Phillips vs. Votto

[Thomaswaynem]

I have been thinking about this a lot lately with the BP talk on this thread and Votto thread in the other forum. I kind of think that the Reds are going to try to extend Votto this year, but if it is obvious that he isn't going to resign after 2013 that they will sign Phillips. If this is also the case, I think that the Reds will try to trade Votto.

Considering what we have heard about teams that would be interested, and seeing how Toronto has the #1 farm system in baseball, I think the Votto to Toronto deal is obvious. What do you guys think? Go for it with Votto this year and if it doesn't look like it will work sign Phillips to avoid losing both?

With that being said, I would rather commit to Votto for 7 to 8 years than Phillips for 5 to 6 for the similar age bracket. Thoughts?

[mikemo14]

Judging from Walt's comments on the caravan, are right on. i think they have put Phillips on the back burner to make every atempt to get Votto signed long term. if it becomes apparent they can't get Votto signed, I could see them locking up BP this year and dealing Votto next year.

[joshua]

I think that's what they're up to and I agree. If we can't extend Votto, we trade him to Toronto this offseason and take as much of their farm system as they can. #1 pitching prospect, a SS prospect, 3B prospect, 1B prospect and a reliever would be the deal I would try to make for an young annual MVP candidate.

[nmculbreth]

I cannot imagine trying to sign Phillips to an extension without the Reds making some sort of determination about what they're going to do with Votto going forward.

As things currently stand Votto is already due for a $7.5mil pay increase in 2013 and if he were to sign a LTC that number could very well balloon to close to $13.5mil. There will be some cost savings with Rolen, Madson and Marshall coming off of the books but pay increases for Bruce and Cueto plus the arbitration raises are going to eat into most of that savings. As such I'm not sure it's a given that the Reds could afford to extend Phillips and even keep Votto on his current deal, let alone at his fair market value.

That said even if the Reds determine that Votto isn't likely to be a Red after 2013, extending Phillips at the market-rate is a sucker bet for a small market club like the Reds. Brandon Phillips has been a great Red in every sense of the word and has earned every penny he's been paid but the Reds need to pay for future, not past, performance. Brandon will be 32 in 2013 and I want no part of signing him for 4 years, $40mil+.

The smart play is make qualifying one year offers to Phillips and Madson and stockpile draft picks after they sign LTCs elsewhere.

[RadfordVA]

Agree with most. If the reds cant do both which I completely understand, try to lock up votto first. Phillips needs to not let this get personal as he seems very sensitive about it. After all he is the highest paid red this year with arroyo. Hard to complain about being the highest paid when you are not the top player. If they dont get votto I feel they have to extend BP. Either way this goes Im screwed because my 7 year olds favorite is BP and my 8 year old son is Votto haha

[alett12]

I hope they can get a 3 year deal with Brandon with 2 club option years.