Reds 5 at 5: #JoeyVotto, Miggy’s New Role, More

Seen enough #JoeyVotto tweets in your Twitter timeline today? You’ll see more I’m sure. Also, a familiar face joins the front office and the MLB Network has a load of baseball stuff in store for baseball fans during spring training.

1. #JoeyVotto

Have you performed your inordinate amount of #JoeyVotto tweets today? If not, you better get on it. Today, Votto squares off against Toronto’s Jose Bautista in MLB Hot Stove’s Face of the MLB. With every tweet you have #JoeyVotto, the 2010 NL MVP receives a vote.

If you do a Twitter search of the #JoeyVotto tweets, there are some that have been quite creative since we all know that every Reds fan is creative.

Here’s a few…

September 02, 2012; Houston, TX, USA; Cairo (43) drives in a run with a double in the eighth inning against the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park. (Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports)

2. Cairo new Reds Special Assistant

Earlier today, the Reds announced that Miguel Cairo was retiring and joining the Reds as Special Assistant to GM Walt Jocketty. This was a move that was, in my mind, inevitable. Despite the issues Cairo had at the plate last season, he was one of Dusty’s clubhouse leaders.

Here’s Jocketty on his “new hire” (via Fox19.com)

"“He was a leader for us on the field and in the clubhouse and over a very successful career earned a tremendous amount of respect within the baseball community. Miguel was a big part of our success the last three years. Our younger players will benefit from his work ethic and experience.”"

Cairo will also serve as an instructor during spring training working in both the major and minor league camps. Good luck, Miggy! Glad you’re still a Red!

3. Reds day to be featured on MLB Network’s 30 Clubs in 30 Days

MLB Network will commence their 30 Clubs in 30 Days tomorrow. The Chicago Cubs is first on their agenda. They will cover the Reds on Friday, February 22. The Indians will also be featured that day. Makes sense due to the fact they share the same spring training complex.

The features will run during MLB Tonight which for Feb. 22 will air live at 6 PM ET. MLB Tonight will also air at 8 PM ET and 11 PM ET.

4. Reds spring training games on MLB Network

MLB Network will also feature 150 spring games. There will be live and taped games. The Reds first live game will air on Sunday, March 17 at 4 PM ET. Their opponent that day will be the Cleveland Indians. The only other live game the Reds will have on MLBN is a March 24 game against the Texas Rangers. That game will also air at 4 PM ET.

There will also be two replays featuring the Reds. The first will be on March 6 at 9 AM ET when they face the Angels. The other is for those up in the wee hours of the morning as Cincinnati plays the Rangers in a 3 AM ET airing.

The complete schedule can be found here.

5. Top 100 Players Right Now begins at 10 AM ET tomorrow

Seems like we’re getting a lot of info from the MLB Network. Well, we are.

Tomorrow evening at 10 PM ET, MLBN will start its rundown of the Top 100 Player Right Now.

From MLBN:

"“Over five episodes, Greg Amsinger, Al Leiter, Plesac and Harold Reynolds will count down the top players in MLB based on player performance over the past several seasons with an emphasis on 2012, projected 2013 performance taking into account players returning from injury and young players expected to break out, base-running, and defensive value…”"

Look for a few Reds in this…

Here’s the entire Top 100 Players Right Now schedule:
Friday, Feb. 15: 100-81 (9 PM ET)
Friday, Feb. 22: 80-61 (9 PM ET)
Friday, Feb. 22: 60-41 (10 PM ET)
Tuesday, Feb. 26: 40-21 (9 PM ET)
Tuesday, Feb. 26: 20-1 (10 PM ET)