Is there any hope for Simmons' bat?

[QuinlansMinion]

Or did we just give up an ace for a younger version of Johnny Mcdonald?

 

He did post a .347 OBP in 250 ab's at Turner Field last year.  His road splits were atrocious though. 

Edited November 13, 2015 by QuinlansMinion

[laagamer]

You heard it guys bulldoze the stadium we're done.

[Troll Daddy]

I don't see his bat being a big problem.

 

.265 .321obp last season

 

Trout will be a good influence.

[UndertheHalo]

he's still young and he's shown pop, makes pretty good contact, and doesn't strike out.  I actually think theres quite a bit to hope for with his bat.

[Second Base]

Best case scenario, Simmons ends up hitting as well as Alberto Callaspo did.  Certainly not anything worth getting excited over. 

[tomsred]

Other than the NL to NL adjustment period, I don't really worry about his bat.  Remember that he was usually hitting in front of a pitcher in the NL, and pitchers tried to not offer him much to really hit.  As it stands now, Giovotella is hitting behind him, that has to be at least a small boost.  If he hits ninth, then Calhoun is next up.

Edited November 13, 2015 by tomsred

[Chuck]

Or did we just give up an ace for a younger version of Johnny Mcdonald?

 

He did post a .347 OBP in 250 ab's at Turner Field last year.  His road splits were atrocious though. 

 

Is there any hope for your face?

[UndertheHalo]

Best case scenario, Simmons ends up hitting as well as Alberto Callaspo did.  Certainly not anything worth getting excited over. 

 

Scotty, its kinda too bad you are so down on this.  I know you love the prospects but cmon.  Alberto Callaspo is basically what he's been with the bat so far.

[tdawg87]

Best case scenario, Simmons ends up hitting as well as Alberto Callaspo did.  Certainly not anything worth getting excited over. 

 

With his glove, that would be pretty damn amazing. He'd be a perennial 6+ WAR player.

[Richard]

Nope. None. Time to make a Simmons is finished thread.

[Biergott]

Any truth the writing that he nearly always hit in front of the pitcher?  

[Jason]

Ace?? Why are people here acting like this is Ianetta hitting?

[IEAngelsfan]

Other than the NL to NL adjustment period, I don't really worry about his bat.  Remember that he was usually hitting in front of a pitcher in the NL, and pitchers tried to not offer him much to really hit.  As it stands now, Giovotella is hitting behind him, that has to be at least a small boost.  If he hits ninth, then Calhoun is next up.

I think you meant NL to AL adjustment, right?

[SoWhat]

Shut up.

[Angelsjunky]

Simmons career (age 25): 499 games, .256/.304/.362, .292 wOBA, 84 wRC+, 11.8 fWAR, 90.7 Def

 

Ozzie Smith through 1980 (age 25): 473 games, .233/.296/.283, .269 wOBA, 70 wRC+, 7.4 fWAR, 64.9 Def

Ozzie Smith 1981-96 (age 26-41): 2100 games, .269/.347/.339, .313 wOBA, 95 wRC+, 60.2 fWAR, 310.4 Def

 

OK, I'm not predicting that Andrelton will be Ozzie Smith from here until he's 41 years old. But he's been a much better hitter and at least as good a defensive player through a similar age as Ozzie. We can see that Ozzie improved drastically with the bat. He was never a great hitter, but in his best years he was average or above and a bonafide star.

 

I do think Andrelton can and will improve. Maybe just a bit, maybe a lot. If he even stabilizes as a modest .270/.320/.370 hitter--basically what Gio was last year--he becomes a perennial 5 WAR player.

[CaliAngel]

I think he's got a shot to hit .275, and I can live with that.

[Brent Maguire]

Well, Steamer projects for him to have a 89 wRC+ next season, which is more than reasonable with his defense. If he bumps his wRC+ near 95-100, he's a near superstar. 

[101halo]

I'm really unsure why we're still so focused about his hitting. He's being brought here for defense. Stunning, unreal defense. Yes, defense at SS is that important that he could hit like Mathis and still be a contributing, very valuable player.

If his bat improves, fantastic. If it doesn't, that alone does not make him a bad player. He's a roughly average offensive shortstop.

The team DOES need offense. This isn't a move to improve the offense (but nor does it hurt it). Let Eppler finish the offseason and if we still have a black hole in LF and potentially one at 2B (edit: meant 3B) then blame Eppler, not Simmons.

In a few years we'll know whether giving up Newcomb was a bad idea or not.

Edited November 14, 2015 by 101halo

[Lou]

BA is one of the least important stats to look at for a guy like simmons.

he rarely K's, and his career OBP is still .304

that's ****ing abysmal.

But it was .321 this year, which was 4th highest for a shortstop in MLB. It also would have put him 3rd on the Angels, 2points behind Freese. I really don't care what his obp was in 2013.

And his OPS+ was higher than Aybar's this year.

Edited November 14, 2015 by Lou

[101halo]

But it was .321 this year, which was 4th highest for a shortstop in MLB. It also would have put him 3rd on the Angels, 2points behind Freese. I really don't care what his obp was in 2013.

And his OPS+ was higher than Aybar's this year.

All in, if you buy into WAR Simmons would've been the 3rd most valuable position player on the Angels last year. I'm one that does question how accurate the defensive component really is, but this is a case where the stats and the eye test are totally aligned. Anybody still really hating the trade really needs to go look up highlights of Simmons' defense on YouTube. I promise that even if you still aren't a fan of the trade it'll make you feel better.

[Troll Daddy]

Pretty sure ATL unloaded him because he'll be making $10mill+ per year/$40mill total in his last 3 years of his contract, and they have no confidence that he'll ever hit well enough to garner that kind of pay, no matter his defense.

They gave him 2 years after signing him, and he has improved not at all with the bat. Trading him right now, when the next 2 seasons are a reasonable price no matter his bat, was smart for ATL if they lost confidence in him.

Who gives a shit what you think ... seriously.

[Lou]

I do, but that's the kind of person I am.

[ABC]

But it was .321 this year, which was 4th highest for a shortstop in MLB. It also would have put him 3rd on the Angels, 2points behind Freese. I really don't care what his obp was in 2013.

And his OPS+ was higher than Aybar's this year.

 

So the Angels bought high and sold low. Yikes.

 

Aybar's D is very good. Why not just extend him and trade Newcomb and Ellis for a 3B/2B or LF?

[101halo]

Who gives a shit what you think ... seriously.

I thought you were joking, but then you added seriously. And maybe if Jack Z had listened to cezero he'd still have a job... eh, probably not.

[101halo]

So the Angels bought high and sold low. Yikes.

Aybar's D is very good. Why not just extend him and trade Newcomb and Ellis for a 3B/2B or LF?

I agree with the sentiment of questioning whether Nuke would've better be spent on a different position. That said, Aybar is not "very good" on defense anymore. At best he's adequate and in decline (natural aging - nothing against him). Nor was he ever nearly as unbelievable as Simmons with the range, although his arm in early years was pretty close.