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Just imagine if Volquez can get over his first inning problems and Wood can find the magic he had last year. This would be one heck of a team.

Great win today to put the Reds in first place!

Cueto pitched a very good game indeed!

Great job by Hernandez with the two homers, and Phillips who always seems to come through when needed, both with the bat and his glove.

As the weather gets hotter.......so do the Reds!

GO REDS!!

Brandon Phillips takes himself out to 14-year-old's ballgame


9:32 PM, May. 13, 2011 |

Written by
Bill Koch



WEST CHESTER, Ohio -- When 14-year-old Connor Echols saw on Twitter late Thursday afternoon that Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips was at Joe Morgan's Honda Dealership in Monroe, he figured he had nothing to lose by sending Phillips an invitation to attend his baseball game in nearby West Chester.

To his great surprise, Phillips replied to his message on Twitter, asking Echols when and where the game would be played.

Echols wasn't sure Phillips would actually show up. But in the top of the second inning, while Echols was in the dugout with his Cincy Flames teammates, Phillips strolled casually into the West Chester Baseball Complex to take in the game.

"Never in a thousand years did I think he would come," Connor said.

It was about 5:45 p.m. when Phillips received Echols' invitation on his off day, the only one he and the Reds will have until June 2. Phillips said he was wondering what he was going to do with the rest of his day.

"I said, 'Let me think about this,' " Phillips said. "His game was at 6:15. When I got finished eating, it was like 6:10 and I thought, well shoot, I'm going to go to his game. I had nothing else to do. I thought, 'Let me go out and support the little man.' I went out there and he had a great game. I met all his teammates. I met everybody in the park. It was fun. I had a great time."

Phillips has been a fan favorite since he was traded to the Reds in 2006 by the Cleveland Indians - not only because of his flashy performance on the field, but because of his willingness to interact with fans at Great American Ball Park.

Still, responding to an invitation to attend a youth baseball game on a rare day off is taking fan interaction to a new level.

"It meant a lot to me," said Echols, who lives in Sidney, Ohio, north of Dayton. "I've always been a big fan of Brandon. I have always wanted to see him in person. He's been one of my big idols. I've always tried to play like him because he's made some of the greatest plays I've ever seen in my life."

Phillips said he purposely didn't tell Echols that he was coming to the game because he didn't want to make him nervous.

"I didn't want him to have a bad game just worrying about me coming," Phillips said. "I wanted to surprise him so he could play his normal game without me saying, 'I'm coming to your game. I hope you do something.' "

That didn't stop Echols from being nervous when he saw that Phillips had shown up.

"I didn't want to strike out and embarrass myself," Echols said.

Not to worry. He went 3-for-5, impressing his idol in the process.

"He had a single and he had two doubles," Phillips said. "He had three runs and three RBIs. He's going to be the next Evan Longoria."

Phillips stayed for most of the game, signing autographs and having his picture taken. By the time he left, he felt as good about the experience as the players who were so excited to see him.

"I just wanted to see a baseball game," Phillips said. "It was just something to do to have a good time. To see his reaction and how everybody reacted to me, it made me enjoy it even more."

Not surprisingly, after word began to circulate about what Phillips had done, he started getting more requests via Twitter from kids inviting him to their games.

"It was just something that was real nice," Phillips said. "I can see myself doing it again."


http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20110...pnews|text|Reds

Didn't the Tribe fans accuse him of being a cancer a few years ago? So much for that notion.

Phillips and Bruce pretty much put the game away with 2 rbi doubles.

I think Brandon has done some growing up since the days with the Indians, to be fair.

Chapman still can't locate the strike zone, he's got some real issues right now.

Faced five batters, walked 4, walked in a run.

SWEEEEEEP!!!

Way too close for comfort.

But a sweep of the Cardinals...we'll take it.

Yeah it was a shame that Cordero had to go a 3rd straight day when he shouldn't have had to.

Chapman has to go down for a little bit, that was just pathetic today.

That doesn't take away from sweeping the Cards though, very happy with the series. Especially beating down Carpenter today.

Yup, sweeping is always nice in a series, but even sweeter when it's your current divisional nemesis. Tried to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, but overcame.

Well put Shep, it was a great weekend of Reds baseball. I liked the attitude at the end of the game, the Cards tried to come back at the expense of one very young pitcher, the leaders of the team were having no part of it.

J/C...

As a fellow fan of a NL Central team, I feel this is the right place to say this...

I hate the Brewers. They're my personal Steelers of MLB.

It's funny, my nephew is a big Cubs fan and wants to kill all Brewers fans and their team. I wondered why just like you. It's not like they win all the time, or ever....and hell, they were in the AL for most of his childhood. So there was no rivalry at all.

And come on, they're named after people that make BEER! That's got to raise them up in everyones rankings.

I'd sport a Brewers hat or jersey if I owned one. Their park is really cool too.

j/c...

Cubs starting tonight. I realize they are fifth in the NL Central, but they are only 5 games back. We can beat the Cardinals, but the Cubs will be just the type of team we struggle against.

A lot like the Browns...win and lose the ones you shouldn't.

Yeah I saw that earlier, I just heard inflammation but not where the problem is.

Huge comeback tonight, 7 run 6th inning after trailing 4-0. This teams comeback ability is fun to watch, but a little more stressful. Still 2 innings to go.

They pull another one out and another win against a divisional opponent. Marty said tonight that we have the best record against divisional opponents in all of baseball.

He also talked about the defense .....that was an amazing throw by Stubbs for the out at home plate.

Hopefully, the Reds can keep it going....it is much fun to watch this team as the pitching is going good and the bats are doing well........Go Reds!

Clearly that's a large part of it - we absolutely can't beat them in Miller Park - that's why they're my Steelers of MLB.

I honestly don't like anything about them.

Edinson has crapped the bed in the first inning yet again.

4 errors, thanks Cubs.

Masset will try to close the door.

Thank goodness the Cubs had a horrible 8th inning.

Wow ..... so much for the Cubs manager telling his team that they have to play fundamental, solid baseball ........

Another come from behind win.

The Indians Reds series should be a lot of fun. The Indians are 15-4 at home, so the Reds will have their work cut out for them. (They're 10-8 on the road)

looking forward to it

Are you serious, or satirizing ammo?

I thought he was a Phillies fan ...... Or a Giants fan ..... or a fan of some "winning" team somewhere other than Cleveland Ohio.


Although, since the Indians have the best record in baseball right now, he may be back on the bandwagon.

I cheer for an I-71 World Series. It would be great fun.