Brandon Phillips extends dominance as best second baseman
The Cincinnati Reds boast one of the inarguably best hitting and best-fielding second basemen in baseball: Brandon Phillips. Offensively and defensively, he personifies excellence, inspiring awe, sensation and admiration.
Fortifying the Reds’ defence, and adding tremendous aggression to its offence, Phillips has over the years presented himself as a catalyst. Last few years’ performance of the player, and its impact on the team actually testifies to the resplendence he maintains.
His winning the first Wilson Defensive Player of the Year Award proves he remains one of the favourite and top most candidates for any award pertaining to the aspects of games he represents. His glove work alone can qualify him as the statistically unsurpassable
and unconquerable player.
For instance, this year he had an excellent .992 fielding percentage. But he did not somehow succeed in netting that award this year. During the season, when he was asked about the possibility of winning the Gold Glove Award this year, Phillips struck a
confident note about it.
The challenge he faced was in the form of an ever dominating and consistent Chicago Cubs’ Darwin Barney.
“Honestly, I don’t even know,” Phillips said. “What, he has one or something? … Oh, really, that’s cool. That’s nice.Honestly, I’ve been too busy winning. You know what I’m saying? I’ve just been too busy winning. I worry about myself and I worry about this
team. If they don’t play for the Reds, I don’t really worry about you, honestly, unless you’re like my homeboy or something like that.”
However, as the season progressed, Reds’ second baseman seemed to have been lagging a bit due largely to the 141-game errorless streak that Darwin Barney executed.
Even though Phillips could not eventually win the National League Gold Glove Award as the Barney outshone him, Phillips does not fall behind in authority and mastery in the respective fields.
He has remained recipient of Gold Glove Award on three occasions which uniquely places him among the best in the National League. From the fielding to hitting, he continues his supremacy over the rivals.
Phillips’ focus remains undivided and beyond any influence when it comes to performance on the plate.
"I'm just going up there trying to have good ABs. If I get a ball that I can hit, I'm going to swing. If not, I'll walk. Of course I'd rather get hits than walks, that's just anybody. But if the walk is there, you might as well be able to take it."
In the years to come, especially after the extension that he signed with the Reds this year, it will be worthwhile to watch how he continues his ascendancy as both best second baseman and hitter.
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