"You didn't need a program to figure out where Joey Votto was Saturday at Redsfest. All you had to do was look for the biggest crowd. Votto was sure to be in the middle of it.

Votto, the newly named National League MVP, is the Reds' brightest star and the fan favorite.

Votto has hit his stride as a player at seemingly the perfect time. He's eligible for arbitration for the first time, i.e., in perfect position to cash in on his success. But, as manager Dusty Baker says, he is a different cat.

The Reds have made it clear that they would like to sign Votto to a longterm deal. But Votto isn't ready to even say he's interested until he knows for how long and how much. The Reds tendered him a contract Thursday, as they are required to do to keep him. Votto says talks have gone no further than that.

"There's difference between talking about a long-term contract and a contract," he said. "They discussed a contract the other day by tending me. That's contract talk. I don't think it's fair -- because I'm going to get questions about that -- I don't think it's fair for people to say my agent and the general manager have discussed a long-term contract. The only thing that's come up is we'd like to do something. It could be one year. It could eleven-bigillion years. It doesn't really matter. The point is they want me on the team. That's a compliment in itself."