D-Train has signed on with the Phillies, Hernandez went to the Rockies, and the biggest news in Reds world is that they’ve managed to retain their arbitration-eligible players.

That’s all good for not continuing to lose players, but at some point the team does need to replace some starters, right? I’m antsy for some hot stove action.

Not only do I not want to get stuck with whomever is left as Opening Day approaches, but also I’m bored. The Albert Pujols thing is so last week, and I’m ready to be wowed by the savvy stylings of one Mr. Jocketty.

I’d like to have something to talk about before the Reds Caravan comes to town. There’s only so much content you can get out of cell phone photos.

Via Redleg Nation, I saw this quote from Cincinnati Reds General Manager Walt Jocketty about some of the trades the team is working on.

There are two deals we can do right now, but it would probably take a lot of our top prospects and I’m always a little nervous about doing that. So I’ll spend a little more time analyzing that.

On its surface, it makes sense. Of course, you should do your due diligence when making trades. You don’t want to be the Houston Astros trading away Joe Morgan. But then again, doesn’t it seem like Jocketty has been cautious and careful to the Nth degree the whole time he’s been in charge of the Reds?

There are a lot of younger general managers leading teams in baseball now. Jocketty, at 60, is certainly one of the older ones. Has he become too cautious? I hope not. Obviously, being young and trigger-happy can be dangerous–just ask Wayne Krivsky–but when I think about the Reds’ lack of daring in the trades and acquisition department for the last year and a half, I do wonder if Jocketty’s lost some of those trading skills he had with the St. Louis Cardinals.

Albert Pujols is dead to St. Louis Cardinals’ fans this evening.

Today, Pujols surprised everyone by signing a 10-year, $254 million contract with the Los Angeles Anaheim California Angels, spurning the Cardinals’ own 10-year offer.

Pujols, at a stated age of 31, will allegedly be 32 when the first season of the contract begins. By the end, he’ll be 41. Of course, rumors about his age being inaccurate have long surrounded him. If he’s fudged that by a couple years and is actually 33–starting 2012 at 34–he’s going to be one mightily overpaid 43 year-old.

I can’t help but thing that the Angels did the Cardinals a huge favor here. And I mean huge. Pujols has had key stats trending downward over the last few years, and he’s unlikely to change that in the future. Being saddled with that contract–with that expensive of a barely above average player in just a few years–would have been horrible for the Cardinals and wonderful for the Cincinnati Reds.

I was hoping the Cardinals would resign him. I saw how hamstrung the Reds were during the time Ken Griffey Jr was with the team. It’s taken years to overcome. Heck, they’re probably still paying him deferred money. The chance to see the Cardinals shoot themselves in the foot like that would have been thoroughly delicious.

As it is, Reds fans will simply have to take comfort in the fact that one more whiny bird has left the building. It really is a changing of the guard in St. Louis. Unfortunately, now they’ll have money to throw around, while the Reds squander away their time and talent.

I got this email in my inbox today. I didn’t read the words, but it looks like the team is offering Joey Votto’s disembodied head for Christmas.

RedsFest was this weekend, and there were lines, autographs, entertainment, lines, some hints of news, and more lines. Redleg Nation has a nice recap of the nuggets that pertain to the future of the team.

Among them, Bronson Arroyo has been working hard to regain velocity, and Yonder Alonso has been working hard to become a better left fielder. And Zach Cozart has reached the point in recovery from Tommy John surgery that he can resume baseball activities.

But one of the most interesting pieces of news came from Cincinnati Enquirer Reds beat writer John Fay in his post of leftovers from RedsFest.

I got the impression that the Reds hold little hope of re-signing Francisco Cordero. The way the closer market has settled, the Reds might be able to get Cordero back at one-year deal in the $7 million range.

Given the Reds’ cash-strapped ways, even that price seems pretty steep, especially considering he converted just 86% of his save opportunities. Fay does suggest an in-house solution.

Another possible candidate? Edinson Volquez. He’s long shot for the rotation at this point. He’s throws 97 and has a great change-up. That could work in the ninth inning.

That’s…a really good idea. Volquez has shown over the course of his Reds’ tenure that he’s not really starting pitcher material. Sure, there was that Cy Young contending first year, but he’s never had consistent control since then. So why not try him in the 9th inning? As Fay states, he has the pitches to do it.

I know Volquez was horrible in his first inning of work almost every start in 2011, but I don’t think that necessarily means anything. It’s something that’s worth a shot, and I hope the Reds try it out in Spring Training.