![spt-hbt2-hanley-ramirez-110130.standard[1]](http://nbchardballtalk.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/spt-hbt2-hanley-ramirez-110130-standard1.jpg?w=136&h=121&crop=1)
UPDATE: Mark Sheldon of MLB.com says this one is done.
Saturday, 5:37 PM: Enrique Rojas of ESPN Deportes reports that the Reds and Volquez are close to an agreement on a one-year, $1.6 million contract.
Saturday, 3:31 PM: Reds general manager Walt Jocketty told John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer earlier today that he expects to get a deal done with Edinson Volquez this weekend, most likely in the form of a one-year deal.
Volquez is arbitration-eligible for the first time this winter. He requested $2 million and was offered $1.3 million when arbitration figures were exchanged last Tuesday.
The Reds have made their arbitration-eligible players a priority this offseason, inking Joey Votto, Jay Bruce and Johnny Cueto to multi-year contracts and securing considerable cost certainty for the next few seasons. Just last week, it looked like the club was going to go a similar route with Volquez, but Jocketty told Fay today that the 27-year-old right-hander prefers a one-year deal.
It’s a calculated gamble on the part of Volquez, as he could command considerably more through the arbitration process if he bounces back with a solid 2011 campaign. That’s clearly the motivation here. He has been limited to just major league 21 starts over the past two seasons due to Tommy John surgery.
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- Brian Murphy - Jan 30, 2011 at 12:36 AM
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Those are some relatively low-risk, high-reward dollars being spent by Cincy.
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- metalhead65 - Jan 30, 2011 at 10:19 AM
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unless he wins 20 games or a cy young then it is a waste of money. guy has had one third of a season where he won 14 games before the break then 3 after.this is what they got for trading a mvp?
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- clarknaddison - Jan 30, 2011 at 4:33 PM
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he has great stuff…if he wasnt injured/surgery the past 2 years, hed be looking at Cueto + money. I think he has a big year in 2011
