Is It Time To Lock Up Brandon Phillips Long Term?

[RedLegSuperStar]

What do you think? Should the Reds take a page from the Cleveland Indians and lock up one of their young stars? Or should they just offer arbitration for the next few years?

[HumnHilghtFreel]

I'm not quite sure. I'm not completely sure how the arbitration process works, but with the numbers he has put up this year and last, I'm assuming that his arb. salary might jump a bit. I think that if we offer to extend him early on kind of a "good faith" deal, he might give a bit of a below market value/home team discount kind of like Harang.

Edit: I should also mention that I have no idea what his current contract situation is. And upon further review, we have him locked up until 2011. No way should we extend him anytime soon. Let's bring this up again in 2009 at the earliest.

[jojo]

Right now he is locked up long term as the Reds control him for multiple years to come. It's the the time to do the dance of joy because he's in the sector of the market where players absolutely are underpaid for their level of production. This is what allows the team to overpay for production in the other sector of the market-free agency.

IMHO, the Reds need to parlay this advantage into a FA signing that improves them this offseason. If Phillips proves to be a consistent high level performer, they should consider pulling a Hafner with about 1.5 years of service time left (i.e. which means getting a discount by simply paying him what his production is worth rather than what the market will bear).

[Falls City Beer]

I like Phillips, but he strikes me as a potentially volatile producer. Go year to year for now.

[bucksfan2]

Originally Posted by Falls City Beer

I like Phillips, but he strikes me as a potentially volatile producer. Go year to year for now.

Thats what a lot of people worried about Phillips coming into this year. I think he is here to stay, when they lock him up may be another questoin. The reds need to get him for as cheap and as long as they can.

[redsfan30]

Brandon Phillips is one of the few players on this 25 man roster that I would consider untouchable.

[icehole3]

Originally Posted by bucksfan2

Thats what a lot of people worried about Phillips coming into this year. I think he is here to stay, when they lock him up may be another questoin. The reds need to get him for as cheap and as long as they can.

I agree, whether he signs a 2 or 3 year contract for 2 or 3 million or just take him to arbitration each year, if he goes to arbitration he'll probably get a lot more, he's mature enough to understand the business part of the game. The Reds have to use their money this offseason on a quality arm...Phillips understands that.

[mth123]

Originally Posted by Falls City Beer

I like Phillips, but he strikes me as a potentially volatile producer. Go year to year for now.

I agree. As Jo Jo said, time to reap the benefits of his cheap years and as you suggest, limit the risk if he falls off a cliff. 2009 or 2010 is the time to start thinking about a long term deal IMO.

[RedLegSuperStar]

Me personally would try to sign him to a 5 year 25-30 million dollar contract

[westofyou]

Brandon Phillips ss
1 year/$0.4075M (2007)

* renewed 3/07 (split contract paying $196,200 in minors)
* 1 year (2006)
o cquired in trade after being DFA 4/06
o renewed 3/06
* 1 year/$0.3168M (2005)
o re-signed 2/05
o split contract paying $162,000 in minors
* 1 year/$0.3009M (2003) 3/03
* agent: Levinson brothers
* ML service: 2.022

Ride that service time and maximize the performance you get on the dollar.

If he shows any acumen in obtaining walks then I'd lock him up through his last arb years.

Concerning his HR last night I found this tidbit at www.baseballmusings.com

Opponents are now six for twelve against Maine with the bases loaded, including two home runs.

[OnBaseMachine]

Yes, but not right now. Brandon may be willing to take a discount since he has stated many times that he would love to finish his career in Cincinnati. But like others have said, I would ride that service time and wait a little while longer before locking him up long-term.

How great has Brandon been this year? His defense has been down right goldglove caliber while his offense has been just as good. He has already surpassed his homerun total from a year ago, and is looking like he could reach 30 homers/30 stolen bases (currently on pace for 33 homers and 29 stolen bases). He could stand to take a few more walks but I think that will come as he gets older.

[RBA]

Originally Posted by westofyou

Concerning his HR last night I found this tidbit at www.baseballmusings.com

Quote:
Opponents are now six for twelve against Maine with the bases loaded, including two home runs.

Does that include Hat's 0-2 in bases loaded situations last night?

[westofyou]

Originally Posted by RBA

Does that include Hat's 0-2 in bases loaded situations last night?

Probably not, it was posted on the fly, so it's likely changed since Hatt was after the posting.

[WVRedsFan]

Originally Posted by Falls City Beer

I like Phillips, but he strikes me as a potentially volatile producer. Go year to year for now.

Exactly. We're a couple of years away from having to go long term. Let's wait and see.

Of course, I might expect our GM to offer one anyway. Almost everyone who has a good season gets one on this team.

[RBA]

I don't know. 2011 is a long way off for Phillips to think about year after year. He's going to be looking around, he's going to see him carrying the team on occasion and than he'll look over to his other team mates. He'll see Ross with a multi-million dollar contact, he'll see Castro making millions, he'll see bad pitcher after another earning several million dollars. He maybe okay with it now, but as time goes by, he probably will get bitter and he will be ready to leave Cincinnati as soon as he can.

I think 2009 will be a good time to haggle with him before he's priced out of the market.