The best years of Brandon Phillips’ career were spent in Cincinnati, so he feels very fondly about the Reds’ organization. And he is a little disappointed that the team moved to erase his memory pretty quickly, at least in one regard.
Phillips was traded by the Reds to Atlanta in February and returned to Cincinnati this weekend for the first time since the deal. He was greeted with an ovation from the fans at Great American Ballpark, but before the game, he did vent about something.
“I still can’t believe somebody is wearing my No. 4,” Phillips told Cincinnati reporters, via ESPN. “That’s kind of a slap in the face, too. But it is what it is. People have their own opinions, and I have mine.”
Scooter Gennett, who was previously with the Milwaukee Brewers, is now wearing the number. For the record, he said he was given the number and that he tried to switch out of respect to Phillips, but the process became a huge hassle.
And just to show his fondness towards Cincinnati, Phillips also said he wished he was still playing for the Reds. That shouldn’t come as a surprise, as it was well known that Phillips previously rejected a trade. But for him to think they would retire his jersey number or something close to that is a little much. He did make three All-Star teams in 11 years, but he isn’t quite as number retirement status.
