One of the hardest things for any sports fan to go through
is the rebuilding process of their favorite teams. It can feel like somebody is
rubbing salt in the wound as teams undergoing reconstruction generally have
losing records and also trade away players perceived as fan favorites. Trading
away the star players that fans had grown to love is perhaps the hardest thing
about rebuilding a franchise as it usually catches fans off guard when it
happens. For members of Reds Country, the rebuilding process has been felt for
the past few years. Guys like Johnny Cueto, Jay Bruce, Mike Leake, Aroldis
Chapman, and Todd Frazier all contributed to the success the Cincinnati Reds
had from 2010 to 2013 and have all since been traded due to the rebuilding efforts
of the franchise. All the players previously mentioned left an impact on the
franchise that fans will never forget. However, the Reds’ most recent trade
might prove to be the most difficult for fans to swallow as the franchise
traded team veteran and Cincinnati favorite Brandon Phillips to the Atlanta
Braves for a pair of young pitchers.
Rumors of the trade began to circulate late Saturday night
and intensified into Sunday. Baseball experts and various sports outlets were
reporting that a trade between the Reds and the Braves involving Brandon
Phillips was a done deal. I was a bit skeptical when I read these reports as
the Reds have unsuccessfully tried to ship Phillips out of the Queen City
multiple times in the past. Each time it seemed like the Reds had finally
traded away the popular second baseman, news would break saying that Phillips
exercised his no trade clause and would remain as a member of the Reds.
I followed the story throughout the morning on Sunday and
did not see anything notably different than what was originally reported on
Saturday night. I thought the trade was going to fall through again. A few
hours later, a notification appeared on my phone saying that the Reds had
traded Phillips to the Braves in exchange for two pitchers. I immediately
checked the Twitter account of the Reds. To my shock, a statement had been
released by the franchise confirming the trade. I was stunned not because the
Reds traded Phillips but because Phillips had accepted the trade. I had heard
reports of how Phillips loved Cincinnati and had hoped to retire as a Red. That
is why he kept exercising his no trade clause. I began to expect him to leave
via free agency since a trade was having trouble materializing. However, the
Reds managed to get Phillips to accept the trade and ended his decade with the
franchise.
Phillips was my favorite player on the team. He came to
Cincinnati in 2006 and dazzled fans with his defensive prowess. He routinely
made fantastic plays such as bare handing grounders, making diving catches, and
throwing out base runners by tossing the ball behind his back. During his
decade with the Reds, Phillips won four Gold Glove awards, a Silver Slugger
award, became only the third Red in history to join the 30-30 club, and made
the National League All-Star team three times. He also helped revitalize the
franchise by bringing playoff baseball back the Queen City for the first time
in 15 years. Aside from his on field accomplishments, Phillips was a fantastic
representative of the Reds. He usually signed autographs before every game,
never hesitated to take pictures with fans, and would occasionally pop up at
high school sporting events in the Greater Cincinnati area. He was one of the
friendliest players on the team, and the city will miss his trademark
infectious smile.
Phillips was a huge fan favorite and had a genuine
connection with the city that only few players can muster. He created a
defensive highlight reel with the Reds and was one of the most popular players
in the history of the franchise. His skill on the field combined with his love
for Reds Country was well received by the city, and it is definitely sad to see
him go. However, that is the cost of rebuilding a franchise. Fan favorites
leave and make room for young prospects. As a Reds fan, I am excited to see
what the two young pitchers the team got in exchange for Phillips can do.
Hopefully they can help lead the Reds to prominence once again and have an
impact on the city similar to that of Phillips. Thanks for the memories BP, and
good luck in Atlanta.
Go Redlegs!
