Arthur Rhodes interested in returning to Reds next season

Here’s a little news item while we await the start of Game 4 between the Giants and Braves.

Reflecting on a season that resulted in the first All-Star selection of his career and a trip to the postseason, Arthur Rhodes told Mark Sheldon of MLB.com today that he is interested in returning to the Reds next season.

“I already told them that I want to come back, that I’d love to come back,” Rhodes said. “I’ve had a wonderful time here. I’ve enjoyed myself. We’ll see what happens in the offseason.”

Rhodes, who turns 41 later this month, posted a 2.41 ERA in 135 appearances over the length of his two-year, $4 million contract with the Reds. The veteran left-hander tied a major league record with 33 consecutive scoreless appearances earlier this season.

Rhodes projects to be a Type A free agent this winter, but offering arbitration isn’t necessarily a given. Many teams will be unwilling to surrender a first round pick in order to sign a reliever, so there’s always the chance that he could accept arbitration, sticking the Reds with a pretty hefty contract for an aging left-hander who was bothered by plantar fasciitis throughout the 2010 season.