"The answer was vintage Joey Votto. No sooner had he received the National League's most valuable player award on Monday than discussion focused on the price he would exact from the Cincinnati Reds.

Votto is entering salary arbitration for the first time, and there is every reason to expect that while he won't likely break Ryan Howard's record first-year arbitration award of $10-million (all currency U.S.), the $500,000 that Votto earned in 2010 will become a minimum $7-million in 2011.

After the Reds made the playoffs for the first time since 1995, getting Votto's name on a multiyear contract is an article of faith with Cincinnati fans.

"I've got nothing [for you], man," Votto said of negotiations. "And that's okay right now. There's a time and a place for contract stuff, and right now I'm just kind of enjoying being National League MVP."

Why wouldn't he? After all, Votto has a whole country to enjoy it along with him, after the 27-year-old native of Toronto became the third Canadian-born major-leaguer to win baseball's top individual award."