Cincinnati Reds should look to move Phillips while keeping Cozart

The Cincinnati Reds need to keep Zack Cozart around as an example of hard work and doing things the right way.

The Cincinnati Reds have watched Cozart mature from a defensive minded shortstop to a perennial candidate for the All-Star Game.  Cozart  has played more than 120 games in four of the past five years.  In 2015, his personal best season to date, Cozart only played in 53 games.

Aside from 2015, Cozart has been fairly consistent.  His career OBP has been just short of .300 and his slugging has been .386.  With age those numbers appear trended upwards, but that is essentially what Cozart is offensively.

Defensively, Cozart posted the best range factor of his career in 2016.  He had the second best range factor in the National League.  Only Jonathan Villar of the Milwaukee Brewers had a better season.

The other main defensive stat is defensive wins above replacement.  Cozart was fifth in wins above replacement in 2016.  In all of MLB only defensive whiz, Andrelton Simmons of the Los Angeles Angels beat Cozart in both.

More from Reds News

• Reds: Luis Castillo shows why he should start potential Wild Card Game
• Reds roster demands Jesse Winker starts in center field tonight
• Reds vs. Dodgers: Pitching preview, prediction, and more
• Reds: The insurmountable task of overcoming Jesse Winker’s absence
• Reds: 3 players who may lose their roster spot when Jesse Winker returns

That’s the type of  veteran you want to keep around as an example for younger players to emulate.  Cozart probably had his best shot at an elite season last year, but he is still producing.  His time with the Reds may be winding down, but the end is not year here.

The Cincinnati Reds need to move on from Brandon Phillips in order for the youth movement to flourish.

This is the third off-season in a row that moving Phillips has been near the top of the Reds’ to do list.  Two years ago when they kept him, they lost their trade leverage.  That was the first year that Phillips looked old.

In 2014 hit only 8 home runs while playing in only 121 games, both career lows for Phillips’ time with the Reds.  His .306 OBP was also a new all-time low for his time with the Reds.  The Reds had late into the season to move Phillips, but they kept him until he could refuse the move.

Now Phillips is holding the team and the front office hostage.  Manager Bryan Price never made a stance against Phillips during the season.  If Phillips is going to be around, he needs to resemble the flexible Davey Concepcion rather than the inflexibility of Phillips.

Next: Devin Mesoraco cannot hold up, but nobody sees it

Want your voice heard? Join the Blog Red Machine team!

Write for us!

Cozart likely won’t make to the end of his career as a Red, but he should make it to the end of the off-season.  He is a leader that in underappreciated in the media.  It’s too bad Phillips has overstayed his welcome…