February 15, 2008

Reds Lock Up Brandon Phillips

By
Amanda
Posted at 8:21 pm

SARASOTA — The Cincinnati Reds and 2B Brandon Phillips have avoided arbitration by agreeing to a four-year contract through the 2011 season with a club option for 2012. Financial terms of the deal were not announced.

Phillips, 26, last season received votes for the National League’s Silver Slugger, Gold Glove and Most Valuable Player awards while earning the Ernie Lombardi Award as the Reds’ Most Valuable Player.

In 158 games for Cincinnati he hit .288 with 30 HR, 94 RBI and 32 stolen bases in becoming only the second second baseman in Major League history to produce at least 30 homers and 30 steals in the same season.

While establishing single-season franchise records for a second baseman in total bases (315) and home runs (30), in 2007 Phillips also led all National League second sackers in fielding percentage (8e, .990), total chances (782), putouts (341) and assists (433).

Among all Major League second basemen Phillips ranked in the Top 3 in almost every major offensive category. He led the Reds in games (158), runs (107), hits (187), total bases, triples (6), stolen bases and multi-hit games (56).

Posted in Brandon Phillips, Cincinnati Reds, Wheeling and Dealing.
3 Comments
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3 comments to “Reds Lock Up Brandon Phillips”

  1. BubbaFan says:
    February 15, 2008 at 8:37 pm

    Financial terms here.

    Four years, at least 27 million.

    The Reds did not announce terms, but according to Major League sources, Phillips is guaranteed $27 million plus an additional $12 million if the club option is picked up for the fifth year. That option becomes a mutual option if Phillips is traded, and salary escalators in the option year could increase the total value of the package to $43.25 million.

  2. KC2HMZ says:
    February 16, 2008 at 10:24 am

    I thought that was a little high at first, but then I nosed around on Baseball Reference and learned that the Phillies paid Chase Utley over $4.7 million last year, the Tigers paid Placido Polanco $4.6 million, and the Dodgers paid Jeff Kent over $9.8 million.

    Since none of those guys was a 30-30 man who got screwed out of a Gold Glove, I’ll go on record that I think it’s a fair price to insure that Phillips’ age 27-30 seasons will be played in a Reds uniform if the club so desires.

    HMZ

  3. Zeldink says:
    February 17, 2008 at 12:37 pm

    $2.75 million this year, $4.75 million in 2009, $6.75 million in 2010 and $11 million in 2011.

    I like it. Phillips is perhaps the most likable of the Reds players right now, and he’s a face the marketing department should easily be able to build around. Not to mention that he’s a very good second baseman.

    And the Reds have him for less than market value for at least the next two years. I’m very happy with this news.