Time for Brandon Phillips to Break his Media Silence in Cincinnati
By Robb Hoff
Mar 3, 2014; Goodyear, AZ, USA; Cincinnati Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips (4) at bat against the Seattle Mariners in the first inning at Goodyear Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Cincinnati Reds’ second baseman Brandon Phillips has been a lightning rod for generating his share of media controversy ever since his derogatory comments about the St. Louis Cardinals led to a confrontation at the plate with Cardinals’ catcher Yadier Molina and a scrum of Reds and Cardinals players on the field during a game in 2010.
Phillips unleashed the lesser side of his gift of gab in Cincinnati last year with comments in a magazine article that blasted Reds’ ownership over his contract extension and videotaped vitriol that showed Phillips verbally skewering a Reds’ beat newspaper reporter in front of Reds’ former manager Dusty Baker.
Since then, Phillips has decided to sever his media contact with reporters from Cincinnati, which may have served both his purposes and those of the Reds’ front office but has not benefited the fans in Reds Country who have made Phillips one of the most beloved Reds’ in franchise history.
The time has come for Phillips to speak to Cincinnati media again. With a season in flux and doubt due to a slew of injuries, Phillips has the ability to help galvanize Reds’ fans around him as the season starts.
Although Phillips has pelted five home runs during spring training games this year, he hasn’t otherwise had a statistically good spring at the plate (batting average under .200 and on-base percentage under .300), but there are reasons to believe that Phillips may have an all-star caliber season.
Now that the trade speculation that swirled around Phillips during the offseason is behind him and he has proven his point to Cincinnati media throughout spring training that he did not appreciate their treatment of him, it’s time for Phillips to end his media ban and renew his stature as a rallying point for Reds’ fans to support during an upcoming season that is fraught with uncertainty.