GOODYEAR, Ariz. — Brandon Phillips wasted no time putting his body to a supreme test shortly after his arrival at spring training camp late Wednesday morning.
The star Cincinnati Reds second baseman put on his game pants, hiked them to just below his knees, and attacked Krause Hill. Named after strength and conditioning coach Matt Krause, Krause Hill is a 12-degree grassy knoll next to the clubhouse and rises to what appears to be the highest point in Goodyear.
Phillips sprinted up it at least a dozen times at full speed. When he finished, he was not gasping for air. He wasn’t even breathing hard.
That hill seems to be easier than the other hill he is trying to climb — an extension on the contract that expires after this season’s $12 million year.
Phillips, though, is making no demands, setting no deadlines and is not raising his voice as he talks about it.
“I’m not trying to break the bank or nothing like that,” he said. “I don’t want no Prince Fielder money, nothing like that (nine years, $214 million). I just want to be within what other second basemen are asking for.”
Atlanta’s Dan Uggla was signed to a five-year $62 million deal. Chase Utley has a seven-year $85 million contract with Philadelphia.
General manager Walt Jocketty stated the Reds "are interested in continuing talks and hope to do so this spring."
Through it all, Phillips is being the good soldier. He did say he wishes it were all behind him, that he was signed, sealed and ready to deliver for the next few years.
“Of course, I hoped it would be over with by now,” he said. “I hoped I’d be coming to camp signed. But it is what it is. All I’m going to do is go out there and play as best as I can and do what is best for the team.
“My day will come. I’ll let my agent and the Reds take care of it. I would have liked to have it worked out, but it didn’t work out that way. I just want to be in my city. They took me in. I have a house here and everything. So let’s hope it all turns out.”
Phillips says he hasn’t heard anything for a while, “For so long that I can’t remember, it has been that long.”
Asked if his agent and the Reds would talk during the season, Phillips said: “I heard my agent would try to talk to them again during spring training. I don’t know if it is true or not, but he said he’ll try and, hopefully, they’ll get some things done. This is still where I want to be. . . .
“I like what they did with the team, and now all we have to do is go out there and win and get things done."
Phillips said he won’t shut it down, won’t say: “It’s a distraction. I won’t talk during the season.”
Said Phillips, “To tell the truth, not really. I don’t see myself saying that. I always love to hear what they have to say, and I’m not going to let it bother me. They’ll talk to my agent more than myself, and my agent will bring it to me. I’ll just be worried about going out there and catching the ball and hitting the ball. That’s my job.”
His job will be to bat leadoff after the Reds failed to make any move that might bring a leadoff hitter to the club and permit Phillips to bat in his preferred No. 2 slot.
“I’ve worked with my dad and my brother to get ready for spring training,” he said. “I pushed myself hard. I’m just happy to be around the team, my second family.
“I prepared more last year to be a leadoff hitter than I did this year. I know what it takes to be the best leadoff hitter I can be and I’ll go out there and do it my way, try to make things happen for the team. Leadoff? I’m looking forward to it.”
