Cincinnati Reds look to Brandon Phillips for powerful offence in absence of Joey Votto – MLB News
The Cincinnati Reds' manager Dusty Baker on Friday, July 20, said he hopes that Brandon Phillips will step up, as the team feels the absence of first baseman Joey Votto in the offence after the latter’s knee surgery.
"Hopefully, we have some other guys that step up and have big days, or Brandon can continue to have big days until somebody steps up," said manager Dusty Baker.
The team understandably needs a vitalised and well-performing solid offence after the knee injury of All-Star Joey Votto. Every player, therefore, is needed to step up and render assistance to the offence. Dusty Baker, be that as it may, cautions his players from overdoing it if beyond their capability.
Baker said, "I tell everybody, don't try to do any more than they're capable of doing, because then that's counterproductive. Just concentrate a little more in every department about being very fundamental, being better putting the ball in play, being better in what you're good at."
All said, the team manager looks with great hope to Brandon Phillips who has been hitting remarkably well lately. For instance, after Votto’s being sent to the disabled list, Phillips has had a record of .333 in four games.
Having had five hits and six RBIs, Phillips has tried to compensate for Votto’s non-appearance in the line-up.
That fact is reassuring for the team as a whole, but especially Dusty Baker. "Brandon is Brandon. People are at their best when they can be themselves. You don't really appoint a leader. A leader just leads."
Since the start of the 2012, Brandon Phillips has so far appeared in 86 games, having had .287 average with 335 at-bats. Brandon Phillips has had 96 hits, 55 RBIs and 11 home-runs to his credit with a slugging percentage of .439.
The Gold-Glove winner in 2008, 2010 and 2012 is certainly one of the best players in the Reds’ camp, giving his best in almost every game. As the second-half of the season gathers pace, his performance – especially in the absence of Votto, will be inarguably of great help for the Reds to prevail.
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