Cincinnati Reds: Why They Must Re-Sign Brandon Phillips

It's no secret that the contracts of Brandon Phillips and Joey Votto are set to expire this year and next year, respectively.

I'm here to tell you that whether or not they re-sign/trade Votto, it should have no impact on the re-signing of Phillips. The organization needs to lock him up for the rest of his career if they're going to be competitive in the coming years.

Votto is the most well known of the Cincinnati Reds players; however, I don't know that he is the most important to the team itself. I believe that title belongs to Phillips. Not to undervalue Votto, but first base is a very deep position in Major League Baseball. Second base is not, and a top-five second baseman within the organization is something to be coveted.

Furthermore, Phillips is the heart, soul and personality of this ball club. As I mentioned in a previous article he single-handedly reignited the flames of the rivalry with the Cardinals. Phillips plays with a fire and intensity like that of Dustin Pedroia, and he should be treated as the same type of player when looking at the current stock of second basemen.

Not only are his attitude and demeanor important to the team, but so is his production. Phillips is an elite second baseman and his numbers show that. Throughout his years in Cleveland (because they hardly played him) his career averages look something like this: .280/.330/.448, 20.67 HR, 81 RBI, 87.3 runs and 22.5 stolen bases.

Those career averages are better than several Hall of Fame second basemen.

Phillips is also an outstanding fielder as shown by his three Gold Gloves. Brandon could bring in up to three to five more Gold Gloves in his career, which would certainly land him in the fielding elite at the position.

I'm not saying he's a Hall of Famer, but those types of season averages and fielding skills are indicative of a superb second baseman.

It would be a travesty to let Brandon Phillips end his career in any uniform but a Reds one.

Phillips is the second-best second baseman in team history behind the great Joe Morgan. The things he brings to this team can't be summed up just by statistical analysis.

Phillips is a leader on the field and in the clubhouse, and the Reds should do everything they have to in order to bring him back for the next five-plus years.