Veteran second baseman Brandon Phillips is still hoping to continue his playing career, MLB.com’s Jon Morosi reports on Twitter. He has not signed with an organization since wrapping up a brief stint with the Red Sox last year.
Now 37 years of age, Phillips is well removed from his days as a stalwart performer with the Reds. He topped 120 games for the 12th straight season — and topped 140 for the 11th time in a dozen years — in a 2017 campaign split between the Braves and Angels. But Phillips didn’t sign on with the Boston organization until late last June and ultimately appeared in only nine contests at the game’s highest level.
Phillips didn’t exactly thrive in his brief MLB time last year, though a 27-plate-appearance sample isn’t much to go on. He was strong at Triple-A, turning in a .302/.348/.477 slash with four home runs over 161 plate appearances. And Phillips was still capable of near-average offense in the majors in 2017, posting a .285/.319/.416 slash in 604 trips to the plate.
That ’17 effort wasn’t far off of Phillips’s career mean. Trouble is, he’s no longer an elite defender at second base. Though UZR graded him as approximately average at the position in his most recent full MLB campaign, DRS assigned a well-below-average -7 score for the second consecutive season. Phillips has also posted some notable negatives in the baserunning arena, though he’s still capable of stealing a bag.
Phillips’s low-walk, high-contact skillset could still hold appeal, particularly to a team that still believes in his glovework. The grading systems were neutral to bullish on his 218 innings at third base in 2017, the first time he had ever played there in the majors. Phillips is no shrinking violet; his occasionally brash presence might not be for every team but could be seen as a bonus in the right circumstances.
It isn’t apparent what kind of opportunity Phillips is looking for. He says he’s staying in shape, but there’s no indication of his preferred timeline. Phillips showed last year that he’s willing to undertake an extended run in the minors, though he surely did so knowing there was a chance at an important role for a championship contender. Whether he’ll be able to secure such an opportunity this time around remains to be seen.
Yankees need IFs and so does the Indians. BoSox played a catcher today
Indians, but unless he could play SS they would’ve just kept Miller.
I think the Yanks need a lot more help than that. They might not even get a wild card slot if they keep it up.
They did, and Vasquez made a couple fine plays early on. He’d definitely have to learn to sidearm.
Washed up
Id like to see you guys compare bank accounts.
what’s money have to do with the fact he’s washed up?
Brandon Phillips being washed up, is completely separate from captainchaos55 being a never-was.
Never claimed to be ….. I would know when to quit tho. He had a nice career now go coach 3 rd in AA
Oops. You responded with your other account. Classic troll move.
yeah, why not?
Good luck with that.
Did he get a ring from the Red Sox for last year?
I think he was left off the postseason roster so probably not.
I wouldn’t doubt that he got one. There is no set rule and most teams will give rings to players who only played a few games. Teams usually commission 3 grades of rings (A,B. and C). I would bet that Phillips received at least a B grade ring.
After winning in 2015 KC gave out over 700 rings…..everyone from players, FO, and announcers to grounds crew and hot dog vendors.
Cubs gave out 1,908 rings. That was a coincidence.
Yes he did. Anybody who plays a single game at any point in the year gets a ring.
Anyone on the 40 man roster at any point during the season or that works for the organization gets a ring.
I believe anybody who appears is a game for the entire year gets a ring.
If he’s willing to head to AAA, why not sign the guy unless he’s blocking a true prospect? I
id take him over yolmer sanchez
All the power to him. If he manages to play this season, he’ll be one of just 5 active players with 2,000+ hits (Pujols, Cabrera, Cano, and Markakis).
It’s sometimes hard to say goodbye to these types of players, 1758 major league games from 2006 through 2017.
He probably won’t reach it, but he is so close to 1000 RBI’s. That would be a huge milestone for himself.
I wouldn’t mind seeing him get an opportunity. If he can still hit and isn’t bad with the glove why not. I’d rather he get ph’s, pr, and defensive replacement opportunites instead of putting a real prospect in that role.
Retire
Can he pitch?
Might not be a bad fit with the Rockies if Hampson can’t start hitting and Murphy/McMahon are injured. He’d be a great vet bench bat even after they return. I doubt they sign him though. It’s not really their style.
Should have called him up while Pedroia was out, maybe?
He’s not in the organization anymore. They’d have to sign him and add him to 40-man roster. Not happening.
White Sox could probably use him as a stopgap if Sanchez doesn’t start to get going.
I think Brandon Phillips is a Great Player, he is fun to watch!! He always looks like he is having fun. I feel the Reds shouldn’t have gotten rid of him in the first place , I have been a REDS fan since 1971 and they had a good team with Phillips, Cozart, Hamilton,&Fraizer. Every time they trade and get new players they still end up in last place.