The Cincinnati Reds have said they are not shopping second baseman Brandon Phillips, but that has not stopped the rumor mill from churning and reports have come out that the Atlanta Braves and the NY Yankees could be options for the star and a deal involving Dan Uggla could be involved in the move.
Phillips is one of the top second basemen in the league and the Braves have been disappointed with Uggla and would like to move him, while the Yankees now have a big hole at second base with the Robinson Cano deal to the Mariners for 10-years and $240 million, a number they were never willing to meet. According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, while the Braves aren't actively looking to get Phillips, the team has some interest in a deal and they could try and switch players at the position with Dan Uggla, who makes less than the $50 million that is owed to the Reds 2B over the next four seasons and that could give the team a way to get out of the deal.
Uggla hit under .200 last season and was left off the playoffs roster, while Phillips has been upset with the Reds after he felt they shorted him on a deal saying they had no money to spend before giving Joey Votto $200 million and that could get him to push a trade. The team said they are not actively looking to deal him, but if the right trade came along they could consider. Uggla is owed $26 million over the next two seasons and Philips is coming off a season that saw him hit .261 with 18 home runs and 103 RBIs and a .310 on base percentage and he could be an option for the Yankees as well.
Phillips is one of the best defensive players at hos position in the league and with the Yankees losing out on Robinson Cano to the Mariners, they need someone else to play second base and either Phillips or Uggla could be an option if they are willing to deal. The Yankees signed Kelly Johnson and are looking at Omar Infante and there are some other options around and the Reds GM even accused the Yanks of leaking the Phillips trade rumors, but whatever on that one. The Mariners swiped Cano with big money and now the team could try and make a splash of their own, but it would take some players to move to do it.
Phillips was not as quick on the bases this season after stealing more the previous few years and while he is getting up there in age at 32, he likely would fit in well at Yankee Stadium and in the lineup. Billy Hamilton is a player the Reds love and they have reportedly said he could play second if Phillips moves. Last season he won a gold glove for the fourth time and was fourth in the league in RBIs and he would be a good second option after Cano left, as he could make up for the power and production and he is just as good of a fielder and sports a .271 career average. The Mariners signed Cano to a big deal and the Yankees were okay with letting that money go and now they can put some of that into someone like Phillips if they want to pull a deal.
