What should the Cincinnati Reds do with Brandon Phillips?

What should the Reds do with Brandon Phillips?

That might be a question that lingers for the next three months. At a minimum.

The answer probably won’t be pleasant for either side.

RELATEDPhillips reportedly turned down trade to Braves

The impasse at which Cincinnati and its former Gold Glove second baseman find themselves is not all that unique.

Time catches up with everyone, and teams can’t stand still when the time to rebuild comes.

The Reds are already guilty of waiting too long to unload assets when their last window of contention closed, causing them to get a pitiful return for Aroldis Chapman and preventing them from maximizing the value of Johnny Cueto or Jay Bruce.

It’s hard to imagine them getting much, if anything of value in return for the 35-year-old Phillips at this point, but the team may be wasting at-bats if he is still the everyday second baseman this summer and prospects Dilson Herrera and/or Jose Peraza don’t have anywhere to play regularly in the majors.

RELATED: Get more insight on the Reds from Hall of Famer Hal McCoy

Phillips is completely within his rights to use his status as a 10-5 player (10 years in the majors including the last five with the same team) to maximize his own earning power, too, but if he won’t accept a trade to his hometown team (Atlanta), it stands to wonder if there is anything close to realistic that will satisfy him.

At this point the Reds could bench Phillips and risk clubhouse uneasiness or outright release him and just eat his salary.

What probably makes the most sense is simply to go into spring training with the understanding the best man will win the most at-bats. (General manager Dick Williams’ comments on the Reds Hot Stove radio show this week indicate Phillips has been told he won’t be in the lineup just because he’s making $14 million.)

If he re-earns his starting spot, perhaps Phillips can elevate his value on the trade market and would accept a move over playing out the string in what looks like another rebuilding year.

If he struggles, it’s time to turn the page, however that has to be done.

At any rate, Phillips has been a great Red since the club rescued him from the baseball purgatory of being designated for assignment by the Indians almost 12 years ago.

He has dazzled on the field and been a great ambassador off it for a team whose brand needed some sprucing up as it went 15 years without a postseason appearance.

An absolute gamer who played through injuries and tweeted through hard times, Phillips will undoubtedly be in the club’s Hall of Fame some day.

These contentious times will largely be forgotten (as they were with Barry Larkin and others) whatever the resolution turns out to be.

The team smartly seems determined not to let him hamper its rebuilding effort, but maybe Phillips can still write a happy ending.

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