A made for Brandon Phillips event

CINCINNATI - It rolled out on time this morning from the Reds Hall of Fame and Museum. The Reds Caravan is an annual trek around Reds' country that was initiated years ago as a quaint outreach to sponsors and fans when the Reds games were carried on the AVCO radio network. The Reds were a profit center on its flagship station, 700 WLW and its sister stations in Dayton, Columbus and Indianapolis.

The Reds troupe, headed by the late Gordie Coleman (who also populated its one man speakers bureau) went to the outskirts of the Reds perceived market, talking up the coming season.

Several years ago though, it was rebranded, burnished to a high gloss and is now a happening, presented by the Cincinnati USA Regional Tourism Network, making 15 stops in four states.

It features not a retired first baseman but a starting All-Star, Gold Glove second baseman, Brandon Phillips, manager Dusty Baker, up and coming catcher Devin Mesoraco among others. The others bear mentioning as they are comprised by team president and CEO, Bob Castellini, Hall of Famer Marty Brennaman and Reds GM Walt Jocketty. Not too shabby!

Phillips though is the ringmaster of the fun. He can be a bit prickly with some media who've irked him for whatever reason but when relating with fans, what you see is what you get. He revels in the attention. The more stops, the more hands shaken, the more autographs signed, the more interviews given, the better.

This brings us to someone who would not prosper in such an environment: Joey Votto. I don't know for a fact that he wasn't asked to be part of the Caravan but I suspect he has been and declined. For that matter, Votto is reluctant to involve himself in any regard off the field for the team.

Conversely he will seemingly do anything to improve himself and by extension the team when it comes to playing the game. That is the bargain Reds ownership has struck with the enigmatic first baseman.

How could they not? This is a guy who has been seen and heard screaming at himself for some self perceived flaw hitting off a batting tee in spring training. "It is incredible how hard he is on himself", is how one long time staffer saw it. The consensus is that Votto is wound very tight. Good for the team, bad for the prospects of him being a major contributor on the caravan.

It is just fine the way it is configured and will, if today's send off is any indication, engender genuine enthusiasm for the Reds in 2012 and beyond. During the season not before is Joey Votto's time to shine.