The Cincinnati Reds’ new lead-off hitter, Shin-Soo Choo, has agreed to a one-year deal with the team, avoiding arbitration.

Choo filed for $8 million. The Reds countered at $6.75 million.

They both settled in the middle at $7,375,000. Starters Mat Latos and Homer Bailey are the two remaining arbitration-eligible players.

As for Choo, he will definitely be an upgrade in the top spot of the lineup. But since this is a Dusty Baker team that follows Dusty’s Rules, that lead-off person has to play center field. Choo is a right fielder, though, who hasn’t played center field in more than a handful of major league games. There’s been a lot of speculation about how he’ll fare, but no interviews with the player himself.

Yesterday, Enquirer reporter John Fay finally had the chance to ask Choo some questions.

Shin-Soo Choo admits moving to center field is a process.

“I’m not comfortable there yet,” he said. “At the major league level, I played 99 percent of my games in right field. I’ll try. I’ll work on it this spring training. We’ll see how they’re thinking. If they’re not (happy), somebody else will be playing in center field.

“I’ll try the best I can.”

I’m glad to hear he’s amenable to the move. Up to this point, the switch to center had been talked about without his opinion. There could’ve been resistance from him.

Hopefully, he’ll be good enough. He’s unlikely to be as good as Drew Stubbs was defensively, but even slightly below average defense won’t make Choo’s excellent bat a downgrade overall.

The Cincinnati Reds signed a one-year contract with starting pitcher Mike Leake, avoiding arbitration.

Leake was in his first year of eligibility for arbitration and had filed for a salary of $3,500,000. The Reds had offered $2,650,000. In the end, the two settled at $3.06 million.

It’s quite a raise from the $507,500 he made last year.

The Reds now have three arbitration-eligible players left: Homer Bailey, Shin Soo Choo, and Mat Latos.

The gaps are fairly significant with unsigned players:

Bailey: Filed for $5,800,000. Club countered at $4,750,000
Latos Filed for $4,700,000. Club countered at $4,150,000
Choo: Filed for $8 million. Club countered at $6,750,000

Considering the team hasn’t gone to a hearing since their 2002 beat-down of Chris Reitsma, I imagine that both Bailey and Latos will sign at least a one-year deal. I’m hoping a multi-year deal can be worked out with both of them.

As for Choo, the odds seem high that the Reds will go to a hearing with him. Considering he’s not likely in the team’s long-term plans after he hits free agency next season, there’s little reason not to get as low of a price this year as possible.

The Cincinnati Reds and 700 WLW have renewed their broadcast rights agreement. Perhaps more importantly, the Cincinnati Enquirer has discovered that more Spring Training games will be broadcast, too.

All but four split-squad games will be broadcast from Arizona on WLW-AM (700), Fox Sports WSAI-AM (1360) or streamed at Reds.com as part of the team’s new radio rights extension with Clear Channel Cincinnati.

Flagship WLW-AM will air 16 games, including the opening weekend Feb. 22-24. WSAI-AM will carry 11 weekday games starting Feb. 26. The first of seven games streamed online will be Monday, Feb. 25.

That’s great news. There was one year where Steve Stewart broadcast online all of the Spring Training games not covered by 700 WLW, and it made for very enjoyable workdays. I’m glad to see that level of coverage returning.

As for the agreement between the Reds and the radio station, that is outlined in the press release below.

CINCINNATI (Feb. 5, 2013) – The Cincinnati Reds and 700 WLW announced today the renewal of the radio rights agreement to broadcast all regular and postseason games through 2017.

As part of the agreement, 700 WLW’s game coverage will serve as the flagship for the Reds Radio Network, one of the largest in sports with 93 affiliates in nine states.

“The Reds and WLW have been linked together for almost 90 years and our fans are very passionate about both,” said Bob Castellini, Reds President and CEO. “We’re excited about continuing one of the best broadcast partnerships in all of sports.”

“We take great pride in delivering Cincinnati Reds programming to Reds Country on 700 WLW,” said Chuck Fredrick, Market President, Clear Channel Media and Entertainment Cincinnati. “We are thrilled to extend our highly successful relationship with the Reds and continue providing great coverage for Reds fans.”

WLW first went on the air in 1922 under the direction of future Reds owner Powel Crosley, Jr. and aired the first broadcast of a Reds game in 1924. Since 1969, WLW has served as the Reds’ flagship station.

“There’s been no greater marriage than Reds radio and WLW radio,” said Hall of Fame Broadcaster Marty Brennaman. “And it’s great for our fans to know that this relationship will continue.”

The 2013 season will mark Brennaman’s 40th year of broadcasting the Reds on WLW and he is one of three Reds radio broadcasters to receive the Hall of Fame’s Ford C. Fricke Award, joined by Red Barber and Russ Hodges.

Earlier this week when walking back to my house following a run in the unseasonably warm weather, I stopped by my lilac bush. It has buds on it. And my thoughts turned to baseball.

Today is the last day of January, and Spring Training will begin soon. Even now, the Reds are sprouting with activity.

The Reds’ equipment truck headed to Goodyear, AZ leaves Great American Ball Park on Monday (Feb. 4).

That’s right, next Monday, baseball equipment will be headed to Goodyear, followed quickly by the coaching staff and the most glorious words to be heard during the long winter: “Pitchers and catchers report.”

Here’s the Reds schedule starting in February and through the first game of the 2013 season.

• February 4: Reds’ equipment truck leaves Cincinnati.
• February 11: Dusty Baker and staff arrive in Goodyear.
• February 12: Pitchers and catchers report.
• February 15: Position players report.
• February 22: First Spring Training game against the Cleveland Indians.
• April 1: Opening Day against the Angels in Cincinnati.

Three weeks until baseball will be played. Two months until the Reds get a chance to defend their division title.

After getting Jay Bruce’s autograph the previous night in Bloomington, the RHM crew was up bright and early to head to the Indianapolis stop at Castleton Mall. This time, our target was Homer Bailey, who had replaced Bruce as the major league player for the day.

The Castleton line was super long. When we arrived, the autograph line was already moving. The Reds had apparently showed up on time and kept the opening comments brief. The number of people dwarfed the size of the crowd at last year’s event. I guess having a winning year is important in attracting fans.