Last night was a microcosm of Brandon Phillips. He works a walk and then proceeded to get picked off first base because he is lazily walking away from the bag. But he can go out and play top notch defense.
My patience is wearing thin with BP. He used to be a great base runner. His first season with the Reds he was caught stealing 2 times all year long. This season he has 1-4 and picked off at least twice. He is being thrown out by a mile when he steals. He is hacktastic at the plate and swings for the fences too much. It has been pretty clearly stated that he is best when he hits the ball to the RC gap. Problem is he pulls off the ball too much trying to hit it 500 feet.
If I am Dusty Phillips is sitting for tonight's game and maybe Thursday's. Mental lapses at the rate Phillips is having them is unacceptable. If I am Walt I am looking for a trading partner right away. I have a bad feeling that Phillips is going to become an expensive headache over the next few years.