Brandon Phillips: The Thorn in the Side of the Reds’ Rebuild

It has reached that point in the offseason where news for fans of non-contending teams is virtually nonexistent. Whereas contending teams will still be filling out their rosters with new and interesting players, news for non-contending teams at this time generally consist of depth signings and mostly baseless trade rumors. After the rush of activity during and immediately following the Winter Meetings, the Reds’ Hot Stove has simmered down to the point of just being lukewarm. There are still rumors abound about the Reds trying to trade Jay Bruce, but nothing is really concrete on that front.

There was one piece of concrete Reds news this week, however. While it was widely reported that the Reds and Diamondbacks were discussing a Brandon Phillips for Aaron Hill swap of bad contracts, it was never reported just how far these talks went. As it turns out, they went quite far. In a promotion for the Reds’ Caravan on 700 WLW, Walt Jocketty noted that- in addition to Phillips blocking a trade to Washington, which was widely reported- he also blocked a trade to Arizona. Jocketty supplemented these comments by noting that Phillips simply wanted too much money to allow a trade to go through.

The Brandon Phillips saga has reached the point where as as Reds fans- and more important, Reds management- have to ask: What should we do with Brandon Phillips? This question might be a tough one for some fans who are understandably adverse to the idea of trading such a beloved player. Nostalgia blinders and blind optimism often override critical thinking and judgement in these situations and for these fans, nothing will convince them that trading Phillips is a good idea. Still, the question must be confronted. Just what should the Reds do with Brandon Phillips?

This question held relevance even before the Todd Frazier trade. Eugenio Suarez appeared to be the heir apparent to the Reds’ second base position, where his bat plays much better than third base, where the Reds plan to play him. However, with the Reds receiving Jose Peraza as the main piece for star third baseman Todd Frazier, the impetus to move Brandon Phillips off of the keystone has never been greater. Peraza’s two main assets appear to be his plus plus speed and his close MLB proximity. Scouts seem to have varying opinions about his overall worth, but most seem to agree that he is big league ready.

This is an important factor to consider here. From Walt Jocketty’s quotes, it’s pretty clear that the Reds’ strategy in acquiring prospects this offseason has been to prioritize players who are MLB ready, with some sacrifices being made to the overall quality of players received. The general consensus from reporters and analysts alike is that, from a talent perspective, Peraza simply wasn’t good enough as a centerpiece for a player like Todd Frazier. However, the Reds are betting on his ability to come in and quickly establish himself in the Major Leagues, with the hope being that he will be ready to be a big part of the next contending Reds team.

This brings us to Brandon Phillips. The Reds’ stated goal is to have this be a simple “retooling” instead of a full out rebuild and to be ready to contend again by 2017 or 2018 at the latest. Whether this is actually feasible is questionable at best, but if they do want to contend by 2017 or 2018, then they can absolutely not have Peraza’s first significant MLB action be in those seasons. One of the perks of a team approaching a season where they could easily lose 100 games is that the games don’t really matter, which makes it a perfect time to get young players’ feet wet. The Reds- despite doubts from scouts across the board- clearly see Jose Peraza as a future star. It was widely rumored that he was supposed to be the centerpiece in the failed Aroldis Chapman trade, and they went back and accepted him as the centerpiece for an even more valuable player. With this being the case, they absolutely need to get him at bats in 2016. He currently does not have a spot to play. This brings us back to another critical question: From a baseball perspective, how does starting Brandon Phillips in 2016 help the team? The answer to that question, unfortunately, is that it doesn’t. 

This brings us back to another critical question: From a baseball perspective, how does starting Brandon Phillips in 2016 help the team? The answer to that question, unfortunately, is that it doesn’t.

You could certainly make an argument that Brandon Phillips is the best option the Reds have at the position from a production standpoint (although the projections aren’t as decisive as you might think.) But, with the games not really meaning anything in 2016, the Reds need to focus on the future. As much as you may like Brandon Phillips as a player, it’s really inarguable that he isn’t in the team’s future plans. He’ll already be 35 next year, and is only under contract through 2017. Given his age and the obvious friction between him and the front office, it’s clear that the team doesn’t view him as a future piece.

The Reds have tried to trade Brandon Phillips this offseason- twice, in fact. So far, no team has been willing to pony up what he wants in order to push a deal through, which really isn’t surprising since he’s 35 and overpaid under his current contract. That’s one option gone. There really isn’t any benefit to starting him in 2016, so that’s another option gone. The Reds have a tough choice to make here regarding one of their franchise players.

If I was the General Manager of the Reds- and we should all probably be glad that I’m not- I would explicitly tell Phillips that he has a choice to make. He needs to either accept a trade to go be the starting second baseman of some contending team, or be fine with riding the bench in Cincinnati. If he protests this decision and causes trouble in the clubhouse, he should be released, plain and simple. Not as a punishment for refusing to be traded, he has earned that right. He has earned the right to refuse any trade that might come his way, collecting every dollar owed to him in turn. However, the Reds also have a right to run their team as they see fit, and being the starting second baseman of the Reds isn’t part of the deal. Clearly, what the team sees fit is a future oriented approach, which would leave Jose Peraza as the team’s starting second baseman. If he accepts this role with grace and acts as a mentor for Peraza and other young players, great. If not, it’s time to move on. MLB contracts are a great example of sunk costs, and Phillips’ salary shouldn’t force the Reds to harm their future by plating him.

It’s a shame, really, that it’s come to this. Phillips should have been moved back in 2014, before he became a 10/5 player which would have avoided this drama that anyone with an ounce of foresight could have seen coming. There’s no doubt that Brandon Phillips has had a great career in Cincinnati, and it’s unfortunate that the BP Era is going to come to an end in this manner, with his greed overshadowing playing for a winner or helping out the team who has done so much for him over his career.