Steve Phillips urged Mets to dump Jose Reyes last year--Raissman

NY Daily News' Bob Raissman sums up his report on Steve Phillips' camera angle that Yanks should get rid of Arod by reminding us that Phillips' managerial tips included telling the Mets to dump Jose Reyes. "The longer he continues to push for an A-Rod trade, the more recognition Phillips gets as a TV personality. This will help to further distance him from his halcyon days of Mo Vaughn and Roger Cedeño.

On Sunday's edition of "Baseball Tonight," Phillips was at it again. It only takes a blink of an eye, and the letter "A" rolling out of someone's mouth, to set him off.

Phillips was so persuasive, his colleague Harold Reynolds agreed A-Rod should be moved. John Kruk dissented. Reynolds and Kruk argued. This was wonderful TV inspired by Phillips.

Still, there is a bigger issue here. Former athletes, coaches and even general managers go into broadcasting with different agendas. For guys like Bill Parcells, Pat Riley and now Lou Piniella, the goal is to avoid controversy. They purposely pull punches because they want to return to coaching or managing. They don't want to criticize players or coaches they eventually will have to deal with.

Phillips does not have that problem. His candid commentary reveals a man whose immediate and distant future is in television. And yet, Phillips does carry baggage - his past. In a business where perception is reality, the intensity and frequency with which he has called for A-Rod to be traded is evidence enough to suggest this is all personal and not just a controversial piece of analysis.

Turn the clock back to 2000, when the Mets made a wee bit of noise about wanting to sign Rodriguez, then a free agent. It was Phillips who said that in order to sign with the Mets, Rodriguez wanted billboards, an office suite, a chartered jet, a merchandising tent and a separate PR staff."

• He points out Phillips said Arod would make a team "24+1," and a bad deal, & wonders if this one-note chorous of Steve's--in addition to getting him publicity he'd never get otherwise--is a way to say he really wasn't so stupid in not hiring Arod himself.
• Then again, Raissman adds, Phillips urged the Mets to dump Jose Reyes.....

from Bob Raissman's column, NY Daily News 7/25/06

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