Reds Brandon Phillips: ‘Since You’ve Been Writing About Me Not Hitting, We Haven’t Been Winning’

Brandon Phillips hasn’t been hitting well.

But that doesn’t cause the Reds to lose.

What causes the Reds to lose is the fact that the Cincy beat writers are writing about it.

Phillips is hitting .188.

 Below are some of the quotes from the Cincy Inquirer. 

"“I’ve been reading up on what you all say (write) and it’s funny stuff,” Phillips told the beat writers. “I’m not doing your jobs, but I’ll tell you-all one thing. You know what the funny thing is? I love you guys and I have nothing but respect for all you guys. But you know ever since you-all been writing about me not hittting, we haven’t been winning?You-all know that? So you see, I hear a lot of people on my team and they’re worried about me. They’re worried about me and Edwin Encarnacion, instead of worrying about the team. I’m going to hit. That’s how confident I am. That’s the type of player I am.“At the beginning, everything was flowing, everything was about the team,” he continued. “It was all about winning. First thing you know, everybody is writing about Phillips not hitting and Edwin not hitting. Everybody started paying attention to me and everybody started paying attention to Edwin and everybody lost focus about winning.“I think we should start again writing about the Reds winning instead of writing about two players,” he added. “You should do that. But I love reading all your articles. I read them all the time. They make me laugh. But it’s real, all the stuff you write. You guys do a great job, especially Hal – you do a great job (Well, thanks, Brandon).“We were winning, but ever since you guys have been calling people out on the team, worrying about me instead of worrying about the team winning. You can write whatever you want about me. It don’t bother me. Me and Hal talked a couple of times last year about what he wrote, but it is a matter of respect. I respect him and what he does.“You can write anything you want about the bad things, just make sure you don’t write it real big, make it the big issue. We have a young team and they read that and they starting asking, ‘Brandon, you OK? Brandon, you OK?’ There is no point in people asking me if I’m OK because we’re winning and I’m a happy man. It’s all about us winning, because I AM going to produce and I am going to hit. I’m just happy it happened to me instead of one of the younger guys who is new to the team. I tell them, ‘Don’t read the papers,’ because it gets to their heads. In my case, I laugh about it, because I’ve been through it.”"

Cincinnati’s team batting average is .235, which is ranked 15 out of 16 National League teams.

They have scored 78 runs.  14th in the National Leauge.

Team ERA is 4.11.  Good for fifth in the NL.

Similar to the Bucs, the Reds are 8-1 with a quality start, and 3-9 when the starters don’t.

However, the Reds have some standouts in the bullpen.  Three pitchers have pitched tremendously well. The setup men David Weathers and Arthur Rhodes haven’t given up a run.  Francisco Cordero is 7-for-7 in save chances.

We miss Harang!  Thus, a look at the matchups tell me that we can win all of these….

Zach Duke will face Bronson Arroyo (6.48ERA; 1.56WHIP) tonight.  Arroyo will be coming off his first loss of the season.  The Braves pounded the big right hander from Key West, Florida for nine runs on nine hits, including two home runs.  He walked three and struck out five in 5 2/3 innings. He also hit a batter. Arroyo threw 102 pitches, 60 for strikes.  Six of the nine runs were earned in the first two innings before settling down. He pitched three consecutive hitless innings until Yunel Escobar’s two-run home run ended his day.  He hasn’t been very consistent in spite of the 3-1 record.  Just look at the ERA and WHIP.  WOW.

The Pirates Ross Ohlendorf will face Micah Owings (1-2 3.78ERA; 1.50 WHIP) on Saturday who will be coming off his first good start of the season.  He allowed just one earned run on six hits in seven strong innings against the Braves. He had six striketouts in a 102-pitch effort. Owings’ only run allowed was a solo home run by David Ross. Can you believe David Ross?  He actually hit a home run against the Bucs at my son’s first game, what nerve.  Owings saved his spot as the fifth starter with the outing several Cincy Bloggers tell us.

Nasty Jeff Karstens  faces Johnny Cueto (1-1, 2.19 ERA; 1.18 WHIP) on Kids Day at PNC Park.  On April 11 vs. the Pirates, Cueto gave up four earned runs and eight hits over six innings with one walk and nine strikeouts.  Throw out the Pirate game and he has issued seven walks against 11 strikeouts.  He used only 98 pitches in his most recent start against Houston, striking out five and walking only one while giving up seven hits.

CRAZY STUFF OUTSIDE OF THE REDS CLUBHOUSE:

John Daly is two under and tied for 45th after the first round on the European Tour.  And he has some new more subtle pants today.  A rather weak video stream on the European Tour site, but ladies, you do get to check out the new pants from LoudMouthGolf.

http://www.europeantour.com/default.sps?pagegid=%7BBD7389F6%2D98D4%2D415E%2DB3A8%2D6AB545448F8C%7D&playertype=1&assetid=697017