Redleg Trade Review: Brandon Phillips

April 7, 2006: Brandon Phillips is traded by the Cleveland Indians to the Cincinnati Reds for . The Cincinnati Reds sent Jeff Stevens (minors) (June 13, 2006) to the Cleveland Indians to complete the trade. The Reds had played 2005 with 33 year old Rich Aurilia at second base. Aurilia hit well in 2005, batting .282 with 14 homers and a .782 OPS. Aurilia was granted free agency in October, and the Reds traded for speedster IF-OF Tony Womack as a 2b candidate for 2006. Womack was coming off a less than stellar 2005 season with the Yankees where he hit .249 with no homers, 27 steals, and a .556 OPS. Aurilia was eventually re-signed in January, 2006, but the Reds had decided that wanted the former all-star shortstop to play a fulltime “utility role” in 2006, backing up young third baseman Edwin Encarnacion and playing all the infield positions. The Reds also included Ryan Freel in competition for 2b. Freel had started 103 games in a utility role in 2005, 48 of them ...