Reds Hall of Famer Brandon Phillips Sends Message Fans Will Love

Fan-favorite Brandon Phillips was one of four people inducted to the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame earlier this week.

On Wednesday night, he spoke with the media and couldn't be happier.

"It really means a lot," Phillips told Rauch. "I don't know if it was the writers or the fans, but I'm here. Happy to say I'm here. It's a blessing...I'm a Red for life."

Phillips played for the Reds over 11 seasons and had one heck of a career. The second baseman finished his career with 1,774 hits, 191 home runs, 851 RBIs, and a slash line of .279/.325/.429. Phillips put together the third 30/30 season in Reds' history and the first by a Reds‘ second baseman. He won four National League Gold Glove awards, a Silver Slugger, and was an All-Star three times.

Philips told a cool story about when he became a Red.

"I ended up getting a call from Wayne Krivsky at the time. He was like Brandon we want you to come here and be the player that you were in spring training. When I ended up getting there, I got called into the office with Jerry Narron at the time, and Jerry said 'Brandon, hey, we want you to be yourself. Play the game the best way you know how. If you don't do it your way, you're going to do it our way.' I saluted them and I became the guy that Cincinnati was looking for, for all those years. It changed my career."

He was acquired by the Reds on April 7, 2006, from the Cleveland Indians for pitcher Jeff Stevens. Phillips holds the record for Reds second basemen in hits, doubles, home runs, and RBI.

The 44-year-old was drafted by the Montreal Expos in the second round of the 1999 MLB Draft out of Redan High School in Georgia. He made his Major League debut at 21 years old on September 13, 2002, against the Minnesota Twins.

You can read the full story on the latest Reds Hall of Fame class here.

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