Cincinnati Reds, Joey Votto Nearing Contract Extension

Marisa- 6:18pm- Jon Heyman from CBS Sports says that the deal is for ten years on top of the two years he already has.

1:11 PM- The Cincinnati Reds are nearing a contract extension with their star first basemen Joey Votto, according to Tim Dierkes and Ben Nicholson-Smith. Terms of the deal aren not known, but the contract value could surpass $200MM.

Votto, the 2010 NL MLVP, signed a three-year extension before the 2011 season that will pay him $9.5MM this year and $17MM in 2013. With Votto's free agency looming, the Reds were aggressive this winter, signing Ryan Madson and trading for Mat Latos and Sean Marshall. It appears now the Reds are set on resigning their slugging first basemen.

This winter two superstar first basemen, Albert Pujols and Prince Fielder, signed $254MM and $214MM deals respectively. They are only the second and third players to surpass the $200MM, joining the Yankees' Alex Rodriguez. Votto, 28, has been a spectacular player since debuting in 2007 and could become the fourth $200MM player. Among is many statistical achievements, he has been a seven win player the last two seasons according to Fangraphs' wins above replacement.