Reds third baseman Scott Rolen, originally one of the peacemakers, seemed to get into it with Carpenter, too. Reds starting pitcher Johnny Cueto found himself pinned against the backstop and started kicking. Cueto might have connected his spikes in the face of Cardinals catcher Jason LaRue, who appeared to have a gash above his left eye.Order was restored after a seven-minute delay. When it was all said and done, the only ejections levied were to both managers.”I’ve had a few options. MLB JERSEYS I’ve turned down Wolfsburg. I don’t fancy Germany, it’s not somewhere I see myself playing football,” added the 31-year-old.And what started this mess? Before the Reds’ 7-3 loss to the Cards on Monday, Phillips told Dayton Daily News reporter Hal McCoy about how much he didn’t like St. Louis, Cincinnati’s main rival in the National League Central race.”I’d play against these guys with one leg. We have to beat these guys,NHL Jerseys,” Phillips told the DDN. “I hate the Cardinals. All they do is [complain] and moan about everything, all of them. … I really hate the Cardinals. Compared to the Cardinals, I love the Chicago Cubs. Let me make this clear: I hate the Cardinals.”If he wants to hate us, he can hate us. I really don’t care. It’s not important to me either way. We compete the way we compete. We play the way we play. I wonder if he’s asked what Scott or Jimmy or Russ Springer or [Miguel] Cairo think. Our ex-GM’s there, too. There’s a lot of guys that were part of this organization, a big part of this organization, at one point in time.” The ex-GM Carpenter referred to, of course, is current Reds general manager Walt Jocketty, who spent 13 seasons in St. Louis from 1995-2007. City are closing in on the signing of long-term target Milner and they are believed to be ready to offer 8million-rated Ireland in part-exchange for Milner.Baker didn’t hear about what Phillips said until he turned on a television and heard a report.”I didn’t even know it until I turned on ESPN and there were bleeps in there,” Baker said. “I was trying to fill in the blanks.” Would Baker have preferred that Phillips kept quiet? Definitely.”You can’t put a muzzle on guys,Throwback jerseys,” Baker said. “Everybody refers to freedom of speech, and then you’re free to say it but you get into trouble for it. I talked to him about it. I put a little pressure on him to play better personally. The Cardinals have given him a pretty rough time historically.”Among Cincinnati players, pitcher Bronson Arroyo didn’t believe any teammates took Phillips aside for causing any potential distractions or inflaming the rivalry. Arroyo, a former Red Sox pitcher, is also used to heated words being exchanged over the years with the Yankees.”Brandon is being Brandon. That’s what he does. I said he’s a mini version of T.O. and Ochocinco,” said Arroyo, referring to Bengals receivers Terrell Owens and Chad Ochocinco. “He stirs the pot. That’s just the way it is. Wholesale MLB Cincinnati Reds Jerseys It’s what you guys do.The arrivals of David Silva and Yaya Toure have pushed Ireland further down the pecking order at Eastlands and the introudction of 25-man squads in the Premier League appears to have made the midfielder surplus to requirements.You guys thrive on that and Brandon thrives on that — controversy. What Brandon says isn’t really going to affect the outcome of the ballgame unless he gets drilled and scores a run if he does.”Some of Phillips’ mentions of Cardinals complaining stems from last season, when pitching coach Dave Duncan accused Arroyo of doctoring baseballs and former Cardinals hurler John Smoltz along with Carpenter accusing the Reds of preparing baseballs differently and giving St. Louis ones with poorer grip.“We’ve competed the same way every year that I’ve been here,” La Russa said. “Every year, in every facet, we’ve competed the same way.Villa are keen on bringing the former Republic of Ireland international to Villa Park, despite the departure of Martin O’Neill earlier this week.So if he doesn’t like the way we compete, he’s including his teammates and his present general manager.Ireland has been linked with a move to Villa as part of the deal to take James Milner to Eastlands.Ireland is believed to have held talks with Villa officials on Tuesday as he weighs up a move to the Midlands.What else is there? We’re playing a game that’s important today.”Phillips was keenly aware that he started a dustup with St. Louis and when reporters gathered around his locker, he did not back down or retract what was said on Monday.”We’ve got to tell them and show them and beat them,” Phillips told the media throng Tuesday. “The comments I said yesterday? Those were my comments. It’s time for us to show them we’re here to stay, and here to win our division.”CINCINNATI — Words of venom towards the Cardinals from Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips on Monday led to a benches-clearing incident between the two clubs on Tuesday.In the bottom of the first inning, Phillips was leading off and walked to the plate. As customary practice, he usually greets the catcher and umpire with a tap of his bat to the shin guards before stepping into the batter’s box.The Nigerian-born stopper is a product of City’s famed academy and he has featured in over 100 games for the club.Craig Bellamy says he will consider quitting football if he does not make Manchester City’s 25-man squad. Cheap MLB Jerseys This time, Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina wanted no part of that pleasantry. Molina kicked Phillips’ bat away, stepped on home plate and started yelling into his face. Phillips talked back and Molina took off his mask, and that cleared the benches and bullpens.While Phillips and Molina were being separated, other players started jawing with each other. Reds manager Dusty Baker and Cardinals skipper Tony La Russa also appeared to have words for one another. Baker then was engaged in words with Cardinals co-ace Chris Carpenter and had to be separated, which sent the scrum well behind the plate and into the backstop.Phillips didn’t exactly back up his talk during Monday’s loss, going 0-for-5 while not hitting a ball out of the infield. However, Molina certainly did on Tuesday when he slugged a solo home run off of Cueto during his first at-bat in the top of the second inning to give the Cardinals a 2-0 lead.Before Tuesday’s game, the Cardinals were clearly not amused by Phillips’ comments but also didn’t publicly make a big deal about what was said. “It doesn’t affect me personally when a guy like that says something bad about you,” Cardinals second baseman Skip Schumaker said Tuesday. “There’s a lot of guys I respect over there.”With this 25-man ruling, it doesn’t matter how well I train or how good my attitude is, I might not be registered to play.So do I go without playing football until January, or do I find myself a club where I can play football?I learned from Scott Rolen. I learned from Jim Edmonds. I learned from some really good veterans over there. If it came from one of them, then I would respect it. But I can’t respect something like that from him.” Carpenter said he wouldn’t concern himself with Phillips.”I met him at the All-Star Game and he seemed like a pretty good guy,” Carpenter said. “Like I said last night, hate is a pretty strong word.