Welcome to Red Hot Mama. Or if you’ve been here before, welcome back. For the past few weeks we’ve been taking an opportunity on Sunday to summarize the player transactions that have taken place in the NL Central during the previous week. There’s something here for everybody this week, so regardless of which NLC team you’re rooting for, crack a beer or grab a coffee and relax while RHM’s Crack Hard Facts Staff fills you in on how your team’s GM earned (or squandered, depending on your point of view) his salary this week.

To keep this post from growing into an encyclopedia, I’ve linked the first use of a player’s name to his page on Baseball-Reference.com so you can easily look up their stats yourself. Just point and click. Same as using a Smith & Wesson, but with much less mess as a result: The stats pages will open in a new window.

On 11/26, the Cubs signed RHP Kerry Wood to a one-year, $4.2 million deal, thus mercifully ending the speculation about Wood coming to Cinci to play for Dusty Baker.

On 11/27, the Astros signed  RHP Doug Brocail in a move previously reported here on RHM. (Side note: ex-Reds C Chad Moeller and IF William Bergolla were among the free agents signed by Washington on this date as current Nationals (and former Reds) GM Jim Bowden continued his obsession with former Reds players.

On 11/28:

• The Reds finalized their previously reported deal with closer Francisco “I’m Not Chad” Cordero.
• The Astros signed OF Jose Cruz Jr., IFs Kevin Hooper and Tomas Perez and LHP Stephen Randolph to minor league deals with invitations to spring training.
• The Brewers inked C Jason Kendall (son of Fred Kendall, who the Reds drafted in 1967) to a one-year contract that guarantees him $4.25 million this year. The lawyers must have had a field day with this one. Kendall can earn $1 million in performance bonuses next year: $100,000 for 110 games, $150,000 each for 120 and 130 games, $150,000 for 100 starts, $200,000 for 115 starts and $250,000 for 130 starts. The deal also includes a vesting option for 2009 that would become guaranteed at $4.25 million if Kendall starts 110 games next year, $4.35 million if he starts 120 games, and $4.6 million if he starts 130 games. In addition, any 2008 performance bonuses that Kendall earns based on games (but not starts) would be added to his 2009 base salary.
• The Pirates lost LHP Shane Youman, who was claimed off waivers by the Phillies. They also outrighted RHP Josh Sharpless to Class AAA Indianapolis and released 1B Josh Phelps.

On 11/30, the Cardinals DFA’ed OF John Rodriguez. (not the same John Rodriguez who kicked around the Padres’ farm system for a few years back in the late 1990’s). They also signed IF Cesar Izturis to a one-year, $2.85 million contract to replace David Eckstein as their regular shortstop. In addition to his base salary, Izturis can earn $650,000 in performance bonuses: $100,000 each for 400 and 450 plate appearances, and $150,000 each for 500, 550 and 600 plate appearances.

This move raises the question of who is going to be the Redbirds’ leadoff hitter next year. It’s probably not going to be Izturis. OF Rick Ankiel and 2B Adam Kennedy are two possinbilities that come to mind, but compare their OBPs to Eckstein’s. Not surprisingly, fans in the Cardinals’ newsgroup on Usenet are not happy with this move. One fan posted, “I hate to jump on the Fire Mozeliak bandwagon so soon, but…”

Anyway, that’s it, you’re now up to date on the wheelings and dealings in the NLC for the past week!

This week, it looks like each team’s MLB website was assigned to write a Winter Meeting Checklist and a story about the team’s biggest need. Of course, since they are the official sites, they have to sugar-coat the situation a little. I think these headlines merit a little translation.

Cardinals : “Cardinals Looking for More Pitching”
Translation :  We’re looking for the next wash-up or second rate reliever for Dave Duncan to turn into a star.

Reds : “Reds go to Meetings looking for pitching”
Translation : Anything we can do to be more like the Cardinals.

Brewers : “Melvin looking at many options for Brewers”
Translation : Option 1: find enough decent relievers to restock bullpen. Option 2: drink more beer.

Astros : “Astros seeking closer, help at second”
Translation :  If Clemens won’t come out of retirement as a starting pitcher, maybe he’d like to try second base.

Cubs : “Cubs hope to upgrade offense”
Translation : We really think it’s enough to bring back Kerry Wood.

Pirates :  “Pirates to play it by ear at Winter Meetings”
Translation : We have no idea what we’re doing.

No official announcement from the Reds on this yet, but ESPN and Fox are reporting this evening that closer Francisco Cordero and the team have reached preliminary agreement on a four-year, $46 million contract, which includes a club option for a fifth year and is subject to Cordero passing a physical.

Cordero worked 63-1/3 innings for the Brewers last season, converting 44 of 51 save opportunities while going 0-4 with a 2.98 ERA. He fanned 86 batters while walking only 18, and made the All-Star team for the second time in his career.

The signing would represent a second serious blow to the bullpen of the division rival Brewers, who have also apparently lost setup man Scott Linebrink to the White Sox. Linebrink reportedly has agreed to a four-year, $19 million deal with the ChiSox pending a physical.

The Fox article states that the deal would be the largest four-year contract ever given to a closer.

In need of a backup to Yadier Molina after veteran Gary Bennett became a free agent after two years with the team, the St. Louis Cardinals on Monday signed free agent catcher Jason LaRue to a one-year contract reportedly worth $850,000.

The Cardinals also signed right-handed pitchers Dewon Brazelton and John Wasdin to minor league contracts. Brazelton, a former first-round draft choice and third overall pick by Tampa Bay, last played in the majors in 2006 when he was 0-2 with a 12.00 ERA in nine games for San Diego. He spent last season with Class-AAA Omaha in the Royals’ organization and Class-AA Altoona in the Pirates’ farm system. Wasdin, Oakland’s first-round pick in 1993, broke camp with the Pirates last year, but his season ended in late July because of a wrist injury. He has also pitched for the Rangers, A’s, Red Sox, Rockies, Orioles, and Blue Jays.

LaRue, a career .233 hitter with 88 homers and 316 RBIs, spent his first eight seasons with the Reds before being traded to the Royals prior to last season. In 66 games with K.C., LaRue hit .148 with four homers and 13 RBIs and threw out 33 percent of would-be base stealers, seventh among catchers with at least 50 starts. His new contract reportedly includes a $50,000 bonus for 40 starts, and $100,000 each for 50, 60 and 65 starts in addition to the $850,000 base salary.

The other team that was active Monday was the Brewers, who purchased the contracts of minor leaguers RHP Tim Dillard, IF Alcides Escobar, C Lou Palmisano, and RHP Luis Pena and added them to their 40-man roster.

Thou shalt not confuse this Luis Pena, born 1/10/83, with the Luis Pena born 1/21/81 who pitched in the Padres and White Sox organizations from 2002-2005. This Luis Pena has been in the Brewers’ farm system since 2001, appearing in 155 minor league games during that time span.

Two Brewers have been honored with baseball’s Nobel Prize: the Player’s Choice Award.

First, Prince Fielder is the most outstanding player in the National League:

“That’s an awesome feeling, knowing that the guys you play against every day respect how you play and how you go out there and give 100 percent,” Fielder told Yahoo.com, which announced the results on a webcast.

And as if that weren’t enough, the players had the love for Ryan Braun as well, voting him the National League’s top rookie:

The 23-year-old did not debut until late May but nonetheless led big league rookies with 34 home runs, a .324 batting average and a .634 slugging percentage. On Thursday, he won the Players Choice Award for most outstanding rookie in the National League, decided by a vote of his peers.

“It really wasn’t easy,” Braun told Yahoo.com in a webcast announcing the award. “I came up, tried to make adjustments as quickly as possible, and as long as I was able to do that, I was able to find some success.”

Congratulations to the winners. Though these awards can’t make up for a missed postseason appearance, they do bring the rare opportunity to appear on a Yahoo.com webcast, so you’ve got to like that.