Why? ONLY because he’s the only established “superstar” the Reds have, and that enough should tell us to cut him some slack.

There’s no Griffey or Dunn to kick around anymore.

Fact: He IS a ridiculously good defensive player and should be moved to shortstop – yeah, right, but still true, nonetheless. SS is still the most athleticially challenging position on the field, and BP is THE BEST overall player on the field – hands down and not even close at this point.

Fact: He IS seemingly clueless when it comes to smart offensive baseball – hence, his way-too-low OBP, regardless of his speed and skillset.

As we all know, BP is darn near singularly gifted with the holy “5 tools.” The problem is – HE DOESN’T KNOW IT! Or more accurately, he knows it, yet doesn’t know how to utilize it.

Someone in the Reds organization please personally have Eric Davis trail this guy every single day before he shortchanges his career with delusions of grandeur!

I agree: Hit him cleanup against lefties and 6th against righties……but it won’t happen.

I remember the day Brandon Larson was “recalled” by the Reds after having just been sent down about two days earlier. He gets in his car and is driving to Cincinnati from Louisville, and he gets a call on his cellphone telling him to return to Louisville.

Turns out the Reds weren’t allowed to recall him for 10 days after being sent down (Bowden made these mistakes somewhat often…I’m in a hurry and can’t think of their names, but I think we lost two AAAA type first basemen/bordering on big league power hitters due to waiver mistakes during Bowden’s time).

Larson could have easily gone home and sulked, but he goes to the Louisville ballpark and signs autographs for the kids in his street clothes with a smile.

I kept rooting for him (he played catch with my oldest son in Louisville the first time he ever went to a game), but it just didn’t happen for him.

Swinging at everything, and trying to yank everything for a HR, gets him trouble, I think.

I think Preach is on target with how the Reds’ players are managed. Yes, they have egoes, and I think they need big egoes at this level to be successful…

Still, he’s not as good as advertised….and I think he may be able to bring the most value back to the Reds in a deal….and may be the one of the most replaceable (after over paid middle relievers, centerfielder, and catcher).

He’s so full of enthusiasm and positive energy that even as he was ridiculing Daughtery’s shirt and some of his questions, he was respectful. He said a dozen different things that, taken out of context, would sound egotistical or just plain dumb.

He refused to say that he’d be more “selective” this year, as he doesn’t like the word “selective” applied to hitting. But he did say that he knows pitchers were pitching a little away from him the second half of last year and getting him to chase, and that he would have to adjust to that. Then he was asked what he would do this year when he goes a while without getting a hit (he doesn’t like the word “slump”). His reply: “Swing at the first pitch.” I couldn’t stop laughing.

He’s the rare athelete who interviews without cliches and is unguarded, spontaneous, and having a lot of fun. I think it’s his approach to everything, I’m glad he’s a Red.

Does he have a big ego? Certainly. But name me a club that doesn’t, especially amongst its better players. Perhaps if he wasn’t one of the best players on the team his ego would be a little more in check.

His most popular spot in the order in Cleveland?

The 9th spot.

as for saving runs, Baseball Prospectus estimates Phillips saved 13 runs more than the average second baseman last year, saving 14 more the previous year, but allowed 15 more than the average second baseman his first year with the Reds. For his three years with the Reds, it’s estimated that he’s saved 18 more runs than the average second baseman total over that period.

It says he produced three less runs than the average second baseman last year on offense, produced nine more than average in 2007, and one less than average in 2006, for a plus five over three years.

It’s one thing to be a stubborn ass and pretend OBP is some newfangled geek stat. He can be willfully stupid about what matters in winning ballgames. That’s not that unusual, among ballplayers (and writers, radio announcers, etc).

He can backhandedly bash his former teammates, pretending that Adam Dunn’s 40 HR made the team lose (as opposed to Eric Milton’s 6.00+ ERA). That’s bush, but whatever.

What he CANNOT do, is blow off his “player-friendly” manager. Despite his faults, Dusty Baker was giving Brandon Phillips exactly the right advice, in exactly the right way. He explained WHY Phillips needs to be more selective – not because patience is an end unto itself, but because pitchers were *specifically* taking advantage of BP’s lack of discipline.

But Brandon Me-First Phillips just KNOWS he’s a great hitter with no need for improvement (“especially for a second baseman.”) (Which explains why there’s no position change).

The most amusing thing is that, although he “doesn’t believe” in On-Base Percentage, he immediately cherry-picks some stats to make the case for his “good” season. I never knew “20-20-70″ had some special significance.

I really dislike that guy, actually.