Yes, it’s Super Bowl Sunday, and I’m writing about baseball. But I suppose I should take a moment to acknowledge the NFL’s premier weekend and the matchup between the New England Patriots and the New York Giants. I’ll qualify my remarks by stating for the record that the opinions expressed in this post are entirely my own and do not necessarily represent those of Red Hot Mama (the person or the blog).

My opinion of this year’s Super Bowl is pretty much summed up by the included graphic, which should appear at left if I’ve done my editing properly.

I was not born in time to catch Russ Hodges’ legendary 1951 “The Giants Win The Pennant!” call, but if you happen to talk with Bill Belicheat today, you can tell him I have the sound clip cued up on my other computer and hope to be able to make good use of it some time around 9:30 EST tonight.

Now, back to baseball. That’s what you came here for, right? Amanda (coincidentally, the song with that name, recorded eons ago by the group Boston, is playing on the radio here as I type this) has already reported two of the major items for this week’s recap of player transactions in the National League Central, namely that Ray Olmedo (better known as Little Ray Ray to RHM regulars) has landed back in the NLC, and that the Reds have signed two players, one a hometown boy and the other a former Reds prospect, to minor league deals with invitations to spring training.

Olmedo, a former Red and a longtime fan favorite here on RHM, was claimed off waivers by the Pirates on Friday after being DFA’ed by the Toronto Blue Jays, who had hoped to outright Little Ray Ray to the Class AAA Syracuse Chiefs and invite him to Spring Training.

Meanwhile, the Reds signed LHP Scott Sauerbeck and C Paul Bako to minor league deals with the obligatory invitations to spring training, returning both players to the NL Central.

Sauerbeck was born in Cincinnati, and attended Northwest High School, where he played soccer, basketball and, of course, baseball. He previously pitched in the NLC as a member of the Pirates. He’ll go down to Sarasota and compete for a slot in a suddenly crowded Reds bullpen that already includes southpaws Mike Stanton, Bill Bray, and Jon Coutlangus (as well as Jeremy Affeldt if he doesn’t start).

Bako was originally signed by the Reds in 1993 after he was their fifth round pick in the amateur draft, and has since played for the Astros, Brewers, and Cubs as well as several other major league clubs. Bowden must be livid, he not only missed a shot at landing another former Red, but the player in question has now actually become a current Red! He probably becomes this year’s Chad Moeller. But since he has 1400 or so more major league at-bats than Ryan Hanigan, the guy who figured to get the call from Louisville if David Ross or Javy Valentin were to get hurt, Bako’s signing adds some potentially valuable depth at the position.

Other NLC transactions for the past week:

• On Tuesday, the Astros signed RHP Brian Moehler (who is also a former Red) and IF/OF David Newhan to minor league contracts with the usual invitations to spring training.
• On Thursday, the Reds avoided arbitration with RHP Matt Belisle by signing him to a one-year, $1.25 million contract. The deal, which leaves Brandon Phillips as the only remaining unsigned, arbitration-eligible Red, reportedly includes a chance for Belisle to make up to $100,000 in bonuses for innings pitched. Matt, who worked 177-2/3 innings last year, would earn $25,000 bonuses for reaching 175, 185, 200 and 210 innings.
• Also on Thursday, former Astros IF Morgan Ensberg was signed to a minor league contract with invitation to spring training by the Yankees. Which is not really an NLC transaction, but I include it here for the enjoyment of readers following the careers of those who have escaped Houston.

The previously reported deals involving Olmedo, Sauerbeck, and Bako went down on Friday, and as far as I know, nothing has been reported in the NLC so far this weekend, although former Reds pitcher Esteban Yan landed in Baltimore with a MLCWSTI (Minor League Contract With Spring Training Invitation…remember that acronym because you’ll probably see it again), and as Zeldink already reported, Sean Casey demonstrated his affection for the color Red this week by signing on with Boston for 2008.

And now I must go. My work here is finished, and I want to leave plenty of time for sticking pins in a certain Tom Brady voodoo doll (unless I can find my stash of railroad spikes instead).

The Reds signed Scott Sauerbeck to a minor league contract today with an invitation to spring training. Sauerbeck went 3-1 last season with a 4.22 ERA. With the Reds scraping to get the requisite number of pitchers together (though you know they’ll start the season with 13 on the roster), Sauerbeck has a greater-than-average chance of landing a spot on the team.

They also signed catcher Paul Bako to a minor league contract (enabling them to also carry 3 catchers). And they signed Matt Belisle out of arbitration as well. Normally I’d leave the reporting of these moves to HMZ, the expert in these matters, but I really wanted an excuse to post this picture from Reds.com.

Former Red and Pirate Sean Casey has signed a one-year deal with the Boston Red Sox for $800,000.

I know that Casey never was the prototypical first baseman–hitting for average instead of power, but I always liked him. Heck, who didn’t? Sure, it was easy to get frustrated with him during his grounding-into-double-play phase, but he contributed more than his fair share of good memories to the Reds.

He’s accepting a backup role for the defending world champion Red Sox. Like when he was with the Tigers, it’ll be nice to see a familiar face in the playoffs. And should the worst happen and the Red Sox repeat, at least I can be happy about Casey getting a ring.

It is Sunday again, and thus, time again for the weekly summary of player transactions conducted during the past week by teams in the National League’s Central division. At least I’m actually getting it done on Sunday this time instead of being in mid-week and a couple of days late.

On Monday, the Cardinals inked catcher Yadier “Brother of Bengie and Jose” Molina to a $15.5 million, four-year contract extension with a club option for a fifth season. The deal avoided arbitration and locked up one of the game’s best young catchers – and card-carrying member of The Flying Molina Brothers – throughout his arbitration eligibility “season.”

Meanwhile, the Cubs signed righthander Michael Wuertz to a one-year contract worth $860,000, avoiding their last arbitration-eligible case this year by more than doubling the reliever’s salary of last year.

On Tuesday, the Astros avoided arbitration by signing RHP Dave Borkowski to a one-year contract worth $800,000 plus incentives. This leaves infielder Mark Loretta and closer Jose “Papa Grande” Valverde as the Astros’ only remaining arbitration-eligible players.

On Wednesday, the Reds finalized their previously reported deal with reliever Jeremy Affeldt, designating OF Jeff Fiorentino for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster for Affeldt (Fiorentino subsequently was picked up by Oakland off waivers on Friday). Also on Wednesday, the Brewers signed IF Abraham Nunez (a former Pirate and Cardinal) to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training.

On Thursday, the Pirates signed RHP Hector Carrasco (a former Red), LHP Casey Fossum, and RHP Jaret Wright to minor league contracts with invitations to spring training.

Finally, although this has nothing to do with the NLC, Toronto on Thursday DFA’ed former Reds infielder and longtime RHM favorite Ray Olmedo. Yes, the Blue Jays let go Little Ray Ray, who now may be coming soon to a baseball team near you.

I guess getting Scott Rolen must have gone to their heads. Either that, or the knowledge that they’re doomed to rot forever in third place in the AL East, regardless of who their third baseman is. Either way, if you’ll excuse me, I’m now going to go program the new radio I bought yesterday. That is, of course, after I first RTFM!

Egad! Has it really been 12 days since the last time I updated us on player transactions in the NL Central? I guess time flies when you’re having fun…and NLC general managers have been having fun these past, well, almost two weeks now – so let’s get busy:

Wednesday 1/9/08: The Astros signed RHPs Mike DeJean and Carlos Hines, OF Victor Diaz, C J.R. House and 1B Lance Niekro (Son of Joe and nephew of Hall of Famer Phil) to minor league contracts with the obligatory invitations to spring training, and invited SS Tommy Manzella and LHP Josh Muecke to spring training. Meanwhile, the Brewers avoided arbitration by signing LHP Brian Shouse to a one-year, $2 million contract.

Thursday 1/10: The Brewers invited non-roster C Andy Bouchie to spring training, and the Cardinals signed 1B Josh Phelps (whom you’ll recall the last-place Pirates, earlier this offseason, decided they couldn’t use) to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training.

Saturday 1/11: The Cubs signed former Reds farmhand RHP Chad Fox to a minor league contract with a non-roster invitation to spring training; the Astros signed RHP Brandon Backe to a one-year, $800,000 contract (plus incentives), thus avoiding arbitration; and the Pirates signed RHP T.J. Beam (no relation to Jim), C Raul Chavez and IF/OF Jose Macias to minor league contracts with the usual invitations to join them for spring festivities.

Monday 1/14: As previously reported here on Red Hot Mama, the Brewers signed OF Mike Cameron to a one-year contract with a club option for 2009. They also invited non-roster OF Matt LaPorta to spring training. But the Cardinals made the biggest deal of the day, obtaining 3B Troy Glaus from the Blue Jays for disgruntled 3B Scott Rolen.

Tuesday 1/15: Eight days after having just signed him to a one-year contract, the Brewers designated OF Drew Anderson for assignment (but keep reading, you haven’t heard the last of him yet). In Chicago, meanwhile, the Cubs decided to sign a whole army of guys and make my life miserable this week: SS Andres Blanco, RHP Mike Smith, OF Andres Torres, C JD Closser, and SS Luis Figueroa, C Koyie Hill, 1B Micah Hoffpauir, LHP Geoff Jones, OF Josh Kroeger and LHP Les Walrond all were inked to minor league deals with invitations to spring training, and they also invited LHP Edward Campusano, C Welington Castillo, RHP Jose Ceda, OF Tyler Colvin, C Josh Donaldson and 3B Casey McGehee to spring training.

Wednesday 1/16: The Cubs signed RHP Jon Lieber to a one-year, $3.5 million contract, and the Brewers signed RHP Claudio Vargas to a one-year, $3.6 million contract, thus avoiding arbitration with Vargas.

Thursday 1/17: The Brew Crew avoided another potential salary arbitration hassle by signing LHP Chris Capuano to a one-year, $3.75 million contract. The Astros signed OF Nick Gorneault and RHP Runelvys Hernandez to minor league contracts with invitations to spring training, and closer to home, the Reds invited RHP Josh Roenicke and 1B Adam Rosales to spring training.

Friday 1/18: The Cardinals signed OF Rick Ankiel to a one-year, $900,000 contract, thus avoiding arbitration with the former pitcher turned slugging outfielder turned HGH poster boy. The Pirates agreed to terms with OF Xavier Nady and LHP John Grabow (no relation to Doc) on one-year contracts (Nady reportedly will make $3.35 million, Grabow $1.13 million; both were eligible for arbitration). The Astros signed IF Ty Wigginton to a one-year, $4.35 million contract, in this post’s last example of “The better to avoid arbitration with you, my dear.”

Meanwhile, back at GABP, the Reds on Friday claimed the aforementioned OF Drew Anderson (I told you that you hadn’t heard the last of him yet) off waivers from the Milwaukee Brewers. This begs the question of who will be the first to confuse this Drew Anderson with the Reds’ other minor-leaguer also named Drew Anderson. Also on Friday, the Cubs signed RHP Shingo Takatsu to a one-year minor league contract with an invitation to major league spring training.