I don't think the Reds would have given him that contract if there was help in the immediate future coming from the minors. I don't think he will be traded.
I've been as hard on Brandon as anyone about the C. Trent situation, but never in a million years would I use that as a basis to trade him.
Now, say Cano leaves the Yankees and they're looking for a replacement. Do I knock on their door and see if they're interested? Absolutely I would. Brandon is a good player, but he's declining and overpaid. In a few years I don't think this deal will look good at all. If I'm Walt, I at least explore the market. But I think there's a 0% chance of that happening, because to do so would admit that the signing was a mistake in the first place.
Trade Phillips? And play whom? There is not a plausible prospect until you get to Billings in the rookie league where you have Avain Rachal who looks really, really good. He is all of 19. He is in the rookie league which signifies nothing (although his numbers are impressive). Above that failed-phenom filled league there is not a second baseman worth a second look. HRod has an iron glove and a BABIP driven bat in the lower levels that turned toothpick once AAA pitching and the lords of reality bit his BABIP pumpkin into a normal number. The FA list reveals more costly options like Cano who is not coming to GAB. Utley is 34 and will likely cost as much or more as BP if the Phils don't extend him. Infante? Johnson? Keep Phillips.
I see what you are saying, but I think at a certain point you can't just keep BP because he's slightly better than the alternatives. If 2B is a black hole league wide, the smart teams will just plug in a replacement-level player, save money, and look to invest elsewhere.
I gather from this that the view of some is that Phillips is slightly better than a replacement level alternative. I find this to be a mind boggling statement. The guy is driving runs at a very high rate this year. High rate -- not just a high number but a high percentage. He is still a gold glove candidate. He was the NL starting all star second baseman.
It continues to amaze me how everybody just applauds Frazier, hitting .230, Mesoraco hitting .690 OPS or thereabouts, and folks want to get rid of Brandon Phillips.
The Reds need some veterans like Phillips. Even if his performance isn't at its peak. This isn't AA ball, it isn't all about potential high upsides. You need some guys who have been around the block and have shown they can play over a sustained period.
Last edited by Kc61; 08-30-2013 at 02:34 PM.
Games are won on run differential -- scoring more than your opponent. Runs are runs, scored or prevented they all count the same. Worry about scoring more and allowing fewer, not which positions contribute to which side of the equation or how "consistent" you are at your current level of performance.
The Reds tried Frazier at 2B. It was an utter disaster.
For whatever reason, he just flat out looked confused with everything on that side of the bag. His reactions were slow and his footwork was terrible. He looked like he was out there trying to learn to throw left handed and had to think through every last motion from his toes to his hand to make a play.
IIRC, Frazier struggled with footwork at 2b and was deemed unlikely to succeed there.
I had forgotten that. At this point, it sounds like that shift would take a lot more work than we can afford.
It reminds me of Aaron Boone. Actually, Boone isn't a horrible comp for Frazier in general. Boone had a bit more speed and Frazier has a little more power and swing & miss, but in general they're fairly similar types of player.
And Aaron didn't really work at 2B either.
Games are won on run differential -- scoring more than your opponent. Runs are runs, scored or prevented they all count the same. Worry about scoring more and allowing fewer, not which positions contribute to which side of the equation or how "consistent" you are at your current level of performance.
I definitely had Boone in mind when I brought up the 2B possibility, as well as the guys a lot of teams in recent years have converted into second basemen as WonderfulMonds touched on like Skip Schumaker, Matt Carpenter, Neil Walker, Daniel Murphy, etc. I think it would something worth trying...but it only matters if the Reds trade BP, which they 95% likely won't, so it's a moot point.
“I don’t care,” Votto said of passing his friend and former teammate. “He’s in the past. Bye-bye, Jay.”
I know this is a very prospect-oriented site, most message boards are, fans love the home-grown young players. It's understandable.
But Todd Frazier has hit .230 with a .705 OPS and a below .390 SLG -- as a power hitter -- this year. I wouldn't make a lot of plans built around him as a regular until he snaps back offensively.
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