In less than one month, on July 4, Major League Baseball will announce the starters for the annual All-Star Game in Anaheim. Voting from the fans has taken place, which leads to many fan favorites starting the game. However, the starters of the All-Star game should be the absolute best that the league has to offer.
Here is a list of nine players who should get an additional look, as well as some more votes, before the rosters get finalized.
With the Reds in first place of the NL Central near the end of May, hope is back in Cincy. The only problem is that the Reds may be playing the best baseball they’ve played in years, but they are not the most complete team in the division. These 5 roster moves, in my opinion, are needed to make the Redlegs a better team. By trading away, trading for, or moving certain players into different spots, it would make the team better defensively, offensively, and chemistry wise. Otherwise known as….a complete team. Enjoy!
The most impressive play, or non-play, of the Mother’s Day game at Great American Ball Park came immediately after Cincinnati Reds’ rookie sensation, Mike Leake allowed his first legitimate hit in the top of the seventh—a two-out double to Cubs’ outfielder Marlon Byrd.
After pitching hitless baseball through the front five, Leake gave up an infield single. If the official score keeper were a cool dude or dudette they would have ruled it an error. In reality, the hot grounder off the bat of Starlin Castro was a single.
But still—c’mon score keep, it’s was Mother’s Day. What? Do you not love your momma or something?
Unfazed, Leake retired the next five. Which brings us to the two-out double in the seventh.
The ball was hammered. Thus, relieving the official score keeper of a multitude of death threats.
The best part of the play came immediately afterwards.
Leake barked at Brandon Phillips and Orlando Cabrera while they were yukking it up over at second base with Byrd.
Both Phillips and Cabrera were probably joking with the Cubs’ outfielder that they had saved the score keeper a multitude of death threats—if they were witty and clever enough.
Mind you, this is a two-run ballgame. The tying run is now at the plate.
Is this really the appropriate time to be fraternizing with an opponent who had just gotten the Cubs first legit hit?
Who knows what Leake barked?
Probably something to the tune of, “Get back into position, I am trying to pitch a winning baseball game for OUR team. You clowns are impeding me from doing me from doing so.”
Last week Eric Ball wrote an outstanding article titled, “Brandon Phillips Will Never Be the Leader the Cincinnati Reds Need .”
Exhibit-A should include a photo of the 22-year old rookie barking, none too kindly, at his 28-year old, multi-million dollar second baseman to get back to work.
In Ball’s piece he states, “Unfortunately, he (Phillips) simply doesn’t lead by example on the field.”
True. True. True.
Mike Leake does lead by example, and Brandon Phillips needs to start taking some notes.
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Brandon Phillips is a good player, one of the best players for the Cincinnati Reds. Yet he continually disappoints fans with his lack of hustle.
Case in point: Tuesday night against the New York Mets.
Phillips laces a pitch off the left- center field wall that ended up taking a weird bounce. Had he been hustling, Phillips would have easily cruised into third with a triple. Instead he admired his hit and managed to only make it to second.
Joey Votto followed Phillips with a deep drive to left-center. Had Phillips been on third he would have been able to trot home on sacrifice fly. Not a big deal? The Mets beat the Reds by one run.
“He’s been talked to about this,” Reds manager Dusty Baker said. “We’ve talked to Brandon quite often”.
Phillips is one of the Reds best players. He plays outstanding defense at second base, and has a Golden Glove to show for it. He has been a career .274 hitter for the Reds and is very durable, having battled various finger and wrist injuries throughout his Redlegs tenure. He’s the only Red to play every inning this year.
But he is not the leader the Reds need.
He has claimed in the past of his desire to be the “face of the franchise”, and how he wants to play the rest of his career in Cincinnati. Sure, he busts out that huge grin for the annual Reds van PR campaign. He does his part in the community to ensure the Reds maintain a positive image with it’s fans.
Unfortunately, he simply doesn’t lead by example on the field.
“I guess he’s better than he used to be. We’re trying to get him to the point where he can be a big difference maker every day. He certainly has the skill and ability,” said Baker.
Better than he used to be?? Last year he was called out in a series against the Royals for missing a sign. He was also criticized for lack of hustle on another deep hit that could have been a double or triple. Instead, Phillips got a single out of it.
There is no need to admire the ball you hit Brandon, that’s what replays on the scoreboard and game tape are for. The Reds are bad enough on offense as it is (.238 team average), they need every base they can get.
Joey Votto and Scott Rolen hit back-to-back home runs in the eighth inning of the Mets game, and both players practically sprinted around the bases. Was this a direct signal from the true leaders of the team to Phillips?
Baker has always been a “player’s manager,” and it really does show with the way he handles Phillips. A day after the gaffe he was once again in the starting lineup, business as usual.
“What’s tough as a manager is when you’ve got an A-student who’s getting Bs,” Baker said.
Time to put Phillips in detention for a few games until he learns his lesson. But will he even get the message?
History says no.
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