Cincinnati Reds' second baseman Brandon Phillips back in the team – MLB News
The Cincinnati Reds' second baseman Brandon Phillips was finally back in the team’s lineup on Monday, August 6 as the team took on the Milwaukee Brewers. Reeling from a strained left calf, Phillips could not appear in last five games.
The Reds’ manager exercised much caution, disallowing the player to take part even though he apparently seemed fit. This was part of the strategy to avoid any risk given the fact that the first baseman Joey Votto is already confined to the disabled list.
Phillips might well have felt frustrated for not being allowed to appear in the games, the team manager – nonetheless, said that the player knows best how to go about it.
"Brandon knows how to program himself, he knows his body," Baker said. "You always are going to take a chance. You take a chance every day you go out there."
It was last Tuesday when the player ended up injuring his leg while playing against the San Diego Padres. He had to make an early exit and then the team would think twice before giving him the next chance to play.
The team manager did refer to the fact that Brandon wanted to play. The team – after much deliberation, it seems has allowed him to play. "He's been driving us crazy wanting to play," Baker said. "You know you've got to try him some time. He's been doing well."
The Reds are sitting atop the National League Central ranking currently. However, challenges abound as competition has indeed stiffened now. With the Pittsburgh Pirates challenging the dominance of the Reds, Brandon Phillips’ return augurs well for the team as a whole.
The series against the Milwaukee Brewers, therefore, will be an important start for the team to assess how things go. Monday’s game was not particularly good as far as the result is concerned as the Brewers beat the Reds 6-3.
On Monday, prior to commencement of the game, Phillips was batting .293 with 13 homers to his credit. Whether he will be able to demonstrate the same form and fitness that he did before the last Tuesday is something that needs to be seen from now on.
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