Reds and Bruce agree to 6 year deal

[BengalRep85-9]

[size="5"]Source: Reds, Jay Bruce agree to deal[/size]

By Jerry Crasnick
ESPN.com

The Cincinnati Reds have reached agreement on a six-year, guaranteed $51 million contract with outfielder Jay Bruce, a baseball source told ESPN.com.

The deal includes a club option for a seventh year that could bring the overall value of the contract to $63 million, the source said. Bruce has a partial no-trade clause and the opportunity to earn additional money through award bonuses.

Bruce's deal is similar to the six-year, $51.25 million contract that outfielder Justin Upton signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks in March.

Bruce, 23, is regarded as one of baseball's budding young stars. He hit .281 with 25 homers and 70 RBIs last season to help lead the Reds to a National League Central Division title. He had a .575 slugging percentage and a .951 OPS after the All-Star break.

Bruce would have been eligible for salary arbitration in February as a "Super Two'' category service time player.

The Reds signed pitcher Bronson Arroyo to a three-year, $35 million contract extension a week ago. The team has also expressed interest in negotiating a multiyear contract with first baseman Joey Votto, the 2010 National League MVP.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=5904871

[oldschooler]

Great to see our young core players being locked up for a few years,
instead of being groomed to play for the Yankees in their prime.

Get Votto locked up and the future looks great.

[Jason]

[b][size="4"]Bruuuuuuuuuuccce!!!!![/size][/b]

[quote name='oldschooler' timestamp='1291989387' post='949432']
Great to see our young core players being locked up for a few years,
instead of being groomed to play for the Yankees in their prime.

[b]Get Votto locked up[/b] and the future looks great.
[/quote]

I don't think that's going to happen unless they offer [b]huge[/b] money now.