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Phillips sits for lack of hustle

Baker benches star second baseman for trotting to first on fly ball that was dropped.

Cincinnati Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips is batting .271 with 14 home runs, 63 RBIs and 87 hits. He has stolen 14 bases and struck out 36 times.

Associated Press photo by David Kohl Cincinnati Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips is batting .271 with 14 home runs, 63 RBIs and 87 hits. He has stolen 14 bases and struck out 36 times.

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By Hal McCoy, Staff Writer Updated 2:51 AM Wednesday, July 22, 2009

LOS ANGELES — When Dusty Baker posted his lineup card for a game in Dodger Stadium Tuesday, Brandon Phillips was not on it.

And Baker had a 20-minute open door conversation in his office with Phillips to discuss the situation.

Baker didn't say much but when asked if Phillips might be used as a pinch-hitter or part of a double-switch late in the game he said, "I'm not going to sacrifice a game for principles."

The play that caused the furor was a routine fly ball in the first inning Monday, a play on which most major-leaguers trot to first base, assuming the ball will be caught.

"Brandon told me he thought the ball would be caught," said Baker. "In this game you assume nothing, you never assume a ball is going to be caught."

The ball was not caught. Right fielder Andre Ethier lost it in the sun and the ball plopped to the grass. That's when Phillips ran hard, but his mistake was in trying to make second base and he was thrown out.

A run scored on the Phillips play to give the Reds a 3-0 lead in the top of the first. Had Phillips made second (or first), the Reds would have had a 3-0 lead with no outs and a runner on. Instead they had a 3-0 lead with one out and nobody on.

They lost, 7-5.

"I'm not mad or anything," Phillips said after his meeting with Baker. "I really messed up the game and that's why I'm not playing. I deserve to be sitting on the bench. I have to learn my lesson and it won't happen again.

"When I came into the dugout after the play I told everybody, 'Hey, my bad. I just messed up royally. I hope it doesn't bite us in the butt. If it goes down and we lose the game, my fault.'"

Phillips said he said something to the team after the game in the clubhouse, too.

"I said to them, 'Damn, I messed it up and it won't happen again,'" he said. "One of those negative things that happened. I've been consistent lately about running and next thing you know, I messed up. One time I don't hustle and it just bit me."

Said Baker, when asked if it is a one-game thing, "At this point, yeah. I don't send messages. If I want to say something, I say it or do it. One of the easiest things to do is hustle."

When Baker was told Phillips said he wouldn't do it again, the Reds manager looked askance and said, "I remember telling me daddy when he was whipping my butt, 'I'll never do it again, daddy, I'll never do it again.'"

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and tell this bum to wear his hat the way it was design to be worn....if he wants to be a thug then join a gang in LA

van smack
10:17 PM, 7/22/2009

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The reds owe this thug $6,000,000 next year. $10,000,000 2010. #14,000,000 in 2011. This thug isn't going any where. No one will takew that contract and the Reds are stuck with it. Yet another great contract by this losing franchise.

boxter
5:00 PM, 7/22/2009

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Brandon Phillips does need to hustle at all times, that's what he gets paid to do, but I wouldn't label him a thug. Thugs commit crimes and the only crime I see him commit is not husling 100%. That's not a thug. Be a man of your word BP and don't let it happen again.

Redsfan
2:38 PM, 7/22/2009

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Brarhopper, all managers and coaches get fired sooner or later, it's the nature of the business. Dusty is a great manager who just like any manager or person for that fact, makes mistakes. The players have lost more games this season than the manager. The team has also been descimated by injuries as well as Votto's issues. If we don't turn it around soon we will be out of the race. As of now the other teams in the division are keeping us close. so if your a true Reds fan, keep cheering!

Redsfan
2:34 PM, 7/22/2009

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I AM SIMPLY PLEASED TO SEE DUSTY ADDRESSING THE ISSUE. THIS TEAMS NEEDS TO PLAY LIKE THE CARDINALS DO - JUST AS THE BENGALS NEED TO PLAY AS THE STEELER'S DO... ONE for ALL AND ALL-OUT EFFORT EVERY PLAY. THEN AND ONLY THEN WILL CINCY AGAIN HAVE WINNERS TO FOLLOW.

BRAD
1:28 PM, 7/22/2009

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