Cincinnati Reds: Why Trading Joey Votto Would Be a Good Idea

Joey Votto isn't just the best player on the Cincinnati Reds, but he may be the best player in Major League Baseball. 

When news broke that Cincinnati would be entertaining trade offers for Votto, I, like many Reds fans, was shocked.

That said, it's time to face the facts. He may be the face of the franchise and one of the greatest Reds of the decade, but trading Votto could actually benefit Cincinnati in a number of ways.

Here's the deal...

The Reds Can't Afford Him

The Reds are caught in a pickle (no pun intended) when dealing with Votto's contract.

Two National League Central first basemen—Albert Pujols and Prince Fielder—will both be signing HUGE free-agent deals at the end of this season, and considering that Votto is as good, if not better, than both Pujols and Fielder, he will likely demand an equally enormous paycheck come 2013. 

Should ownership decide to pay up, the Reds would have to part ways with second baseman Brandon Phillips or several of their fine young prospects. Something that they do not want to do.

I would hate to see him go, but financially speaking, moving Votto makes a lot of sense.

The Return Could Be Worth It

Baseball transactions are all about supply and demand. Votto is a top-tier first baseman in the prime of his career, so if Cincinnati decides to trade him they could set an extremely high asking price.

It's still early to speculate about the specifics of a potential trade, but there's no question that Votto would be a hot commodity should he officially hit the market. 

One of the more interesting options could be Toronto.

The Blue Jays have several talented youngsters that might interest the Reds, and they could certainly use Votto, a Toronto native and the 2010 Canadian Player of the Year, in the middle of their lineup.

Yonder, Yonder, Yonder

Joey Votto may be one of the most talented players in the game, but he's also standing in the way of Yonder Alonso, a first base prospect who many expect to be a monster once he gets a chance to play a full season in the big leagues.

Alonso appeared in 69 games this season for the Reds (primarily in left field) and batted .330 with five homers and 15 RBI. Certainly the Reds would miss Votto's production, but it's scary to think about the numbers Alonso could post if he were an everyday first baseman. 

On top of that, the Reds could add another big bat in exchange for Votto and could potentially have one of the most dangerous lineups in all of baseball.