Brandon Phillips: Baseball Needs More Swag

[dougdirt]

And do you think that the hard fouls are just random acts of violence or are they sometimes caused by something else?

I think they are more because of the physical play that actually happens in that sport, unlike baseball where there are games without any contact at all between players on the field.

[Hubba]

I think they are more because of the physical play that actually happens in that sport, unlike baseball where there are games without any contact at all between players on the field.

So the NBA is really the NFL in disguise?

[dougdirt]

So the NBA is really the NFL in disguise?

No, but there are actual contact plays. Guys are using their hands to guard each other. Guys take charges. Guys set picks. They run into each other. They smack each other in the arms and face, usually on accident, while trying to knock the ball away from a player. Those at least make sense as to why someone would take exception and confront another player. Baseball tries to confront you for looking at a baseball you hit for to long. It is kind of insane.

[edabbs44]

I'll take MLB over NBA any day. A sport that is more popular with "today's generation" but also includes players pulling guns on each other and riots in the stands doesn't really grab me.

[dougdirt]

I'll take MLB over NBA any day. A sport that is more popular with "today's generation" but also includes players pulling guns on each other and riots in the stands doesn't really grab me.

Those things have nothing to do with showing excitement on the field of play and being retaliated against for it.

[oregonred]

Swag time obviously starts Tuesday and in October. Down the stretch, not so much...

Good thing the regular season didn't go another 2-3 games or his OPS would start with a .6xx. Datdude crashed all the way to a .705 OPS and a .310 OBP. And he's convinced that he had a great season with those 103RBIs... Sept = .539 OPS and 4 RBIs

C Trent was being generous. That clueless Fat MF'er overstated DatDude's OBP by 10 points. Walt should be working the phones bigtime in the offseason to move this contract. I doubt he'd get a lot of takers without the Reds eating some of the salary.

[Hubba]

Swag time obviously starts Tuesday and in October. Down the stretch, not so much...

Good thing the regular season didn't go another 2-3 games or his OPS would start with a .6xx. Datdude crashed all the way to a .705 OPS and a .310 OBP. And he's convinced that he had a great season with those 103RBIs... Sept = .539 OPS and 4 RBIs

C Trent was being generous. That clueless Fat MF'er overstated DatDude's OBP by 10 points. Walt should be working the phones bigtime in the offseason to move this contract. I doubt he'd get a lot of takers without the Reds eating some of the salary.

I've asked this question before but didn't get an answer, Why did the Indians give him away? To much swag maybe? Why in the world would one have to have swag to play baseball. However I would never pay someone to take him off our hands, He is still a good player, Maybe not as good as he thinks he is tho. Dusty need to tell him to shut-up and worry about baseball.
No blacks in baseball???????????????????????????

[Hubba]

Edited for content.

[swaisuc]

I've asked this question before but didn't get an answer, Why did the Indians give him away? To much swag maybe? Why in the world would one have to have swag to play baseball. However I would never pay someone to take him off our hands, He is still a good player, Maybe not as good as he thinks he is tho. Dusty need to tell him to shut-up and worry about baseball.
No blacks in baseball???????????????????????????

I have no idea what your last statement there is supposed to mean (I might not want to know), but I'll address the rest of it.

IIRC correctly Wedge and company ran him out of Cleveland for having a bad attitude when told to run balls out or give additional effort. I think they viewed him as a guy who wouldn't put the work in to be great and wasn't worth the headache for the coaches.

[oregonred]

The Reds are now overpaying datdude through 2017 after benefitting from many years on the front end. They'd probably have to eat a part of the salary to escape the $52M owed over the back end which unless someone overvalues him in the market means he won't be moved.

The irony is that with no organizational depth the Reds need Phillips in 2014 to keep the window open (which appears to be closing much faster than envisioned six months ago with the resurgence of the Cards, the up and coming Pirates and soon to be rebuilt Cubs in the division) even though he will be much harder to deal after next season staring at age 34 in 2015.

Let's hope 2013 was impacted by various injuries and he can pull together a strong 2014-2015 during the open window, but it sure looks like he has really slowed down, become more frail and aged before our eyes over the past couple of seasons. The back end of this contract is going to be ugly.

[New York Red]

The following Twitter conversation may or may not have recently occurred:

Brandon Phillips @DatDudeBP: Yo, Trent. Sorry I called ya' fat. Can I have my OBP back?

ctrent @ctrent: What about my mom?

Brandon Phillips @DatDudeBP: Yeah, I know you ain't got carnal knowledge there, bro. My bad.

ctrent @ctrent: Ok. Your OBP is in my closet. Let me check.

Brandon Phillips @DatDudeBP: K. Thx, dude.

ctrent @ctrent: Uh. Sorry. Your OBP won't come out.

Brandon Phillips @DatDudeBP: You're just messin', right? Why?

ctrent @ctrent: Your OBP doesn't think your SLG is swag enough.

Dusty Baker @PhatToothpick: Brandon, batting practice. Now.

Brandon Phillips @DatDudeBP: Skip, I can't get my OBP back from @ctrent

Dusty Baker @PhatToothpick: That's between you and him.

DatDude's OBP @bp2swag4OBP: Actually, that's between him and him.

Walt Jocketty @redboss1: Even better.

This post isn't getting enough love. Too funny.

[reds44]

The underlying racial tones in this thread are hilarious and awful at the same time.