All off-season I’ve been hoping the Cincinnati Reds would do nothing before the next season starts. It’s not because I think they have the perfect team that just needs another chance, or because no one else better is available. No, it’s mainly because I’m terrified that they’ll screw things up and sign another Willy Taveras. Imagine my surprise and delight upon their biggest signing.

It’s been very clear since Dan O’Brien was the General Manager–probably even before then, but that’s when I started following the team again, so that’s what counts–that the Reds need to upgrade their farm system and then use those players instead of veterans. They’ve done a bang-up job of drafting players. Probably better than at any point in the team’s decades-long history. It’s the second part of that plan they’ve been struggling with.

Given that fear, I am absolutely thrilled with the Reds signing of Aroldis Chapman. Holy crap, did they do something awesome here.

The top-rated pitching prospect in the world! A lefty-with plus speed and control! And the best part is the future isn’t even mortgaged! Sure it’s a $30 million deal, but it’s spread out over 10 years. The details are complicated, but it does insure that even if Chapman is a bust, the team isn’t hamstrung with an albatross every year.

The Reds bloggers seem to be quite happy about it, too.

Of course, the answer to the real question remains to be seen. Will they actually play him? Dusty Baker is not exactly known for fielding teams filled with rookies. With this being the only signing of note before the 2010 season, when Chapman is ready, Baker may not have a choice.

Jason Bay is headed back to the NL. He signed a 4-year deal for $66 million with the Mets on Tuesday.

From a rather tortured article on Mets.com:

The pinpointed upgrade won’t come cheaply. The four-year deal is to cost the Mets at least $66 million, according to a person familiar with the negotiations that began in earnest on the final day of Winter Meetings, Dec. 11. Then again, the Mets have addressed their greatest need — albeit for four years — for less than they paid Mike Piazza ($93 million for seven seasons), Carlos Beltran ($119 million for seven) and Johan Santana ($137.5 million for seven).

Must be nice to have that kind of cash to throw around.

You might have expected this after my last headline, but it’s really here now:

REDS EXTEND ROLEN THROUGH 2012
The Reds have restructured third baseman Scott Rolen’s contract for 2010 and extended him through the 2012 season, the club announced Saturday. Rolen, 34, will receive $23.625 million over the next three seasons. Originally set to earn $11 million in 2010, he will now make $6 million instead and then receive $6.5 million per season in both 2011 and 2012. Also included is a $5 million signing bonus that is deferred over the length of the contract.

I’ve thought Rolen looked 38 since he was 28, so I’m not sure how spry he’ll be in three seasons, but it’s nice that the Reds have saved up a little money for the coming season.

The Cincinnati Reds narrowly avoided making another minor roster mistake this week when Craig Counsell signed with the Milwaukee Brewers.

Counsell signed a 1-year, $2.1 million deal to serve as the Brewer’s utility infielder again. He had a productive 2009 season as a backup, getting on base almost 36% of the time. Apparently, he reduced the obnoxiousness of his batting stance, too. No longer did he reach to the sky as if in vain attempts to over-compensate for shortcomings.

The Reds had expressed interest in Counsell, but I, for one, am happy that he stayed away from the Queen City. My guiding hope for the Reds in this off-season is that they do nothing. Absolutely nothing. First, they’re less likely to make mistakes *cough*Willy Taveras*cough*. And second, they have a ton of young, talented players. The best way to overcome Dusty Baker’s hardcore veteran fetish is to not give him any. And free agents are generally veterany.

We’ll see if it’s a good deal for the Brewers. It probably will be, considering he’s a backup and it’s only for one year. I do know that it would have been a disaster for the Reds. So for that, thank you, Walt Jocketty.

Facing a loss of 3/5ths of their starting rotation, the St. Louis Cardinals obviously had to do something about it. As good as Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright are, they can’t carry the team through the entire season. Heck, they couldn’t even carry the team through the playoffs.

So the Cardinals turned to Brad Penny, the former Marlin, Dodger, Red Sock, Giant. At first blush, $7.5 million dollars might seem like a lot for a pitcher who’s been just a tick above league average on his career. (And not even that since 2007.)

But I like the deal. In this day and age when teams seem to so readily throw multi-year deals at injury-prone pitchers, it’s nice to see a team pay for only one-year. It gives the team a solid chance at having a killer stating rotation, without mortgaging the future. Given pitching coach Dave Duncan’s history, I have a feeling this won’t turn into another Junior Spivey. Or even a Mark Mulder.

It’s something that other teams should do more often.