2010 Rockies Player Review: Paul Phillips

by Jeff Aberle on Feb 13, 2011 12:00 PM MST in Rockies Player Reviews

After impressing Rockies fans with a great 2009 cameo (.311/.396/.422, .357 wOBA, 109 wRC+ in 54 PAs) brought about by injury/Chris Iannetta getting jerked around, reserve catcher Paul Phillips was once again pressed into short term duty in 2010 by Chris Iannetta's demotion to the minors after just 30 PAs.

This time around, Phillips wasn't so impressive. The 33 year old managed to hit only .217/.280/.217 (.234 wOBA, 30 wRC+) in 25 PAs spread over 12 games, most of them in May. Phillips did score the winning run in the game mentioned in the picture caption, so there's that, I guess. The minor league journeyman did hit .238/.316/.320 (.289 wOBA, 64 wRC+) in 156 PAs in Colorado Springs last year.

Phillips is the kind of guy that managers love, a veteran catcher that will do everything he is asked to the best of his ability, handle a young pitching staff competently, and provide a little leadership. Unfortunately, Phillips' true ability level is probably pretty close to replacement level -- and that means that if he's playing anything other than a cameo role for your team, you're in trouble.

Grade: D+ -- Phillips, fairly or not, had created artificially high expectations with his stellar 2009 numbers. Besides playing passable defense at the catcher position as a 1-2 start per week guy, he didn't really meet expectations in 2010 at all, providing well below replacement-level production offensively.

2011: Phillips has signed a minor league deal with the Cleveland Indians, where he is expected to perform a similar catching insurance role as the 3rd or 4th string guy.

Tweet Comment 7 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

I have a strong suspicion

That this guy is going to be a minor league manager in a few years and a possible major league skipper down the road.

by RoxandRoll on Feb 13, 2011 3:24 PM MST reply actions

A coach in some aspect of the game for sure.

Anyone who watches him knows he enjoys it and is always learning. He just has to watch out for the racing hot dogs.

"There have been only two geniuses in the world. Willie Mays and Willie Shakespeare." ~Tallulah Bankhead
"Love is the most important thing in the world, but baseball is pretty good too." ~Greg, age 8
JFK

by jrockies on Feb 13, 2011 6:31 PM MST up reply actions

I wouldn’t be surprised to see Danny Ardoin doing the same thing.

Learn about Batting Metrics
Learn about Pitching Metrics

by Andrew Martin on Feb 13, 2011 9:24 PM MST via mobile up reply actions

And then

his player can constantly ask him: Coach, how do we pronounce your name?

by jrockies on Feb 13, 2011 10:08 PM MST up reply actions

“Coach, how many more wind sprints?”

Learn about Batting Metrics
Learn about Pitching Metrics

by Andrew Martin on Feb 13, 2011 10:10 PM MST up reply actions

Wind sprints? Everyone runs poles now days.

by jrockies on Feb 13, 2011 10:43 PM MST up reply actions

While Phillips was lousy offensively last year

He did help guide Chacin through a couple of breakout performances: May 2 against the Giants and May 8 against the Dodgers. Maybe that’s just a case of being in the right place at the right time, but it seems worth mentioning.

by Rockpile Interloper on Feb 14, 2011 7:38 AM MST reply actions