Jay Bruce has signed a 6-year contract with the Cincinnati Reds, according to ESPN.

Bruce had been forthcoming about his desire to stay with the Reds just last weekend at RedsFest. “This is the place I want to be,” he said then. “We’re in a great position as far as the team, and the front office is doing all the things necessary in order for us to continue to win. That’s what I want to be a part of. I’d love to be here.”

And he will be. The deal is reportedly for 6 years and $51 million. There is also a club option for a seventh year, which would bring the contract’s total value to $63 million. The guaranteed contract eliminates the need for salary arbitration for Bruce this year, as well as keeping him with the club for several years into what would have been his first free agent foray.

With career highs in all the best offensive categories (25 home runs, 70 RBI, .281 average, 35.3 Not Out Percentage, and .493 Slugging), Bruce established himself well in his age 23 season. There is definitely potential for growth and improvement, too.

This deal could prove to be a bargain if Bruce continues to improve. Even with the same production as 2010, I think it’s worth it. Bruce’s excellent, gold-glove level defense in right field isn’t something that’s likely to degrade, either. Unlike the other two signings this off-season by the Reds, it is refreshing to have a reasonable expectation of improvement for a player. I look forward to seeing Bruce patrolling right field for the foreseeable future.

The Cincinnati Reds clinched the NLC Division tonight with a walk-off home run from everyone’s second favorite left-handed slugger, Jay Bruce.

From the first pitch, the game had a buzz. When the team left on the road trip, the discussion began about whether the team would clinch on the road, and when they came home with a magic number of 1, Reds fans were bursting with anticipation.

Enter the Cardinals. They were in an ugly position yesterday. Probably the single-most unpleasant thing they could have done to the team was to lose and leave us to awkwardly begin celebrating in the middle of an off-day, but that would have also meant eliminating themselves with a loss against the Pirates. Happily for everyone, they saved their crash-and-burn at the hands of the Pirates until tonight. They lost 7-2 tonight.

So the team was set up for high drama. The fans were on the edge of their seats from the beginning, and they were scrutinizing every play with the highest of expectations. Drew Stubbs’ double off the wall in left field almost brought a groan that it didn’t have that extra 18″ it needed to go over the wall.

Edinson Volquez was great. Aroldis Chapman brought the heat. Scott Rolen did his RBI thang. But even so, the Reds found themselves tied with the Astros going into the ninth inning. Did the fans in the stands realize at that point that it was a karmic necessity for the team to go into the bottom of the ninth in that situation? I don’t know. But it was clear as soon as the ball left Jay Bruce’s bat that there couldn’t have been a better way to win.

Five more games remain in the season, and the Reds will be trying to gain some advantage in the home-field, though probably not as hard as they try to prepare everyone for the post-season, which they are now most definitely going to.

I could get used to typing things like that.

CINCINNATI, OHIO – Cincinnati Reds starting center fielder Drew Stubbs and infielder Paul Janish are showing support for Jay Bruce by joining the fun at the upcoming Jay Bruce Baseball Camp, presented by CBTS and Fifth Third Bank.

Bruce, the Reds’ hot-hitting right fielder, will host his inaugural youth baseball camp July 19th through July 21st at Prasco Park in Mason, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The three-day camp is open to boys and girls, ages 6 to 14, but potential campers are encouraged to register soon, as less than 30 spots remain available.

Bruce will be on site each day of camp, directing activities and providing instruction with Indiana University head baseball coach Tracy Smith and other top collegiate and prep coaches from the Cincinnati area.

Campers experience various stations, specializing in fundamental skills and the team concept of baseball. Individual groups are small to assure that each camper gets maximum personalized instruction.

Each camper receives an autographed camp team photo with Bruce, a camp T-shirt, free admission to the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame and Museum, free tickets to a Reds home game and the opportunity to win additional contests and prizes.

Jay Bruce Baseball Camp is proud to be conducted in partnership with the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame and Museum, Meijer, State Farm, Fox Sports Ohio and B105.

Cost of the camp is $199.

Additional information and registration is available at www.JayBruceCamp.com or call 513-793-CAMP.

Boxscore

Whatever Johnny Cueto did in the offseason, it should be bottled up and sold for massive profits. He appears to be a new man. Last year he was trying to prove he belonged in the major leagues. This year he is looking like a Cy Young winner. Yes, its early, but all hyperbole aside, the one thing that hurt Cueto last year was his high number of base on balls. Lack of command. This year teammate Volquez became the guy who walked too many batters. Cueto is dealing. Right now he easily looks like the ace of the staff. His line: 8 innings pitched, 9 Ks and zero BBs.

Bruce smashed a solo homerun in the second inning and it was an easy ride to victory. Jay looks like the cleanup hitter to me. Sure it means batting consecutive lefties but the fact that Votto is hitting .333 against southpaws makes the decision more palatable. I think we’ll get this lineup thing figured out by mid-June, folks. I really do.

I will give credit to Dusty for having a psychic vision during his sleep. Apparently the lineup card last night had Rosales slotted for #6 with catcher Ramon Hernandez behind him. After his vision Dusty flipped Hernandez and Rosales. The big hit today came from Hernandez, a bases clearing 2 out single.

Dusty resisted abusing Cueto this early in the year by sending him out for the 9th. Instead he sent in Old man Rhodes who pitched a scoreless inning for the hold. He is on pace to pitch about 100 frames this year. That’s approximately the same number of innings he pitched from 2006-2008 combined. If his arm doesn’t fall off by August the Reds have a good chance of making the playoffs.

I’ve been out of the loop for a week, so I might be the last one to have read this touching story. It’s about Jay Bruce and his relationship with his sister Kellan, who was born with her umbilical cord wrapped around her neck, leaving her delayed.

Yet, if you ask Bruce, he’ll say what he’s done pales to the week’s accomplishments of his 26-year-old sister, who was born with her umbilical cord wrapped twice around her neck. Although that left her with some mental challenges, she is unequalled in the human lessons she is able to impart.

….

“Kellan has always been afraid to fly — and she’s been deathly afraid of escalators, too — but she did both when we came up here for the game,” said the eldest of three Bruce children, 31-year-old Amy Gore.

“We flew from Houston to Atlanta, rode the people mover at the airport there, and then caught a flight into Dayton. Once we drove to our hotel, Kellan rode another escalator.

“So when we finally got to the ballpark and saw Jay, the first thing she told him was how she flew on a plane and rode an escalator. That was her home run. It was like she conquered Mount Everest.

OK, they lose a few points for schmaltz and overuse of paragraph breaks, but it’s obviously really a big deal for the family. Now let’s bring it on home with a quote from someone who knows nothing about it:

Although he doesn’t know anything about the relationship between Bruce and his sister, Reds veteran relief pitcher Kent Mercker talked about that appreciation the rookie shows:

“It’s amazing to watch what he’s doing. Obviously, physically he’s got everything he needs, but the thing that matters most is how guys react when they first get up here.

“Some try to play too hard and do more than they’re capable of. Others think they have it figured out before they get here. They think they belonged here long before this, and there’s a sense (of entitlement.)

“But he seems to appreciate this. He’s got a real understanding.”

That’s nice to hear, in contrast to that Homer Bailey character.

Bruce — who often calls his sister and tells her he loves her — quietly tried to explain some of this Sunday: “She didn’t get the chances in life I was blessed with and yet she enjoys everything — riding her bike, listening to music, everything. She puts everything in perspective and helps me not take anything for granted.”