This just in -- the Reds and Joey Votto have agreed to terms Sunday on a three-year, $38 million contract with 1B Joey Votto, baseball sources told MLB.com. This is pending a physical, which is scheduled for Monday.

 

This would cover all of Votto's arbitration years and allow him to reach free agency after 2013.

 

The Reds have yet to make any announcements.

 

http://marksheldon.mlblogs.com/archives/20...-year_deal.html

Damn, that's a REAL good price for a guy who has put up a 4.0, 4.6, and 7.4 WAR the last 3 years, and is only 27. I bet the Reds would have liked to sign him for 4 or 5 years, but at less than $13M a year, that's a steal.

Damn, that's a REAL good price for a guy who has put up a 4.0, 4.6, and 7.4 WAR the last 3 years, and is only 27. I bet the Reds would have liked to sign him for 4 or 5 years, but at less than $13M a year, that's a steal.

It's not really a steal, they're just buying out his arbitration years. They might save a million or two overall compared to what he would have gotten if he'd gone to Arb all 3 years.

It's not really a steal, they're just buying out his arbitration years. They might save a million or two overall compared to what he would have gotten if he'd gone to Arb all 3 years.

 

Oh, I didn't realize they were buying out arb years. But still, I'd bet they still save a pretty penny on this.

 

Ryan Howard was being offered $16M in ARB (He wanted $18M) after his 2008 season in which he put up a 3.1 WAR. I'd bet this deal saves them at least $10M.

It's not really a steal, they're just buying out his arbitration years. They might save a million or two overall compared to what he would have gotten if he'd gone to Arb all 3 years.

 

Whether or not it's a bargain, it gives the Reds fiscal stability, knowing what they'll be paying for him for the next 3 years. Now Votto is a set-price commodity that they can build around.

Votto's already 27? I like the deal either way, I just thought he was much younger than that, like 23 or 24.

I know you can't really compare the two situations, but it's funny to me the current league MVP will be making, what, 1.5 million more per season for the next three years than the Yankees new set-up man.

This is AWESOME!! Im happy the Reds can have him for at least 3 more years. I like our team this year!!

This is AWESOME!! Im happy the Reds can have him for at least 3 more years. I like our team this year!!

 

You should be. Always a good thing to me when a team can lock up their homegrown talent. Gonna be fun watching Votto and Bruce s*** on the Cubs for the foreseeable future.

You should be. Always a good thing to me when a team can lock up their homegrown talent. Gonna be fun watching Votto and Bruce s*** on the Cubs for the foreseeable future.

They didn't really lock him up at all though.

They didn't really lock him up at all though.

 

Wow, you're right. I didn't know he still had 3 arb years left. I figured he had 1.

Wow, you're right. I didn't know he still had 3 arb years left. I figured he had 1.

That's why I didn't get too excited about this, they didn't get any extra years bought out, so it's only avoiding arb.

This is AWESOME!! Im happy the Reds can have him for at least 3 more years. I like our team this year!!

 

They already had him for 3 more years before this deal. It's simply about financial security.

They already had him for 3 more years before this deal. It's simply about financial security.

 

This deal really makes no sense when you think about it. Even assuming Votto has 2-3 more seasons like he had in '10, would he really have made that much more through arbitration than what he'll be making now?

This deal really makes no sense when you think about it. Even assuming Votto has 2-3 more seasons like he had in '10, would he really have made that much more through arbitration than what he'll be making now?

Possibly. With an MVP on his rep this year, he could legitimately win a $10 million case this year and go from there.

This deal really makes no sense when you think about it. Even assuming Votto has 2-3 more seasons like he had in '10, would he really have made that much more through arbitration than what he'll be making now?

If you use the 40/60/80 rule, (the percentages of their market value a player earns in each arbitration year) and assume Votto continues to be a 7-win MVP-caliber player, the Reds just saved themselves a bunch of money.

If you use the 40/60/80 rule, (the percentages of their market value a player earns in each arbitration year) and assume Votto continues to be a 7-win MVP-caliber player, the Reds just saved themselves a bunch of money.

 

Even if you assume he's "only" a 5 WAR player, this is still a steal for Cincinnati.

Even if you assume he's "only" a 5 WAR player, this is still a steal for Cincinnati.

It's only a steal if you compare it to a hypothetical world where every player that comes up qualifies for FA after their first season.

It's only a steal if you compare it to a hypothetical world where every player that comes up qualifies for FA after their first season.

Assuming the value of a win is $5 mill and not the other way around, a 5 WAR player using the 40/60/80 rule is worth $45 million during his arbitration years, which is still quite a bit below his current contract. If he has one great year durng the contract, it justifies the entire thing.

Assuming the value of a win is $5 mill and not the other way around, a 5 WAR player using the 40/60/80 rule is worth $45 million during his arbitration years, which is still quite a bit below his current contract. If he has one great year durng the contract, it justifies the entire thing.

Again, the WAR number only counts as a bargain if you compare it to the hypothetical value of that season on the free agent market.

Again, the WAR number only counts as a bargain if you compare it to the hypothetical value of that season on the free agent market.

That isn't a hypothetical value, that's what teams pay per win share and it makes sense to look at the value of a contract compared to what other teams pay per win share around the league.

 

It just doesn't make sense to say that so-and-so's production on the year was worth $10 million when he puts up 2 WAR, because that by itself really means nothing.