Hall of Fame baseball writer Hal McCoy has retired from the Dayton Daily News after covering the Cincinnati Reds for 37 years. Hal's blog, though, will continue to be a must-read for Reds fans. He'll share his thoughts on the team this season and will file updates from Great American Ball Park. You also can catch Hal in print every Sunday in his popular Ask Hal columnHome > Blogs > The Real McCoy | Cincinnati Reds baseball news > Archives > 2011 > July > 16 > Entry
Phillips still basking in home run ‘trot’
CINCINNATI — It is difficult to tell when Brandon Phillips is euphoric just by looking at him because the smile on his face is as permanent as the faces on Mount Rushmore.
Phillips, though, wasn’t afraid Saturday afternoon to let his feelings be known about his game-winning two-run walk-off home run Friday night against the St. Louis Cardinals.
“It stayed with me until I went to bed and it’s still with me,” he said. “Before I went to sleep, all I could see was me on SportsCenter acting the fool — I was clowning, man after that home run — and it was a good reason to really clown right there.”
Asked if he heard much about his demonstrative trip around the bases, he said, “Did I? My phone was blowing up, my Twitter was blowing up.”
WAS IT TOO much? Was it stepping over the line, showing up the other team, rubbing it in?
Manager Dusty Baker didn’t point a finger at his fun-loving second baseman because he says this is a different era of sports, that outbursts and attention-getting are part of the culture.
“I’ve seen a couple worse antics by players against us,” said Baker. “It is advisable to refrain from doing too much. There is a point of too much. You have already accomplished the goal of beating the opposition, so you don’t rub it in or show ‘em up, you just try to beat ‘em again. That’s the goal isn’t it? Not to show ‘em up, but to beat ‘em.
“That’s what I’m trying to teach my son, ‘Just beat ‘em and sit down and try to beat ‘em again.’ I’m old school, I’m Hank Aaron School, which was one of the best schools around.”
Baker said Aaron would hit a home run and tell post-game interviewers, “I just got lucky.” Baker smiled and added, “Then he’d go out and hit another one — 715 times.”
Baker also recalled hkow he would bat behind Aaron in the Atlanta lineup, “To protect him. That was like protecting a bazooka with a BB-gun.”
ROOKIE SHORTSTOP Zack Cozart looks around the infield and sees a Gold Glove third baseman to his right, a Gold Glove second baseman to his left and an MVP at first base.
Phillips, though, had some advice for Cozart and said, “I told him to be himself and I’ll adapt to him. Just be comfortable the best way you know how.
“He seems like a confident, laid-back person and he just needs to play the game,” said Phillips. “Like Jay Bruce said a long time ago — and I couldn’t believe he said it — this is just a higher minor-league.”
COZART HAD THREE hits Friday and is hitting .381 since his July 7 call-up, but he wasn’t in Saturday’s lineup. Baker was asked if he wasn’t tempted to ride the hot bat.
“No, no, not at all,” he said. “As I always say, I try to match up guys who have the best chance and that’s what I’m doing against Chris Carpenter. If you’ve never faced Carpenter, and Cozart hasn’t, well, that guy can carve you up. Edgar Renteria knows him.”
And what Renteria knows is that he is 3 for 18 for his career against Carpenter, but Baker said, “Cozart will be back in there (Sunday).
“I love what Cozart is doing and we liked him this spring,” Baker added. “It was just a matter of when. He is improving, showing improvement. He has good aptitude and his time in Triple-A was necessary because what did he hit in Triple-A last year, like .250-something?” He hit .255.
“That’s why you break them in, protect them, until they can help us and help themselves until you think they are in a position to play every day,” said Baker.
BEFORE PHILLIPS talked about his home run Saturday, pitcher Dontrelle Willis was at his locker, begging him to sign the scorecard from the first game Willis pitched for the Reds in Milwaukee. Phillips gave him some grief before grabbing the pen and saying, “Man, Dontrelle Willis wants my autograph. My life is complete.”
If there is one guy who smiles as much and talks as much as Phillips, it is Willis.
“Does he bring energy to this team? Huh. Energy isn’t the word,” said Phillips. “Just hearing him on the bench, man, he keeps everybody in the game and is a great motivational part of the team. That guy never shuts up and I love it. I still talk more than him, though.”
Phillips said that before he went to the plate Friday he told Willis, “I’m going to hit a home run or strike out.”
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By GranKnee
July 18, 2011 11:05 AM | Link to this
I disagree with your comments on Phillips. I like to see some emotion displayed when they do good. I have watched the clip five or six times and get a kick out of his jumping, etc. More need to show positive emotion. GO REDS!
By Florida Buckeye
July 18, 2011 8:27 AM | Link to this
Hey All, I have a serious problem with the mind-set and attitude of Phillips. Just in this article it comes up multiple times: He’s worried about being on Sports Center; I’m either gonna strike out or hit a home run; His attitude and mouth on the bench and in the dugout…And during the Homerun Derby at the All Star Game, he was on his computer Twittering, WTH?!? Now, Baker says it’s a part of the modern game - so be it - but I disagree: I think it’s arrogance mixed with stupidity, and lack of respect for the game, and whereas I dont know what negative affect is has on his teamates, i KNOW that it would rub me the wrong way, and would make it a very difficult environment to play in…the urge to constantly tell him to tone it down, and be a professional ball player and not a Jack A*s would be too much to keep in, without its taking its toll, ha! Anywho, Go Reds and let’s hope we can fight for the Division Title.
By bob
July 17, 2011 6:50 PM | Link to this
Phillips - Is he worth the baggage? He has lots of raw talent; big, poor strike zone and even bigger mouth. I like a guy, when scoring a touchdown, acts like he’s been in the endzone before. Compare Brandon to Pujois. Who has the class?
By Brian
July 17, 2011 3:08 PM | Link to this
Reds can’t overcome Baker’s blunders. Gomes has cost them enough games to be in 1st. Pitching misused. Heisey part time player. Need I say more?
By steven ross
July 17, 2011 9:10 AM | Link to this
Baker was asked if he wasn’t tempted to ride the hot bat. “No, no, not at all,” he said There you go. Play the cold player hoping he gets hot vs. the already hot player. Never seen a Manager like Baker. Cozart plays all the time. Period.
By Mike Mc In Ky
July 17, 2011 2:08 AM | Link to this
I really don’t have much to say except this is the first time in a long time this year that I felt that are as bad as we are playing right now! How can we win with NO LEGIT CLEANUP HITTER!! , no more than true hitter(Votto) in our lineup…, and a manager & staff who constantly “We?ll get em tomorrow boys!? attitude. We are doomed if there isn?t changes made really soon. Come on Bob n Walt, wake up!!
By Tom
July 16, 2011 11:06 PM | Link to this
A really bad team! Where the heck do they get players that cannot run the bases. It used to be you didn’t get to the major leagues, unless you could do most everything. Now it’s a joke…Heisey and Stubbs embarrassed themselves and their team tonight.
By redsfandownunder
July 16, 2011 10:45 PM | Link to this
G&H - Alonso has been playing LF the vast majority of this year and parts of last year. If you did not know this and you do not know who Hermida is, I’ll take your advice that Sappelt is not a big league player for what that advice is worth. How can anyone know what they will do in the majors until they are given a chance? What is the risk of trying them out? There has been no production from LF since July of 2010. Sappelt has the potential to hit for average, Hermida the potential to hit for power, Alonso the potential to do both. Pull the #!!#@*!! trigger already Walt.
By jim
July 16, 2011 10:37 PM | Link to this
I can hear dusty now “I can feel a 3 game winning streak a coming, I really do” I guess the Front Office loves the Sell outs of late.. Doubt that motivates them to improve the team at the deadline which will suck if they dont!!
By Joe
July 16, 2011 7:47 PM | Link to this
This is a bad team, the reds.