Long-Term Brandon Phillips Extension Is Worth Reds' Risk

When the Cincinnati Reds inked MVP first baseman Joey Votto to a historical mega-deal last week, many baseball followers assumed the franchise would choose not to extend second baseman Brandon Phillips, whose contract is set to expire at the end of this season.

Over the past several days, however, rumors have surfaced regarding a supposed deal that would keep the All-Star infielder in a Reds uniform through the 2016 season.

My thoughts? 

Hallelujah!

Phillips may not rack up Votto-like numbers, but he is still an irreplaceable asset on the Cincinnati roster. 

Last season, in fact, Phillips joined Los Angeles' Matt Kemp and Colorado's Troy Tulowitzki as the league's only players to make an All-Star team and be awarded both Silver Slugger and Gold Glove awards.

In other words: he is the epitome of underrated.

In addition to locking down Phillips for the foreseeable future, an extension would also give second base prospect Billy Hamilton ample time to develop before making his much anticipated MLB debut—something that could benefit the young speedster in a major way.

$60 million is an awful lot of money, sure, but if a top-tier first baseman is worth $200 million-plus, it's a small price to pay for one of the most dynamic and under-appreciated athletes in today's game.