The Braves are fielding trade offers for shortstop Andrelton Simmons, according to reports:
Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports says he suspects the Braves will trade Simmons but believes that would be a mistake. He fears that trading Simmons would be taking the club's rebuilding to an unwise extreme, notes Simmons' club-friendly contract and opines:
Trade him, and you might spend years trying to replace him. Trade him, and the final season at Turner Field will be that much more painful. The first season at SunTrust Park, too.
Rosenthal's points are valid, but I disagree with his conclusion. No one disputes that Simmons is a fine fielder at the most important defensive position. But the Braves desperately need some big bats. They were the worst offensive team in baseball in 2016 in large part because of a lack of power, and they will be near the bottom again without a serious infusion of good hitters.
If getting some real pop in the lineup means trading away a fine defensive shortstop then that’s the price they would have to pay—especially with plus-fielding infield prospect Ozzie Albies in the pipeline.
There were a couple stretches this season when it appeared Simmons might develop into a plus-hitter under Kevin Seitzer but the trends never lasted long. What you saw from Simmons at the plate this season--..265/.321/.338—is pretty much what you get. That's below-average for a shortstop. Obviously his elite defense makes him a better-than-average player overall but, again, the Braves need bats.
The Braves already have one all-field, light-hitting infielder at second base in Jace Peterson (though I still believe he can develop into a good hitter). It’s difficult for a good team to carry two such players in the same infield unless they are surrounded in the lineup by big boppers. Freddie Freeman is the only Braves hitter who qualifies.
Simmons is a great fit for a team that can surround him with better hitters. The Dodgers, Padres and Angels don’t really qualify as presently constructed but they nonetheless reportedly are the teams interested in Simmons. They all need a shortstop when the free-agent market is thin at the position, and so the Braves have all of the leverage.
The Braves could keep Simmons and be happy because they value him—they won’t just give him away. Or they could take a fair offer that nets them some good bats and makes them a better overall team even without their best defensive player.
About the Author
