Posted by Bill Baer on Monday, January 11, 2010 at 2:25 am

Despite important NFL games being played, baseball once again stole the spotlight yesterday with the news that the Cincinnati Reds signed pitching phenom slash Cuban defector Aroldis Chapman to a five-year, $30 million deal with a player option for 2015. Chapman burst into the American baseball lexicon when he struck out seven Australians in four innings in the World Baseball Classic. He dominated opposing hitters with a high-90’s fastball and a plus-slider, though most scouts believe he still needs a lot of work before he can translate to the Major Leagues.

The Reds, finishing with a sub-.500 record nine seasons running, add Chapman to a young core of players that includes slugging first baseman Joey Votto, outfielder Jay Bruce, and pitchers Edison Volquez, Johnny Cueto, and Homer Bailey. The organization also touts prospects Todd Frazier and Yonder Alonso.

Of the aforementioned, Votto, Volquez, and Cueto become arbitration-eligible after the 2010 season and free agents after 2014; the Reds control the rest for a long time. In other words, the Reds have the potential to build a powerhouse team that will be cheap and under control for at least several years.

Eye 2012 as a potential break-out year for the organization. It is likely when the bulk of the core of the organization will be at the Major League level, when Votto will be in his prime, and most importantly, when the Reds will have money and interest as a means to attract premier free agents.

A potential 2012 lineup for the Reds could look like:

C: Ryan Hanigan

1B: Yonder Alonso

2B: Brandon Phillips (could be traded)

3B: Scott Rolen (could be traded)/Todd Frazier

SS: Zack Cozart/free agent/trade acquisition

LF: Joey Votto

CF: Chris Dickerson/Drew Stubbs

RF: Jay Bruce

SP: Edison Volquez, Johnny Cueto, Homer Bailey, Aroldis Chapman, [Insert Back-of-the-rotation Starter]

According to Cot’s Contracts, Rolen would be the highest paid player at over $8 million. After that, it would be Yonder Alonso at $1.4M or Joey Votto depending on what he is awarded in arbitration.

There’s a ton of if-propositions, of course. And you have the “wish in one hand, spit in the other” line of thinking. However, if the Reds can roll some hot dice, they can be tough to contend with in just a couple years, especially given the state of the NL Central. Consider:

St. Louis Cardinals: Committed $120M over seven years to Matt Holliday and will have commit more to retain Albert Pujols.

Milwaukee Brewers: Prince Fielder is a free agent after 2011; will be just as dependent on prospects panning out as Cincinnati, though there is much more reason for pessimism given the lukewarm performances from Manny Parra and the inconsistency of Yovani Gallardo.

Chicago Cubs: That they signed Milton Bradley as a free agent and — and — turned him into Carlos Silva is all you need to know about the direction in which this team is going. This is a franchise in disarray.

Houston Astros: In the same off-season in which a phenomenal talent in Aroldis Chapman was signed for five years for $30 million with an option for a sixth year, Astros GM Ed Wade signed reliever Brandon Lyon to a three-year, $15 million deal. When the Reds will be paying their core players well under market value, the Astros will be paying the corpses of relievers Lyon and Matt Lindstrom.

Pittsburgh Pirates: They are to baseball teams what Charlie Brown is to placekickers.

Consider the Philadelphia Phillies when thinking of what the Reds’ future may hold. The Phillies, while a bit more successful than the Reds prior to their 2007-09 properity, built up a lot of hope in their Minor League system. They drafted Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, Michael Bourn, Gavin Floyd, and Cole Hamels, most of whom eventually accentuated the likes of Jimmy Rollins and Pat Burrell for years.

The talent lived up to the hype: Utley turned into the best second baseman in baseball, Howard became one of the game’s premier sluggers, Hamels dazzled in the 2008 post-season; and the Phillies otherwise turned their prospects into talent elsewhere (such as trading Bourn to acquire closer Brad Lidge, who had a perfect season in ‘08).

It could all go wrong for the Reds just as easily as it all went right for the Phillies — after all, they do employ Dusty Baker who requires the organization have Dr. James Andrews on speed-dial. However, given the mediocrity abound in the NL Central and the wealth of talent ready to blossom in the Reds organization, there is a lot of reason to have optimism in Cincinnati in the coming years.

Just not in 2010, of course.

Home page photo courtesy of the Associated Press