We keep saying we need a SS. Why not revisit Phillips to short and go find a second baseman. I guess we need to figure out what would be easier to get, a shortstop or a second baseman. I think Phillips would be the best idea to fix our shortstop problem. Playing JH Jr is not the answer at short.
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I'd go along with it. If Hairston needs to play then put him at 2B.
If its not a move for the long haul, and I doubt it would be, then I wouldn't make it. Phillips is a legit every day guy this team needs. Play someone else out of position.
We have two GMs, two managers and two whole coaching staffs who have concluded that Phillips is a 2B.
Phillips, never shy to describe his own talent (or anything else), never has beat the drum about being a SS, even when given an opportunity - for example, after any of Gonzalez's various injuries.
These folks all could be missing something. It happens. More likely: Phillips's skills don't translate as well as we would hope.
I don't see any reason that you don't make this move. BP is talented enough to handle SS and when you factor in his bat, his value is that much greater at SS. He may need an adjustment period, but he has ever tool needed to play the position. Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't he still at SS when the Reds acquired him from Cleveland? Didn't he move to 2B because we had "all star" Felipe Lopez at SS? I think he is much more valuable to this team as SS, and it would help him get to those All-star games that he wants to so much.
Barry Larkin is looking good on MLB Network right now.
It's never going to happen. And really, it shouldn't. Phillips value is best at 2B. Play Janish there until you find a better solution and bat him 8.
I'd say this is a pretty good take on it.Originally Posted by backbencher
I'd like to see him there for my own 2 eyes, but I gotta think there are some good reasons why it hasn't happened.
She used to wake me up with coffee ever morning
3. If the Cincinnati Reds wanted to move Brandon Phillips to shortstop, they would have done so by now.
Yep, it's a dead in the water subject, ain't gonna happen in Cincinnati.
I'd much rather have an excellent second baseman than take a chance on him at short.
We'll go down in history as the first society that wouldn't save itself because it wasn't cost effective ~ Kurt Vonnegut
Maybe Brandons arm is better suited for second base.?
Of the 130 games that Phillips played for Cleveland only 1 game was at ss, 1 was at dh, and 128 were at 2nd. Alot of players start out at short and get moved to another position. There's usually a reason. Reggie Sanders started out in the minors at short. He never played short (or the infield even) again after his 2nd season in the minors. Eric Davis was moved from short after his 1st year in the minors. There's countless other examples (BJ Upton, Ian Kinsler, Dustin Pedroia, Gordon Beckham, etc etc..).
One of the reasons (ok a BIG reason) why I like the idea of stockpiling shortstops in the minors is that they tend to be the most athletic players so it's easier for them to switch positions to take advantage of a good bat while minimizing not so good defense. That doesn't mean that moving them BACK to ss is a good idea.
It's alot easier for me to come up with players that have switched from ss. It's a little harder to name players that switched back.
Last edited by redsfandan; 06-25-2009 at 06:55 AM.
Pretty sure (although I could be wrong), but the Indians had Omar Vizquel @ SS, and no one was going to unseat him from that position.
Phillips played SS when he was in the minors for the Expos and the Indians, but he didn't see much time @ SS on the MLB level .
We should try to trade with the White Sox or Angels...both teams have 3 or more guys on their ML roster who played full time SS in AAA. Sox have Beckham and Lillibridge and the Angels have Wood and Rodriguez. I really wish we'd taken Beckham instead of Alonso...maybe we can make up for it by trading Alonso and a pitcher or two for him.
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