Will "The Franchise" become a clubhouse cancer again?

[Krawhitham]

From a Ken Broo interview

I asked Phillips twice if he saw himself in a Cincinnati Reds uniform after this season. “Do I think so? No,” he told me. “I feel like if they wanted things to be done by now, I feel like it’s be done before spring training.”

“I’m happy for Sean Marshall, very happy for him,” Phillips continued. “He’s one of the best pitchers in baseball, in the bullpen. He’s a great guy. But for them (the Reds management) to sign him before signin’ me, I feel that was a slap in my face.”

http://kenbroo.wordpress.com/2012/03...ext-year-well/


His attitude in Cleveland basically forced them to give him away


Trade him for some young stock and use the 12 million toward Votto

His glove will be hard to replace but he is a career .272 on the backside of his career. He has already lose his power and speed.

[Mutaman]

His attitude in Cleveland basically forced them to give him away

Why in the world would anyone care about his attitude in Cleveland, over a zillion years ago? Talk about making something out of nothing.

[R_Webb18]

i dont think ppl understand how much we need him

[joshua]

If we traded him now, for one season of control, we wouldn't get much in return. If we lock him up to an OK contract for 5 or 6 years and flipped him for prospects, it'd be worth it. But that's not happening this season. We're letting him play out this year, may strike a one year deal next year and then one of our youngsters will come over and take over 2B.

And I doubt he'll become a cancer. He's always been a team player and a competitor who wants to win. He has beef with the front office, not the guys on the team. He'll still go out and bust ass to win. I could see him having a big year and then signing somewhere on the West Coast for a massive amount. That glove is hard to come by and he can hit too.

[goreds2]

How many players in baseball (if any) can play second base and bat ANYWHERE in the linsup like he does. Sign him for cryin' out loud.

[texasdave]

How many players in baseball (if any) can play second base and bat ANYWHERE in the linsup like he does. Sign him for cryin' out loud.

Don't believe everything Dusty tells you. In six seasons with the Reds his OPS+ is a very mediocre 102. Yeah, Dusty can put him in different spots in the lineup but that doesn't mean Brandon is doing the job. That being said, I'd like to see Phillips signed for about three more years.

[will5979]

BP is a d!ck, I experienced it first hand at the Reds caravan over the winter, good riddance to his piss-poor attitude. People need to quit acting like he is a HOFer (far from it). Let the crybaby walk and use the money to lock up Votto.

Votto > BP

Votto is 10x more valuable than Ocho-Cin...I mean BP.

[KYRedLeg]

BP is a d!ck, I experienced it first hand at the Reds caravan over the winter, good riddance to his piss-poor attitude. People need to quit acting like he is a HOFer (far from it). Let the crybaby walk and use the money to lock up Votto.

Votto > BP

Votto is 10x more valuable than Ocho-Cin...I mean BP.

[brad1176]

BP is a d!ck, I experienced it first hand at the Reds caravan over the winter, good riddance to his piss-poor attitude. People need to quit acting like he is a HOFer (far from it). Let the crybaby walk and use the money to lock up Votto.

Votto > BP

Votto is 10x more valuable than Ocho-Cin...I mean BP.

I'm pretty sure that's what is happening.

[DGullett35]

Ive said before. The media is what is going to drag this out. Them bringing it up every day will make him say things he shouldnt Hopefully this team doesnt get off to a slow start because this might get ugly. Leave the guy alone for the better of the team

[texasdave]

Ive said before. The media is what is going to drag this out. Them bringing it up every day will make him say things he shouldnt Hopefully this team doesnt get off to a slow start because this might get ugly. Leave the guy alone for the better of the team

Or he could simply say, "No comment".

[DGullett35]

He could but cmon. Theres no way a guy with a giant ego(almost everyone in professional sports) can say no comment over 162 times. Its going to happen. Im just sayin that the media is 99% to blame on this and thats sad

[Stray]

I like that he wants a contract and is upset that he hasn't got one yet. The alternatives would be wanting out of Cincinnati or just not caring at all.

I guess we can put a spin on anything, but the root of it is that he wants to finish his career in Cincinnati, nothing wrong with that.

Also, I highly doubt he'll be a locker room cancer or whatever. The team seems to genuinely like one another, this problem is just on the business side.

[texasdave]

Of course it is not the media's fault. I think asking Brandon Phillips about the status of his contract negotiations is a fair question. Honestly, if a player has a problem dealing with the media in Cincinnati then they are, more than likely, going to have a problem dealing with the media anywhere. I just don't feel asking about his contract negotiations is, or should be, out of bounds. Fans want to know.
And maybe the reason why there has been no settlement is that the Reds are not going to be able to meet his demands in either dollars or length of contract or both. Phillips should be savvy enough to understand that. He should understand that budget constraints in Cincinnati are going to be a factor. I am fairly certain Reds' management would like him back.
As far as the club reaching an agreement with Sean Marshall first being a 'slap in the face'. Just ridiculous.

[jwmann2]

I don't think Phillips will get a long term deal anywhere at 31 years old which means signing him for a four year deal just makes sense until we've got someone else in the farm system to replace him. Love the guy and he's an everyday player. Votto will command much more than 12 million. I expect in the 15-17 per year range.