Phillips double in the 3rd

[Cant Touch This]

I didn't get the benefit of the replay, but it sure looked like Brandon stared down that double off the wall coming out of the batters box and didn't really start running until he realized he might be able to leg out a triple. By then it was too late.

I had a haunting suspicion at the time that his failure to get to third there would come back to bite the Reds, and it did. There was 1 out at the time, and had he reached third, he could have walked home on Votto's deep flyout. Instead, he was stranded at second and the Reds didn't score in the inning.

They went on to lose by 1.

Just grinds my gears because the Phillips of 2006 would have shot out of the box like a cannon, ensuring the triple. The superstar of 2010 dogged it and got burnt. Funny what money does to a player...

Incidentally, I really like Brandon Phillips. I was wondering if perhaps even he was pissed at himself for not running hard from the start. It just seems the Reds need every advantage they can get, so there simply is no room for dogging anything on this team.

[mattfeet]

I love Phillips, but he does this way too often. Someone needs to sit down and have a chat with him.

-Matt

[BigPoppa]

He did this the other day in Houston, when he hit a fly ball to center that dropped between Bourn and Pence.....had he busted out of the box, he would have extra bases.

BP's frequent pauses to stare at balls he thinks will be out always cost us bases.

This habit of his consistently chaps Marty's ass, too.

[GIDP]

http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/video...ent_id=7836405

this is the play, honestly I dont think he loafed it all that much.

[Cant Touch This]

Originally Posted by GIDP

http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/video...ent_id=7836405

this is the play, honestly I dont think he loafed it all that much.

There's been much worse, no doubt. But he definitely didn't get out of the box quickly and he most certainly didn't turn on the jets until it was too late. Point being: if that ball came off Adam Rosales' bat, it would have been a triple. And Phillips is faster than Rosales.

I hate to be critical about it, but the more I think about how much these players get paid to play baseball....it just kills me when I see mental lapses like this. I mean, when you break it down that he got paid about $11,500 for that single at bat. For that kind of compensation, players should be busting their entitled arses out of the box on every single ball that comes off the bat between the lines, and if they don't, I entirely support a system of fines. Earn your money, otherwise, give it back.

[swaisuc]

I don't have much to add other than Brandon Phillips is very, very hard to root for these days.

[Cant Touch This]

Originally Posted by swaisuc

I don't have much to add other than Brandon Phillips is very, very hard to root for these days.

I'm willing to give the benefit of the doubt because I think Phillips is a very likable guy. He's cordial with the fans and is very visible at events like Redsfest, and it's hard for me to not like the guy.

It's just a shame that as his career blossomed, he began to buy into the philosophy that hustle is on an as-needed basis only and that it's okay to take a play off here and there. That's why I would love to see a system of fines in place to remind him and others that, really, it's not okay. Not okay at all. And the fines should be directly proportional to the players' salaries: (i.e. say that violation costs you .5% of your salary, so if Janish did that, he should get fined about $2000 while the same infraction would cost Phillips almost $35K.) That'll learn 'em...

[GIDP]

Originally Posted by Cant Touch This

There's been much worse, no doubt. But he definitely didn't get out of the box quickly and he most certainly didn't turn on the jets until it was too late. Point being: if that ball came off Adam Rosales' bat, it would have been a triple. And Phillips is faster than Rosales.

I hate to be critical about it, but the more I think about how much these players get paid to play baseball....it just kills me when I see mental lapses like this. I mean, when you break it down that he got paid about $11,500 for that single at bat. For that kind of compensation, players should be busting their entitled arses out of the box on every single ball that comes off the bat between the lines, and if they don't, I entirely support a system of fines. Earn your money, otherwise, give it back.

Yea no doubt he didnt run out of the box but I just wanted to show that some people probably think he stood there and watched it for 5 seconds. I just want to make it clear it wasnt so cut and dry.

[Cant Touch This]

Originally Posted by GIDP

Yea no doubt he didnt run out of the box but I just wanted to show that some people probably think he stood there and watched it for 5 seconds. I just want to make it clear it wasnt so cut and dry.

Fair enough. I should have been more clear that it wasn't that he stood posing in the box - it was that from the time he finished his swing until about the time he was halfway between first and second, he was nowhere close to full speed. Inexcusable in my opinion.

[texasdave]

Originally Posted by GIDP

http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/video...ent_id=7836405

this is the play, honestly I dont think he loafed it all that much.

Just enough to cost the Reds a run.

[Griffey012]

Originally Posted by swaisuc

I don't have much to add other than Brandon Phillips is very, very hard to root for these days.

He is on the Reds, he is easy to root for. You may night be a big fan of his but it's still easy to root for him to perform.

[bgwilly31]

Originally Posted by texasdave

Just enough to cost the Reds a run.

lol. The announcers last night was thinking triple all the way. They were surprised to see only a double.

[goreds2]

Phillips did not speak to reporters after the game.

From Fays blog:

Baker talked to Phillips — again Posted by jfay May 5th, 2010, 10:28 am

Brandon Phillips’ lack of hustle on the ball off the wall last night was addressed. Phillips ended up with a double, instead of a triple, likely costing the Reds a run.

“He’s been talked to about this,” Dusty Baker said. “We’ve talked to Brandon quite often.

“I guess he’s better than he used to be. We’re trying to get him to the point where he can be a big difference maker every day. He certainly has the skill and ability.”

Is it hard for Baker to watch?

“What’s tough as a manager is when you’ve got an A student who’s getting Bs,” Baker said.

I tried to talk to Phillips. He did not want to talk about it last night. He did give me one quote. However, I can’t use it here.

[Jack Burton]

These are the types of things that cost you baseball games, Griffey was a culprit of these actions as well. Phillips needs to be moved. I hate a showboat, and you look like even more of a fool when it doesn't go over the fence.

Too bad they all can't play the game like Pete.

[jimbo]

Originally Posted by Jack Burton

Phillips needs to be moved. I hate a showboat, and you look like even more of a fool when it doesn't go over the fence.

I'm not so sure it has to do with showboating or lack of hustle, rather Phillips has developed a bad habit, and we all know how difficult it can be to rid ourselves of those habits.

When I played high school ball, I had a bad habit of flinging the bat around, instead of just dropping it, after I hit the ball, almost hitting the umpire on several occasions. I got warned multiple times for it, but had an awful time breaking it. You're just so focused on your at-bat.

I'm not defending Brandon's actions, just trying to come up with an explanation rather than the assumptions that he just isn't hustling, which I don't think is the case here.