DaytonDailyNews.com

When Frank Robinson and Vada Pinson were the hitting stars of the Cincinnati Reds in the early 1960s, they once had identical white Ford Thunderbirds with red interiors.

Asked if he and Joey Votto — the latest version of big-bat duos for the Reds — had anything comparable, Jay Bruce laughed: "I have a Toyota, he has an Acura ... we've got nothing similar."

Maybe not yet, but they could one day.

The Reds certainly think so, which is one reason they jettisoned sluggers Adam Dunn and Ken Griffey Jr. last season in a move that paved the way for Bruce and Votto, rookie stars in 2008, to be offensive centerpieces of the future.

And that's what Saturday, April 4, was all about when the Reds' big-league team met the franchise's top minor leaguers in a showcase exhibition — the Futures Game — on a blue-skies day in front of a crowd of 8,956 at Fifth Third Field.

Last season, first baseman Votto led all National League rookies with a .297 batting average, 24 home runs and 84 RBIs. Right fielder Bruce, who joined the club in late May, finished with 21 homers.

Each said he felt a special connection to Fifth Third Field and the Dragons.

"When I was here it seemed like the Major Leagues were so far away," Bruce said. "It seemed like it was almost impossible to get there, kind of like a fairy tale, a dream. But looking back it was closer than I thought."

He played in Dayton in 2006 — Votto in 2003 and 2004 — and they became pals when they teamed in Louisville two seasons ago.

Raised in Toronto, the 25-year-old Votto is quiet and reserved, while the 23-year-old Bruce is a more outgoing Texan. And yet there is a true kinship between them.

"We're buddies." Votto said. "We hang out off the field and we pull for each other on it. We're very competitive, but it's not like if I hit a home run, I hope Jay doesn't. I hope he hits a farther home run, then I can out-do him after that."

Bruce laughed: "We even played Home Run Derby with each other on PSP (PlayStation) on the way here. We compete all the time and we fuel each other."

Manager Dusty Baker thinks there's value in that: "I had a roommate, Ralph Garr (Atlanta Braves). It was his second year in the big leagues, my first, and we were second and third in the league. We fueled each other, too."

While Eric Davis said he didn't have a Reds relationship like that in the early 1990s, he believes it's good for Bruce and Votto: "They'll feed off each other and who knows where it leads?"

Votto had one idea, Saturday:

"I'm going to see if Jay's interested in a Thunderbird, too. We could get red interiors. Some specialized plates on the back. I think we might have something going here."

The Reds are hoping so, too.