Brandon Phillips is a great man and just made baseball really interesting. Unless you're a St. Louis Cardinals fan, or don't like the Reds, you should agree with that statement.
Phillips recently had some very colorful things to say about St. Louis that a ballplayer usually would say about their rival, comparing them to little female dogs.
With the Reds and Cardinals facing off this week in a showdown for first place in the National League Central division, Phillips, who suffered a leg injury over the weekend, made sure he would not miss this important series. After dropping the first game to St. Louis, the Reds were on the edge and, quite frankly, so was St. Louis after Phillips' comments.
During tonight's game (August 10th, 2010) while Phillips was in the batter's box moving his bat around, St. Louis catcher Yadier Molina proceeded to move Phillips' bat with his leg causing the two to go face-to-face. Exchanging words and letting each other know they don't like them or their family, the benches soon cleared.
How is any of this good for baseball? A brawl started, people were thrown around and mean things were said among players. The reason being this brawl is one that can make us smile because it's all for a fight for first place.
The Reds are clearly one of the best feel-good "Cinderella" stories in baseball this year, while the Cardinals are still the dominating force that they have been for the past five years and even longer.
Phillips mouthing off about the Cardinals is exactly what baseball needed. A franchise symbol for the Reds stepping up for his team as they face the biggest challenge of their season. While none of the experts could have predicted the Reds to be in a tie for first in early August, every Reds player believed they could be.
The Cardinals have been in first place during early August for many years and have no soft spot for the Reds. The fact that the Reds have sent a message to Major League Baseball that they will not back down should make fans proud.
While commissioner Bud Selig might soon be sending a suspension message to both teams, he really shouldn't. It's like when a bully gets beaten up in school you never want to punish the underdog (or nerd as they have been called).
The Reds and Cardinals will be fighting for first not only this season, but for many years to come, if both teams can keep their players together, which would be scary for the rest of the division. The other feel-good team in the National League, the San Diego Padres, should take notice.
Get a little mean, talk some trash and fight for first and that's how all eyes turn on baseball. Reds and Cardinals both bleed red, and it wouldn't surprise me to see a little blood shed by the end of the year.
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