Brandon Phillips Has A Rough Series Against St. Louis

If you are going to talk the talk, you better be able to walk the walk is the saying. Cincinnati Reds 2B Brandon Phillips did a lot of talking before the Reds HUGE series against the St. Louis Cardinals, but, unfortunately for him, didn’t do much walking, hitting, or fielding for that matter.

Phillips didn't have his best series against the Cards

In case you missed the talking Phillips did before the series, here are the comments he made on Sunday: “I’d play against these guys with one leg. We have to beat these guys. I hate the Cardinals. All they do is bitch and moan about everything, all of them, they’re little bitches, all of ‘em.

“I really hate the Cardinals. Compared to the Cardinals, I love the Chicago Cubs. Let me make this clear: I hate the Cardinals.”

Well, if you are going go that route, then you better back up your words. Phillips didn’t back anything up, hitting just 2-for-14 in the three-game series as the Reds got swept by the Cardinals and lost their lead in the NL Central.

Phillips didn't show much with the glove either missing a couple of balls on defense that he likely could have gotten to. However, in all fairness to Phillips, the ball did seem to moving faster than usual through the infield, almost like the grass hadn’t been watered in months.

How do I feel?  I really didn’t have a problem with what Phillips said because I don’t believe in the whole “Bulletin Board” material nonsense. A guy can say whatever he wants because it really doesn’t matter at the end of the day and has no effect on the game what so ever. Just because a guy says something doesn’t mean his opponent is going to intercept a pass, or score a goal, or hit a curveball.

The reason the Cardinals swept the Reds was because they pitched better. That’s due to talent, not motivation.

However, I do believe in if you are going to say something, be a leader and back it up by example. Phillips didn’t do that all in these three games and the Reds paid for it.

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