I would hope Phillips could be better than Jeter @ SS.
I mean we are talking about one of the worst defensive SS in all of MLB nowadays...
I would think Phillips could be on par with the current version of Alex Gonzalez.
At worst, I'd think Phillips would be an average SS, no?
Is it just me, or are there two separate threads on this same topic right now? Mods... any chance we could merge them for ease of use? Thanks.
“Every level he goes to, he is going to compete. They will know who he is at every level he goes to.” -- ED on EDLC
Definitely.
In Brandon's world, you can't spell team without "me".
And while his GG caliber D @ 2B is awesome (don't get me wrong), he'll do everything he can to make himself the most money while attempting to be the best 2B (which he'll never do while guys like Utley, Hudson, Zobrist, Pedroia, Kinsler, or Roberts continue to play 2B).
So, kinda hard to be the best 2B in MLB when you're only arguably the 2nd best 2B in your league (Utley clearly the best, I prefer Hudson over Phillips)....
I completely agree, which is why he won't switch.
He'll continue to throw his name in the hat with the NL 2Bs. Right now his competition is Utley, Hudson and Castillo.
He switches to SS, and he's gotta compete with the likes of Rollins (overrated, IMO), Jose Reyes (when healthy), Tejada, Theriot, Furcal, Hardy, Renteria (only by name though, he's going the way of Derek Jeter), Y. Escobar. Bigger list, harder to make a name for yourself.
So, I can see Brandon looking out for Brandon and his awards mantle.
Didn't BP idolize Larkin growing up? I say you bring in Barry and let him work with BP in the off-season/ST, and give it a go in 2010. I agree that with Rolen at 3B, BP would just have to not be awful to stick at SS.
I'll leave it to the numbers guys to figure out, but what generate more runs: AGon at SS and BP at 2nd, or a decent-gloved BP at SS and a decent batting/mediocre gloved Frazier at 2nd? With the rotation in a great deal of disarray for 2010, I'll take the boost in offense.
If he wants to add to his awards mantle, those SS are much worse defensively than those 2B. Reyes is shaky with his footwork, arm, and vapor locks in pressure situations. Tejada has the range of a 3b. Theriot is Ryan Freel with a better bat, Rafael Furcal can't bend at the waist, Renteria is 110 years old, and Yunel Escobar reminds no one in Atlanta of Rafael Ramirez or Jeff Blauser, for that matter.
If he's a "me-first" guy, Phillips should see:
- SS as a higher profile position
- SS offers a better chance at free agent big money
- Only Reyes and perhaps Escobar as All Star level players at the position
- Comparisons to favorite Red, Larkin
- Becoming media darling and ersatz captain for putting team first
Meanwhile, at 2B, he has to deal with Utley, everyone's Greatest 2B in the Game. (Deservedly so.)
Easy call, that, I'd think.
I agree with Scrap Irony. SS is definitely more of a glamour position with higher potential for earning. He's a potential allstar at SS.
Personally, I think Phillips would play either SS or 2b. What's been holding the Reds back? That huge mistake named AGon. What if the Reds tried Phillips last year at SS and he thrived there? What would they do with the untradable AGon this year?
[Phil ] Castellini celebrated the team's farm system and noted the team had promising prospects who would one day be great Reds -- and then joke then they'd be ex-Reds, saying "of course we're going to lose them". #SellTheTeamBob
Nov. 13, 2007: One of the greatest days in Reds history: John Allen gets the boot!
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