MLB Cincinnati Reds

Brandon Phillips Remains Cincinnati Reds’ Best Option At Second Base

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By @NFLNostradamus

Cincinnati Reds, Brandon Phillips, Joey Votto

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When the Cincinnati Reds decided to sign second baseman Brandon Phillips to a six-year, $72.5 million extension three years ago, the Reds’ management knew Phillips would be 36 years old by the time his contract expired in 2017. The decision to reward Phillips for his play and commitment to the Reds may be limiting the club from a payroll perspective now, but his deal is by no means the worst deal the Reds have done recently when considering the looming contract busts of Joey Votto (10 years, $225 million) and Homer Bailey (six years, $105 million).

Last year, Phillips was the subject of rampant trade speculation. That won’t happen this year, because Phillips has full no-trade protection as a 10/5 player who has at least 10 years of service and five or more of those seasons with the same team. Even if Phillips did agree to a trade, the Reds would be ill-advised to trade him, because they don’t have any other player on their current roster or in their minor league system who is capable of replacing Phillips as the everyday second baseman.

Phillips played in just 121 games last year, but that total is by far the lowest he’s played in any of the nine seasons he’s toiled for the Reds. His prowess as the best defensive second baseman in baseball remains and would have to plunge significantly before Phillips could be considered anything but an above-average fielder.

Phillips is still largely the same hitter he’s always been (.271/.319) with marginal power (18 home runs for a 162-game average). He’s only struck out more than 100 times in a season once for the Reds and continues to be a reliable contact hitter capable of shortening his swing with two strikes. Ideally, Phillips may be a sixth or seventh hitter for the Reds, but given the alternatives of the lineup , Phillips will remain a serviceable contact hitter should he continue to bat higher in the order.

Robb Hoff is a Cincinnati Reds writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @NFLNostradamus, like him on Facebook and add him to your network on Google.

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