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At the Hot Stove, Cool Music fundraiser in Boston on Jan. 6, Reds pitcher Bronson Arroyo confirmed what I already suspected this summer: he's homesick for Boston.

Bronson slipped out the truth by changing the lyrics to Augustana's "Boston" during his cover performance.

"I said I think I'll go to Boston, I think I need to come back," Bronson sang. "I think I need a ballpark, where all the fans are there. I gotta get out of Cincinnati; I'm tired of the summer; I think I need the Olde Town To fill my heart again, Ah yeah."

Certainly, there's a lot to love about baseball in Beantown. The Red Soxs are committed to winning championships, the fan fare makes Fenway Park electric and there's that old sports rivalry against New York. Bronson experienced it first hand from 2003-05. So, who can blame him for wanting to go back.

After a tough (9-15) year on the mound for the Reds, Arroyo was looking very tradeable. However, Reds owner Bob Castellini has the Reds on the rise. And, Bronson Arroyo is a big part of the turn around.

In Arroyo's two seasons with Cincinnati he's collected 23 wins. He's also been durable pitching more than 200 innings in each season. And, Bronson's 2007 numbers suffered from five blown saves (the most on the Reds staff) and a lack of run support. In 15 of Arroyo's 34 starts the Reds scored two of fewer runs including four shutouts. Ouch.

Still, Castellini seems committed to winning. The organization's biggest needs are being addressed this off-season with the addition of a proven closer Francisco Cordero (4yr-$46 million), resigning No.1 starter Aaron Harang (4yr-$36.5 million) and adding manager Dusty Baker (3yr-$10 million). Even the highly successful Walt Jocketty has been brought on board as a special advisor. These moves should help Arroyo regain his (14-11, 240 IP) All-Star status from 2006.

To top it off, remember this is the National League we're talking about. A league in which, even the usually lowly Colorado Rockies can make it to the World Series (of course, the mighty Boston Red Soxs easily sweep the Rocks in four games). And, that's another reason why Cincinnati shouldn't entertain any ideas about sending Arroyo back East.

With Arroyo in the rotation the Reds have a shot to contend in the NL. Without him, they're stuck in their usual losing ways. Yes, Arroyo is that important to the Reds success in 2008.

Besides, it's highly unlikely that Boston would be interested in reacquiring Arroyo. The Red Sox already have one of baseball's most lethal rotations (Beckett, Dice-K, Schilling, Wakefield and Lester) and the bullpen isn't far behind. Obviously, there's no room in Boston for a 30 year-old blonde guitarist who's Frisbees pitch is better than his fastball.

Plus, the Reds would want pitching in return for Arroyo and I can't fathom Boston GM Theo Epstein parting with any of his young pitching studs like 25 year-old Manny Delcarmen, 23 year-old Jon Lester or 22 year-old Clay Buchholz for Arroyo's services.

Maybe Bronson already realizes that he doesn't have it so bad in Cinci. After all, he did sign a contract extension in February 2007 (2yr-25 million) with a club option for 2011. And, if things continue to go well for both the Reds and Arroyo Castellini will most likely try to resign him again.

Understandable, Arroyo's playing days in Cincinnati will probably never live up to his glory days in Boston. But as a Cinci fan, I couldn't care less if Bronson sings about Boston until he's blue in the face as long as he keeps pitching for the Reds.

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