Until December 11, you can vote in the MLB.com This Year in Baseball awards. “This isn’t just a routine fan poll,” MLB assures me personally via email, “as winner will be awarded their trophies on field in 2010.” Presumably, this will happen sometime during the season.

This reminds me: I never got around to sending out awards for the Hottest Red contest.

Anyway, if you want to have your say in who has to forgo his pre-game routine sometime in 2010 to receive a paperweight, check it out.

How fucking impressive is it to win the Gold Glove when all your damn highlights come in games against the Pirates? There were down 5-0 in the first one, for cripe’s sake.

http://mlb.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?content_id=7128933

Suck it, Orlando Hudson.

Or rather, started tonight at 6 p.m. I missed it, apparently from years of being conditioned to think that baseball doesn’t start until 7:10. It’s supposed to be on again at 7 tomorrow, though I don’t know if that’s a different episode or tonight’s episode again. I would imagine it’s tonight’s episode again, what with it being November and all.

There’s a link to a 44 second preview of the show in the press release below. Before you can enjoy those 44 seconds, though, you must sit through 30 seconds of a Microsoft commercial. Not that the commercial is bad, but I think that ratio of advertising to content is a little ridiculous.

Secaucus, NJ, November 10, 2009 – A new season of Hot Stove premieres on MLB Network with Greg Amsinger, Al Leiter, Dan Plesac and Billy Ripken on Wednesday, November 11 at 6:00 p.m. ET and Thursday, November 12 at 7:00 p.m. ET. As MLB Network’s live offseason studio show, Hot Stove features updates and analysis of the moves all 30 clubs are making and planning in preparation for the upcoming season. The show will also include the latest news on baseball’s end-of-year awards, including the Silver Slugger, MVP, Cy Young and Rookie of the Year awards. A preview of the new season can be viewed here.

Hot Stove will air on select weeknights throughout November and December live at 6:00 p.m. ET and re-air at 7:00 p.m. ET and 10:00 p.m. ET. During the MLB Winter Meetings from December 7-10, Hot Stove will telecast live from Indianapolis with analysis on offseason trades, free agent signings and player movement rumors.

MLB Network launched on January 1, 2009 as the largest debut in cable television history and is currently available in approximately 54 million cable and satellite homes. With live games, original programming, highlights, classic games, and coverage of baseball events, MLB Network is the ultimate television destination for baseball fans. For more information and to find MLB Network in your area, go to www.mlbnetwork.com.

Despite having been to more baseball games in his first 8 years than most people have been to their whole lives, my son has not yet really gotten in to baseball. He’ll put up with games to eat ice cream and nachos, but mostly he wants to play Nintendo DS or leave.

Someday he’ll appreciate all those family togetherness hours at the ballpark, but not yet. Which is why it surprised me a couple times last season when he brought up Jay Bruce. If we were watching the game on t.v., he’d perk up when Bruce came to bat, he’d ask me if Bruce was the best player on the team, and once he even said that Bruce was his favorite player. A startling pronouncements indeed from a kid whose favorite part about the ballpark is the Dippin’ Dots.

I finally asked him why all the interest in Bruce, and worked out that it was because we’d met him in person once, at a Reds Heads event. I hadn’t thought much about the 30 seconds in which we walked through the Reds Hall of Fame, got a quick autograph and a quick photo, but apparently it had quite the lasting impact on my boy.

Which is why I’m planning on dragging the family all the way out to Cincinnati this December for Redsfest. Who knows which chance interaction could finally flip the switch that turns on his dormant baseball fan gene?

Reds Heads memberships are only part of the excitement fans can experience at Redsfest this year. More than 50 current and former Reds players and coaches will be there, including Brandon Phillips, Bronson Arroyo, Joey Votto and Reds Heads Captain Jay Bruce! Plus, there are all kinds of fun, interactive games, from indoor baseball fields and batting cages to the return of the KOI Redsfest Raceway and an appearance by the Harlem Globetrotters!

The Reds season tickets are now on sale for the 2010 season. And if you’re smart, you’ll be first in line to get yours; they’re going fast. I mean, the Reds have a new pitching coach now, so they’re certainly play-off bound.

Snarkitude aside, some of the bonus features sound pretty cool.

Now is the time to secure your spot at Great American Ball Park for Reds baseball in 2010! All season ticket plans are now on sale, including a NEW Half Season Mix plan featuring 40 Reds home games that are a combination of weekday and weekend contests.

Fans can save up to 22% off single-game prices by purchasing a Season Ticket Plan, which ranges from the 13-game Baker’s Dozen and 20-game plans all the way to the VIP Full Season plan. Plus, Reds Season Ticket Holders in 2010 will receive even more benefits than ever before, including access to the luxurious Riverfront Club, a special ballpark gate that opens 30 minutes early and an invitation to attend Season Ticket Holder Luncheons with players and coaches.