FML: Braves trade Andrelton Simmons to the Angels
Continuing on with the recent posting pattern of sports/photos/sports/photos/etc that I was hoping to break, the Atlanta Braves had to go and do something during the off-season that I simply just couldn’t ignore vomiting out some words about.
I understand rebuilding, but it just turns my stomach just how flagrant the Braves are with their no-fucks given about 2016 and Turner Field attitude that they’re employing in the process. We all get it, 2016 is not important because it’s at Turner Field, which is in a city that was unwilling to play financial ball with you, so you’re basically saying “fuck you” to all things associated, holding all your eggs in the basket, and preparing for 2017 and beyond.
Chipper Jones, one of the greatest Atlanta Braves icons, once stated something along the lines of the importance of playing hard and with integrity, even in the face of a losing season, because it’s respectful to the fans and to the integrity of the game.
I guess since he’s retired, the Braves organization saw that the coast was clear to deviate from that mentality by shipping off all their remotely talented assets, fielding a laughably pitiful roster of has-beens, wash-outs and minor league filler, until the mythical opening of White Flight ScumTrust SunTrust Park magically grants the Braves the ability to win again.
I understood trading Jason Heyward; he was in the last year of controllable salary, and he was guaranteed to leave in free agency. I understood the trading of Craig Kimbrel; the 2015 squad was undoubtedly going to blow, why not trade the game’s best closer to a team that could use him and would be willing to part with their own valuable assets? I even understood the trading of Evan Gattis; as lovable his story and his ability to hit home runs to the moon was, he was a defensive albatross, and the Astros were willing to give up some more useful assets for him. And the trades of guys like Justin Upton and everyone else were purely salary dumps, so that the team could have supreme financial flexibility come 2017.
I get that part of the business, even if it means that they fielded the worst Braves squad in over 20 years by doing such. But at least there was always the possibility of watching Freddie Freeman be Freddie Freeman, and witnessing the human vacuum cleaner Andrelton Simmons dazzle us with his ridiculously amazing defense.
Well, at least there was. In spite of all the rhetoric about how guys like Simmons, Freeman and Julio Teheran were corner stones or building blocks of the franchise, and how they wouldn’t get moved, clearly none of that is really safe, either. Like, just because they all are under long-term contracts doesn’t mean anything, as long as other teams covet their skills, and are willing to trade their own assets to get their hands on them.
I understood all of the trades of the names mentioned above. But trading Andrelton Simmons is really like a punch to the gut. Good defensive shortstops are pretty much the sole most important position on a team. Traditionally a team wants offensive production out of their first baseman, third baseman and corner outfielders; shortstops were usually given free passes if they were batting .100 as long as they fielded well, that’s how important they are. And the Braves have often times been very fortunate to have had strong fielding shortstops over the last 15 years or so, with guys like Rafael Furcal, Edgar Renteria, Yunel Escobar and even Alex Gonzalez.
But look no further than 2012, when the Braves thought they could compete with decent-hitting, shit-fielding “shortstop” Tyler Pastornicky; he hit slightly well, but pretty much every single ball hit to him got through. The Braves saw the egg on their face and immediately called up Andrelton Simmons who basically rescued the team with his defense alone, and fans salivated at the idea that he would be on the team for probably the next 5-7 years, vacuuming up every single ball hit to him.
And now such is no more. Simmons is now on the Angels, where he’ll hopefully help Albert Pujols get another ring, and Mike Trout his first. I have no problem with Angels fans, so I hope they’ll immediately be dazzled and fall in love with Simmons as much as Braves fans had over the last few years.
In return, the Braves get a typical Braves-like return: an immediately replacement for what they just gave up, in Erick Aybar; who’s not terrible, but he’s no Simmons, and has been around for over a decade. And the Angels’ top two pitching prospects in Sean Newcomb and Chris Ellis. Sure, they both sound impressive, but Baseball America has the innate ability to make any prospect sound like they should all be the next Roger Clemens or Randy Johnson, however the onus is still on the Braves coaching staff and the pitchers themselves to actually develop into their perceived potential.
And that’s just the thing, the Braves have made like 14 trades for pitching prospects in the last 12 months. Prospects. The Braves put their faith in prospects a little on the overboard side in my opinions, and their track record just hasn’t delivered, in all the years that I’ve been a fan of the team. Nowadays, I’m under the belief that the minor league development coaching is suspect, since pretty much none of the prospects of the past really sustain or deliver in the first place.
Sure, Braves fans all hope Newcomb and Ellis deliver, along with guys like Matt Wisler, Mike Foltynewicz, Manny Banuelos. And that Tyrell Jenkins and Touki Toussaint will become aces one day too. Because Julio Teheran was supposed to be an ace, but I’m just seeing a guy that’s already lost a ton of velocity on his fastball despite the fact that he’s just 24, and the best pitcher on the team Shelby Miller, was a guy developed outside of the organization, but is only a matter of time before the Braves Way takes velocity off his fastball as well, and he becomes less effective.
However, none of the pitching is going to matter unless they’re striking everyone out, because with no more Andrelton Simmons to back them all up, it’s going to be dark days ahead for Braves Country when Erick Aybar’s age catches up to him, and there’s little relief waiting in the minor leagues as far as shortstops are concerned.
Ultimately, I’m just disappointed that the Braves unloaded such a tremendous talent like Andrelton Simmons. Sure, they got some good prospects in return, but like all baseball players with “prospect” hitched to their name, they are still no guarantee, as Simmons was a guarantee on defense. It makes me feel that the organization is so future, so big picture, so anywhere put 2016 and Turner Field minded, that they don’t give a fuck about the present, and I find that disrespectful to fans, and people like me who want to occasionally see some good baseball.
The resonating thought I have is that Freddie Freeman is really the only thing that is separating me from burning all Braves fandom to the ground. Sure, it’s easy to assume that he’ll be safe from trade, since he’s under a nice secure contract, but such was the case with Simmons too. But I think I’m already at the point where I pretty much do hate the Braves, but I’m resisting like a Jedi resists turning to the Dark Side, trying to not give in to the hatred.
At least we’ll have memories.
