The Cincinnati Reds had a great asset in Brandon Phillips with his contract extended, but let it rot on the vine. Let’s peel back the onion of the Brandon Phillips contract extension and see what value it really had. Brandon Phillips signed his extension one week to the day after Joey Votto received his current deal.
Phillips’ deal was signed a week into the 2012 season. His best defensive season was 2008, but his best overall season was 2012. As the cost of free agents went up, Phillips became a very affordable elite defensive second baseman with some good pop.