Much has been made of B.J. Upton’s improvement since moving to the leadoff spot in Braves’ lineup, but what’s gone relatively unnoticed is Andrelton Simmons’ work since he moved into the 2-hole where Upton previously resided.
Simmons had his fourth consecutive two-hit game Saturday and matched a career high with four RBIs, while batting second for the eighth time in the past nine games. He has a .326 average (15-for-46) and .372 OBP in the 2-hole for the season, compared to a combined .250 average (65-for-260) in six other positions.
“I feel like I’m more involved in the game hitting in the 2-hole,” Simmons said after going 2-for-3 with a double, a sacrifice bunt and an RBI single in Friday’s 5-2 win against the Diamondbacks. “I’m just feeling more comfortable at the plate right now, seeing the ball well. And B.J.’s speed, it (helps) me get better pitches, and (having Freddie) Freeman behind me — I’m seeing better pitches. It’s been pretty good so far.”
That’s what the Braves hoped would happen when they moved Simmons up to the 2-hole after he’d started 55 of the first 79 games in either the seventh or eighth spot.
Braves No. 2 hitters were last in the National League with a .209 average and .286 OBP before Saturday, including Justin Upton’s .238 (10-for-42), B.J. Upton’s .207 (47-for-227), Ramiro Pena’s .105 (2-for-19), and Tommy La Stella’s 0-for-10.
“When you look at our team, (Simmons) has got the ability to (hit second) as good as anybody,” Greg Walker said. “He makes enough contact, he’s not going to strike out. We felt like so far this year that down in the order, usually eight, he’s been giving away too many at-bats. Overswinging, trying to do too much because he wasn’t in the middle of the action necessarily. We hoped that moving him to the No. 2 hole … how’s he going to respond? Is he going to start giving us better-quality at-bats? Is he going to bunt, is he going to hit the ball to the right side, is he going to do the things that we need him, that we know he’s capable of?
“So far this year that (was) not the game that he’s been trying to play. And ultimately it’s his decision once he steps in that box, what I’m going to do? We think we know what he should do. We think he should be a higher-average hitter that uses the whole field. But he’s in the process now. So far, it’s small sample size, but so far he’s shown the willingness and the ability to do it.”
Simmons was just 29-for-118 (.246) with a .300 OBP in 118 at-bats in the eighth position, where he made 34 starts.
In his second full season in the majors, he entered Saturday with a .259 average, 17 extra-base hits (five homers) and a .299 OBP. So far he’s not progressed from last season, but he was 17-for-59 (.288) with a .344 OBP in his past 16 games before Saturday. In 24 games prior to that, he went 18-for-91 (.198) with a .263 OBP.
“We know his talent, his skill set, leads him to be able to do that (2-hole) job,” Walker said. “And ultimately I think that’s the kind of hitter that he should be. He’s still going to have some pop; you saw that ball he hit to right field (Friday). OK, here’s a nice little test, let’s see how you do in the 2-hole. And so far I think he’s done really good.”
Told what Simmons said about being more involved in the game batting second, Walker replied, “I think that’s the deal, he didn’t feel involved at the back end, so he just said, ‘OK, I’m just going to swing away.’ Real undisciplined, overswinging. For him to take the next step, I think what he needs to do now is the answer. I don’t care if he pulls the ball or not, but there’s a right way to pull a ball and a wrong way to pull a ball.
“Sometimes the pitcher dictates that you have to. His first year (playing with) Martin Prado – Martin is as good as it gets at playing that game (taking what the pitcher gives you). And I think we saw that player (Simmons) in that first year. I think he’s gotten away from it, and lot of it is probably hitting in that 8-hole. But he’s a young kid. I have to remind myself all the time, he’s 24 years old. And he’s going to play this game a lot longer than I’m going to coach it, so ultimately he’s got some decisions.
“I tell him all the time, I can tell you what I want you to do, but ultimately it’s your corporation – when you step in that box you’re the guy that has to make the decision, this the way I’m going to play the game. And in his mind he’s still working that out. Hopefully this 2-hole switch will get him headed in the direction that we want him to go.”
