started the year on the DL, but going off his two starts the marks are high. He has yet to yield an earned run in 12 1/3 innings of work and has finished in the winning column each time out in wins over the Cubs and Cardinals.

HOMER BAILEY (Incomplete) – The right hander has a 1.89 ERA and is 3-0 since returning from the DL. It’s a bit early to get too excited, especially considering two starts came against the lowly Astros, but the team has reason for optimism based off the early returns.

FRANCISCO COREDERO (A-) – Easily the most criticized Red, Cordero has been fantastic through the first quarter of the season. The veteran hasn’t allowed a run over his last five appearances, picking up a three saves and a win during that span while sporting a 1.86 ERA for the year.

BULLPEN (B-) Logan Ondrusek and Bill Bray have been outstanding in middle relief. Nick Masset is starting to find a groove after a rough start. Sam LeCure has transitioned nicely moving from the rotation to the pen. Aroldis Chapman struggles and Matt Maloney’s terrible April drag down the unit’s overall grade though.

Fantasy Baseball, MLB cincinnati reds, reds report card, dusty baker, joey votto, brandon phillips, scott rolen, edinson volquez, francisco cordero

After watching the Reds complete the sweep of the Brewers and seeing the Cardinals get out to a slow start it’s hard not to start thinking Wire to Wire.

Of course, the 1990 Cincinnati Reds were the first team to accomplish that feat over a 162-game schedule so we all know it has been done before.

I’m not sold on the Brewers as being a true contender.  Despite their poor start and a mounting list of injuries, the Cardinals will remain the top contention for the Reds inside the division until proven otherwise.

Here were five things that stuck out from the team’s opening weekend to me...

DEFENSE - The Reds had it and the Brewers didn’t. The box scores will only show that Milwaukee made two errors to the Reds’ one miscue, but while Cincinnati’s infield fields the ball as smooth as silk the Brewers struggled mightily. How many runs did Casey McGehee cost his team in this series? Scott Rolen may have more than a decade on him, but his glove is far superior.

CATCHER PLAY – Not even the great Johnny Bench ever produced a three-game series stat line that the Reds’ backstops delivered in the opening weekend. Ryan Hannigan followed up Ramon Hernandez 4-for-5, walkoff homerun performance in the first game by 5-for-7 with a pair of homeruns (both on Sunday) and 4 RBI over the next two.

STUBBS PRIMED – Early on Drew Stubbs is living up to some of his off-season hype.  The centerfielder kicked off his sophomore campaign by finishing the weekend with a .455 average, 1 HR, 3 RBI, and 1.538 OPS. He has struck out once in each game, but has drawn a pair of walks. If he can produce like that at the top of the order there’s no telling how many runs this team is capable of scoring.

WOOD IS THE ACE – Edinson Volquez may have gotten the Opening Day start and Bronson Arroyo the big new contract, but rest assured Travis Wood is the ace of this staff. His performance Saturday night was nothing short of brilliant as he went seven innings while allowing just one run on four hits while striking out seven and not walking a batter. He retired the first 11 batters and used just 83 pitches (66 strikes) to get thru seven.

CRAZY CORDERO – After blowing eight saves a year ago and finishing the season shaky, veteran closer Francisco Cordero didn’t do much to evoke confidence. He picked up his first save of the year on Saturday night, ceding one run on two hits before finishing out the ninth inning. With Aroldis Chapman and his 105 MPH fastball waiting in the wings, Cordero will be on a short leash.

MLB cincinnati reds, nl central, milwaukee brewers, scott rolen, drew stubbs, ryan hanigan, ramon hernandez, travis wood, francisco cordero

Joey Votto BA
Over/Under .314

Joey Votto Total HR's
Over/Under 33.5

Joey Votto Total RBI's
Over/Under 107

Brandon Phillips Total RBI's
Over/Under 70.5

Scott Rolen Total HR's
Over/Under 17.5

Jay Bruce Total HR's
Over/Under 29

Johnny Gomes Total RBI's
Over/Under 67.5

Edinson Volquez Total Wins
Over/Under 14

Johnny Cueto Total Wins
Over/Under 13

Bronson Arroyo Total Wins
Over/Under 15

Total Saves Francisco Cordero
Over/Under 36


NL CENTRAL (regular season wins)
Chicago Cubs - Over/Under 81 ½

Cincinnati Reds - Over/Under 85

Houston Astros - Over/Under 71 ½

Milwaukee Brewers - Over/Under 85 ½

Pittsburgh Pirates - Over / Under 67 ½

St. Louis Cardinals - Over/Under 83 ½

(*odds from BoDog.com)

Fantasy Baseball, Just For Fun, MLB cincinnati reds, 2011 mlb preview, reds prop bets, joey votto, scott rolen, jay bruce, johnny gomes, johnny cueto, bronson arroyo, francisco cordero, projections

The Reds signed 37-year old relief pitcher Jason Isringhausen to a minor league contract today. A couple days after watching him throw a bullpen session at Great American Ball Park, Isringhausen showed the powers that be enough to offer him a contract to join the Reds Triple-A affiliate, the Louisville Riverbats.

Isringhausen will officially sign his contract tomorrow. Its likely that he will work down there for a couple weeks before being added to the major league roster. Once added he will assume a late-inning or set-up relief role with the team. The Reds have been in need of help in the bullpen as it has been a roller-coaster of a year for all but Arthur Rhodes coming on in relief.

Making a career out of being a closer, primarily for the St. Louis Cardinals, Isringhausen could be used in that role from time to time if needed. With his 293 saves, Isringhausen is fourth among active pitchers - one spot ahead of the Reds current closer, Francisco Cordero, who has had a rocky year in the role this season.

Isringhausen hasn't pitched in the majors since June 2009 when he was with the Tampa Bay Rays. After blowing out his elbow he had to have Tommy John surgery and is looking to make a comeback with the Reds. He was one of the more dominating closers in the game from 2002-08 when he was working for the Reds current General Manager, Walt Jocketty, with the Cardinals. During that time he notched 217 saves before injuries started taking their toll on him.

Reds manager Dusty Baker has said that he thinks Isringhausen is looking really strong and throwing very well. If that is the case and he can bounce back from surgery he will be a welcome addition to a bullpen that will need help down the stretch.

MLB cincinnati reds, jason isringhausen, arthur rhodes, francisco cordero, walt jocketty, dusty baker

The opportunity for the Cincinnati Reds to win a pennant this year is real.  General Manager Walt Jocketty did a fantastic job over the last 12 months of assembling talent at a reasonable price.  Now, the pressure is on him to make Trade- Deadline adjustments so his team can edge the St. Louis Cardinals and win their first title since 1995.  Here are the three most pressing moves that need to be made to ensure this happens.

1.  Fire Dusty Baker immediately.  This may cause some head scratching, but the Reds are winning despite Baker's stubborn, 1960s- style managing.  Though a master of the media and a great people person in general, Baker has three flaws that have cost the Reds dearly in a number of games:

a.  Just like he did with Corey Patterson in 2008 and Willy Taveras in 2009, Baker is stubbornly starting Orlando Cabrera and batting him at the top of the lineup.  Baker has always been in love with speed at the top of the lineup and not the most important trait at the top of the lineup- the ability to get on base.  Patterson's numbers in 2008 were a remarkably poor .205/ /238/ .344 (batting average/ on- base percentage/ slugging percentage).  Taveras' were a slight improvement, but still an awful .240/ .275/ .285 in 2009.  Somehow, without much attention, Cabrera has matched Taveras at .243/ .283/ .329 including an unsightly .207/ .241/ .291 against right handed pitching.  And he is hitting 1st or 2nd in the lineup!  It is hard to say which is worse- Cabrera's bat or Baker's decision to play him.  Paul Janish has the vastly superior glove at shortstop and the difference is just as great at the plate: .296/ .397/ .463.  But Janish is not the only possible replacement for Cabrera; anyone who is an above average fielding shortstop who can hit .220 is an improvement (Triple- A shortstop Zach Cozart) because Cabrera's range at short is so limited.  Cabrera seems to be a very positive person who helps in the clubhouse so he may have some value on the bench, but certainly not in the starting lineup.

b.  Baker caves in to individual player greed and ego.  He has a need to put individual accomplishments before the team.  He is popular amongst his players because he lets pitchers come back in to pitch after long rain delays in the 5th inning to get a win (Aaron Harang) only to blow up and lose the game.  He lets his rookie pitcher, Mike Leake, who was supposed to be under a strict innings count, stay in the game against the Phillies where the Reds led 7-1 in the ninth to get his first complete game.  Instead, Hall of Fame sluggers Greg Dobbs and Cody Ransom hit home runs sending the game into the 10th where the Reds lost the gmae.  Similarly, he stubbornly continues to send Francisco Cordero out to close games depite the fact that Cordero's performance has been on the decline.  His strikeout rates per nine innnigs are:  9.98 (2008), 7.83 (2009), 7.52 (2010).  His home run rates per nine innings over the last three years are:  0.77, 0.27, 1.11.  Finally, his hits allowed per nine innings over the last three years are:  7.81, 7.83, 9.07.  Baker needs to say "No" to his players more- "no" to Cordero is any tight situation and "no" to players who want to stay in the game to achieve a stat.

c.  Finally, Baker gives up outs, the most preciouse commodity a team has, at an alarming rate.  There is a proper time and place for the bunt- late in a game when the score is close- and Baker does not understand this.  He has called for a bunt after his leadoff man has reached in the first inning, a move that ignores all statistical probabilities (bunting along a runner from first to second actually decreases a team's odds of scoring from .907 to .720) and is a backwards strategy for a game (what if the oppoent scores four runs in the bottom of the first while you played for a single run?).  This includes asking one of his best hitters, Brandon Phillips, to bunt Cabrera to third after a lead- off double.  Phillips was bunting despite the fact that there is no better hitter on the team that can shoot the ball to right field!  Baker asked for the same thing from Cabrera after a Phillips lead- off double in a game in which the Reds had Matt Maloney pitching against Johan Santana- did Baker play for one run because he expected the Mets to be shut out by Maloney?  Why play for one run?  And possibly the worst bunting call of them all- Baker had a pitcher bunt with one out and runners at first and third.  What!?!  We would rather have second and third and two outs than a runners at first and third and one out?  Baker's teams are consistently amongst the top of the league in sacrifice bunt attempts including being number two in 2008 and number one in 2009.  It seems as though Baker is still managing in the 1960s when offense was at a disadvantage due to the height of the mound and bunting was more important.  Times have changed, but changing is one of Baker's weaknesses.

2.  Acquire bullpen help.  The addition of Bill Bray has helped, but the Reds still need a new closer and a right handed set up man.  The ideal target would be Joakim Soria of the Kansas City Royals.  The flamethrower has a reasonable contract ($3 million in 2010, $4 million in 2011, $6 million in 2012, $8 million in 2013, and $8.75 million in 2014 with affordable $750,000 buyouts the last three years), great numbers (11.06 K/9, 2.31 BB/9, 1.03 HR allowed/9, 7.97 HA/9 and a 2.31 E.R.A.) and is on a team that is rebuilding.  A backup plan would be the Marlins' Leo Nunez.  The Marlins seems to be always selling players and since Nunez is making $2 million this year and is eligible for arbitration next year, he is a prime candidate to be moved.  His numbers are 9.08 K/9, 2.21 BB/9, 0.25 HRA/9, 7.12 HA/9 and a 2.95 E.R.A.  Compare those numbers to Cordero's (listed above).  It could be the difference in two or three more wins which could be the difference in the NL Central championship.  Other possible arms to consider:  veterans Clay Hensley of Florida and Brandon Lyon of Houston and Shawn Camp of Toronto.

3.  If Baker is not going to be fired, at least bench Orlando Cabrera.  Just because Cabrera is a veteran and "you know what you are going to get by looking at the back of his baseball card" (the most ignorant saying in the baseball community) does not mean he is productive.  See Ken Griffey Jr. for further proof.

***
For the first time in over ten seasons, the Reds have enough talent and depth to win the NL Central.  They are at a competitive disadvantage in other areas- namely at shortstop, in the bullpen and with their manager.  Those are not hard holes to fill and adjustments are possible and badly needed.  Reds fans are starving for a meaningful September- let's give it to them while there is a chance. 

MLB cincinnati reds, dusty baker, orlando cabrera, francisco cordero, nl central

It was pathetic, yet predictable, that we recently heard the Cincinnati Reds blame their awful season on injuries.  This excuse is flat out wrong.  This season's fate was very predictable well before the injury bug appeared.  It was easy to foresee doom after many, many poor decisions made by the Front Office over the last three years.  Here are the Top Ten Worst Front Office Decisions that led to this Reds debacle that we currently have.  But before that... the gloating:  there is no hindsight/ 20-20  judgement on any of these moves- every one of these moves was criticized by yours truly WHEN THEY HAPPENED.  On with the list...

10.  Signing Alex Gonzalez to a three- year, $14.5 million dollar contract:  Quit complaining that he never played.  When he did play, he was awful.  He was hitting .207/ .254/ .295 this year.  He contributed more last year by NOT playing at all.

9.  Trading Edwin Encarnancion, Josh Roenicke, and Zach Stewart to Toronto for 3B Scott Rolen:  Sure Rolen is a major upgrade over Encarnacion, but he is in his mid- 30s, injury- prone, expensive, and only signed for one more year.  Giving up two of the five prospects for Rolen was a steal for the Blue Jays and a ditch digger for the Reds.

8.  Signing Corey Patterson to a one- year deal to play CF in 2008:  Dusty Baker campaigned to get Patterson and he stubbornly gave him 344 at bats to hit .207/ .254/ .295 and drag the Reds down.  And Baker wondered why people thought Patterson was dating his daughter.

 7.  Signing Edwin Encarnacion to a two- year contract worth $7.6 million dollars:  This led to GM Walt Jocketty having to throw in Roenicke and Stewart to get the Blue Jays to take Encarnacion off of the Reds' hands.  If the Reds decline him arbitration, he is a free agent, the Reds still have Roenicke and Stewart, the Reds are still in 5th place, but they have a brighter future.

6.  Drafting Yonder Alonso instead of Gordon Beckham in the first round of the 2008 Draft:  One of the Reds' biggest holes to fill this off- season is shortstop.  There is no capable shortstop on the roster or in their minor leagues (except present second baseman Brandon Phillips).  That would not be a problem if they would have taken Beckham, who was scooped up immediately with the next pick by the White Sox.  Beckham is presently hitting .299/ .373/ .470 at the Major League level.  Instead, the Reds have a guy pushing Joey Votto, one of their few indepensible players.

5.  Trading Adam Dunn:  Public pressure trumped logic and production and the Reds sent Dunn to Arizona for peanuts.  Now, Dunn plays first base for the Naitonals and is hitting .285/ .417/ .580 while the Reds roll out Lance Nix and Johnny Gomes into leftfield.  Gomes is a good backup for the Reds and Nix is... a good backup in Triple- A.

4.  Signing Willy Taveras to a two- year contract worth $6.25 million:  What made anyone think Taveras was a major leaguer?  His history, his statistics, and his past teams' transactions involving him should have kept Jocketty (and Baker- he lobbied for Taveras) away.  It kept every other MLB team away.  The Reds outbid themselves for a Triple- A speedster.  They must eat his contract for next year and let Drew Stubbs play center field every day.  Speaking of Stubbs...

3.  Drafting Drew Stubbs instead of SP Tim Lincecum:  Stubbs is an excellent defender who can steal a base and has a great baseball makeup.  He is not an impact player.  He may struggle to hit .280 or get on- base more than .340.  A huge upgrade over Taveras- absolutely, but he is not Lincecum.  Drafting Lincecum would have given the Reds a #1 starter the past three years and would have made a difference of 8 or 10 more wins in the standings.  He would have brought more fans to the park, which would, in turn, bring more money into the Front Office, which would mean more money to spend on payroll, international signings, etc.

2.  Signing Francisco Cordero to a four- year, $47 million contract:  If you are the Yankees, Mets or the Red Sox, you can pay your closer $12 million a year.  Almost every else realizes that closers grow on trees so this is a great area to save money.  Todd Coffey (if he were still here), Arthur Rhodes, Bill Bray (last year), Jared Burton (last year), and David Weathers (up until last week) would have produced almost the same results for a lot less money.  With this available cash, the Reds could have spent on Adam Dunn or a real center fielder like Tori Hunter.

1.  Hiring Dusty Baker:  The guy is an ace with the media and has many of them snowed, but he cannot fool all of us.  He is the absolute worst manager AT ANY LEVEL when it comes to making out a lineup.  He lobbied for Patterson (.238 OBP) and Taveras (.276 OBP and no power) and then played them more than anyone else would have while also batting them at the top of the lineup.  In the two- hole, he used Alex Gonzalez (.254 OBP) and more recenltly, Paul Janish (.291 OBP).  What we have here is stubborn idiocy.  Joey Votto is going to hit .315 with 25 home runs in about 500 at bats and only have 80 RBI because nobody was ever on base in front of him.

Honorable Mention:  Drafting Devon Mesoraco who is looking like a huge bust.

Do not let the Reds fool you.  They - not the injury bug- are responsible for another losing season.  Is it fixable?  Stay tuned... I have some ideas.

MLB cincinnati reds, alex gonzalez, edwin encarnacion, corey patterson, yonder alonso, adam dunn, willy taveras, drew stubbs, francisco cordero, dusty baker, devon mesoraco

Let's get caught up on the latest Red's trade rumors...

Dodgers Eyeing Reds' Relievers-  The Dodgers can help themselves in more ways than one if they play well against the Reds this week. As MLB.com's Ken Gurnick points out, the Dodgers can push the Reds further from contention and give themselves a better shot at obtaining one of the Cincinnati relievers they've been watching...CONTINUE READING 

Dusty Uses Rumors as Motivation- According to MLB.com's Mark Sheldon, Reds manager Dusty Baker had a meeting with his players this week to discuss the looming trade deadline.  "Dusty said... that if you continue to win, they can't remove pieces," noted trade candidate Bronson Arroyo...CONTINUE READING 

Reds Still Want Hitter- Now that Jay Bruce is on the DL, the Reds need a hitter more than ever and GM Walt Jocketty is searching for one, according to MLB.com's Mark Sheldon. Jocketty said the Reds won't necessarily get the bat they're looking for, but he says he's "looking for a hitter" anyways. For now Jonny Gomes and Jerry Hairston will play more, because the Reds don't want to call on prospects Drew Stubbs and Chris Heisey yet...CONTINUE READING 

O-Dawg Could Be On List- Orlando Cabrera's hitting better and he could interest the Mariners, Cardinals, Twins, Reds and Mets...CONTINUE READING 

Reds More Likely To Deal in OffSeason- Bronson Arroyo, Aaron Harang and Francisco Cordero make enough to scare some suitors away, and while a salary swap is possible, Rosenthal says the Reds are more likely to make offseason deals...CONTINUE READING

MLB cincinnati reds, trade, rumors, orlando cabrera, dusty baker, jay bruce, dodger's, bronson arroyo, aaron harang, francisco cordero

The All-Star rosters were announced by Major League Baseball on Sunday. Here are few notes of interest:

REDS - Closer Francisco Cordero gets the nod and is the team's lone representative. The right-hander will be making his third trip to the mid-summer classic. He made it in 2004 as a Texas Ranger and then again while playing for the Brewers in 2007. There was speculation that Johnny Cueto would be the choice from the team, but a deep pool of starters and Cordero's solid numbers (20 of 21 save conversions) made the veteran the pick.

PUJOLS TO VOTE GETTER - The NL MVP is well on his way to another amazing year, leading the majors with 31 homers and 82 RBIs. He collected 5,397,374 votes to finish with the second-highest total in history, trailing only Ken Griffey Jr.'s six million votes in 1994. Pujols has made the NL team eight times in nine seasons and will be making his sixth start.

WAKEFIELD FINALLY GETS NOD - Starter Tim Wakefield made his first All-Star roster in his 17th season, one of a major league-high six Red Sox headed to Busch Stadium for the July 14 game. The 42-year-old right-hander is tied for the big league lead with 10 wins.

LEFT OUT - Dodgers outfielder Manny Ramirez and Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez, both 12-time All-Stars, weren't expected to make the rosters, but their absence was compelling nonetheless. Ramirez was suspended for the first 50 games of the season for violating MLB's drug policy and A-Rod missed time following hip surgery after admitting in spring training to using steroids when he played for the Rangers.

FINAL VOTE - The 2009 All-Star Game Sprint Final Vote on MLB.com will determine the 33rd N.L. roster spot, a competition that will feature shortstop Cristian Guzman of the Nationals, outfielder Matt Kemp of the Dodgers, third baseman Mark Reynolds of the D-backs, third baseman Pablo Sandoval of the Giants and outfielder Shane Victorino of the Phillies. Fans can now begin voting to select the final player for each League's 33-man roster via the 2009 All-Star Game Sprint Final Vote on MLB.com, casting their votes from a list of five players from each League over a four-day period. In the A.L. third baseman Chone Figgins of the Angels, third baseman Brandon Inge of the Tigers, second baseman Ian Kinsler of the Rangers, outfielder Adam Lind of the Blue Jays, and first baseman Carlos Peña of the Rays will be competing for the final spot.

COMPLETE ALL-STAR ROSTERS

MLB mlb all-star game, reds, francisco cordero, cardinals, albert pujols, red sox, tim wakefield, dodgers, yankees, manny ramirez, alex rodriguez

REDS: WIRE TO WIRE -   We recap June and get ready for July as well as talk minor league stuff w/Pete Muehlenkamp

The All-Star voting comes to an end today and it is apparent that no Red will be voted in by the fans and rightfully so.

With every team having to represented someone from the team will have to go. Reds' beat writer Hal McCoy of the Dayton Daily News posed the very question on his blog today.

There is no doubt that Joey Votto would be a hands down pick had he not missed the better part of a month. Votto is hitting .354 and has clubbed 9 HR's and 38 RBI's in just 158 at bats. If he had enough at bats to qualify, Votto would be leading the NL in batting (Hanley Ramirez current leader with .348 average).

While the argument can be made that Brandon Phillips is the team's most valuable player, his .269 batting average drags down the fact that he has hit 11 HR's and driven in 52 runs. His gold-glove caliber defense shouldn't be overlooked, but it will.

McCoy suggests there are only two candidates to consider - starter Johnny Cueto and closer Francisco Cordero.

Cordero is currently tied for fourth in the NL with 19 saves, three behind league-leader Heath Bell. He has converted 19 of his 20 save opportunites and posted a 1.91 ERA.

Cueto is 8-4 with a 2.69 ERA. There are so many starter options to consider though.

Manager Dusty Baker thinks the young hurler is deserving.

“I haven’t thought about it. But Cueto’s ERA is indicative of being an All-Star," Baker said. "But there are a lot of good pitchers in our league.”

MLB reds, mlb all-star game, johnny cueto, francisco cordero, joey votto, brandon phillips