I remember exactly where I was when the Reds first picked up Brandon Phillips back in 2006. It was mid-April, the Reds had numerous middle infielders on the 25 man roster. Adding another second baseman seemed rather unneeded, especially when the bull pen was as bad as it was. Something interesting happened shortly after that though. He got, as Bo Jackson would say, “hot as a fire cracker in July.” Just like that we had a star on our hands, and a consistent 2^nd basemen.

He played hard and won over the fan base. Cincinnati doesn’t have the reputation of the broad shoulder manufacturing rust belt city like Pittsburgh, Cleveland, or Detroit, but as far as baseball goes the fans love a player that hustles and gets dirty. Hell we convinced ourselves that Ryan Freel was an everyday outfielder. Phillips was legitimately an all-star though, and more than just a gritty player. He was the first Red since Barry Larkin to hit 30 home runs and steal 30 bases. We watched him win four gold gloves and a silver slugger award. He had it all. He flashed leather better than any second basemen in baseball. He was atop the sport center top 10 numerous times during the summer. He ran the bases with a complete disregard to conventional wisdom, case in point he stole second and third on one pitch against Washington in 2007.

During the heyday of success in the early part of this decade he was the flash and excitement. He was the one running from first to third on base hits. He was the one starting brawls against the Cardinals. He was the cherry on top the sundae. In 2012 He was rewarded with a big 6 year 72.5 Million dollar contract. It looked like the reds were destined to bring home titles for years to come. It didn’t happen. Things fell apart and the front office blew it all up. And last winter it looked like Phillips was out the door too. But as a 10 year veteran on the same team for more than 5 years he used that as leverage to get an extension on his contract from Washington. The Nationals weren’t buying it and nixed the deal. Phillips would have to remain in Cincinnati for the time being.

The past two season have been nothing short of a dumpster fire for the Reds and all those involved. We will probably lose 100 games this year, and it’s just been brutal. Rebuilding isn’t easy. It is ugly seeing young pitchers get lit up every night, and even though watching guys like Tyler Holt and Adam Duvall is fun watching a guy like Phillips decline makes me feel old and sad. The era of Phillips snagging ground balls behind second base is over, and that bums me out more than just losing so much. Knowing it’s over and there is no clear replacement on the horizon. Guys like Phillips do not come around often. The fact we called him our own for 10 seasons was special. He had a cockiness we don’t usually see in Cincinnati. He made Cincinnati feel big time whenever he won an award or called out St. Louis for “being a bunch of little bitches.” We hadn’t had that type of attitude in years, we also hadn’t won so much in years.

He will most likely try to be moved again before the trade deadline or this upcoming winter. And upon retirement he will be inducted into the Reds Hall of Fame, and god willing I’ll be there. They will show a highlight tape on the big high definition video board Mr. Castellini bought and we’ll all remember how fun those teams were to watch. To me that’s why Phillips always stood out so much from guys like Votto and Bruce. While they might be better overall hitters at times Phillips greatness was always making the impossible play. Whether it was his bare handed catch against the Pirates in 07 or picking up a slow roller and flipping it between his legs to Votto against Houston in 2011. I remember these like they happened yesterday and I remember where I was at in life when they happened. As his time being a super star comes to an end my own attempts at being an adult is starting. Perhaps that is why this is so difficult. Realizing I am no longer a kid and Phillips is no longer an all-star are mirroring one another. I’ll still listen to every game and enjoy the rare win but it won’t be the same until we catch lighting in a bottle again and start winning. Here’s to childhood and having a gold glove cocky speedster at 2^nd base who could also hit clean up, it has been real.