OC Register: Angels’ Andrelton Simmons wants to muscle up over the winter

[AngelsWin.com]

HOUSTON — Andrelton Simmons has a plan for taking his offensive game to the next level.

As he’s finishing off a third straight above-average season at the plate, Simmons said his goal for the winter is to get stronger, so he can hit for more power.

“I’m getting close to now having a good idea at the plate,” he said before Friday’s game. “I’m starting to learn more and more what to do and how to do it. It’s just a matter of hitting the ball a little harder. Not like Shohei (Ohtani) or (Mike) Trout, just driving the ball a little more consistently. I know it comes in stretches. I want those stretches to prolong.”

Simmons has 11 homers and 25 doubles, for a slugging percentage of .420. It’s just a tick behind last year’s .421 mark.

Last year Simmons had 14 homers and 38 doubles, but his overall average was only .278, compared to this year’s career-best .295. He said this season he’s been able to maintain his mental focus better, which is how he’s avoided the slump that dropped his average in August and September a year ago.

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Having improved that part of his game, he’d next like to do some more work in the weight room to improve what he can do physically.

“I want that power surge to be a more routine thing during the season,” he said.

Simmons hit 17 homers in 2013, his first full season, but he hit .248. He said he took a step back in the power department after that, to learn to be a better hitter. Now he’d like to merge the two, by putting a little more muscle behind his improved swing and approach.

Simmons, who is 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds, acknowledges that there is a fine balance to maintain if he’s to remain nimble enough to maintain his status as baseball’s premier defensive shortstop. He said one of his first years in Atlanta he bulked up a little more too much in the winter, and he felt it cost him.

“I felt strong, but I didn’t feel as quick,” he said. “I don’t want to lose that quickness. That’s for down the road when I have to play third base and hit homers.”

Simmons chuckled. He’s not ready to become a corner infield slugger, but he does hope to turn up the dial on his power, without losing the other exceptional parts of his game.

This season Simmons has been a model of consistency, in the field and at the plate.

Simmons leads American League shortstops in Defensive Runs Saved with 21 – Francisco Lindor is second with 14 – so he’s a good bet to win his second consecutive Gold Glove (fourth overall).

Offensively, he is the toughest hitter in the majors to strike out, whiffing just once every 13.2 at-bats. That’s no doubt part of the reason he’s kept his production steady throughout the second half. Last season, he was hot for four months but then hit .206 over his last 43 games. This year he’s finishing strong, with a .315 average over his last 14 games. His average has not dropped below .291 all season.

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“I’ve just been focused longer,” he said. “I’ve been feeling good. That’s part of a decent routine. Every at-bat I try to have a good plan. Have a good idea of what I want to do. Last year, there were stretches where you lose track of your plan or your approach for that at-bat. There’s a lot that happens during the season and you lose it for a second.”

As Simmons prepared to start for the 140th time in the Angels’ 154 games, through Friday, he said he’s “surprisingly” not feeling fatigued.

“I’ve got to attribute that a little bit to my wife for taking it easy on me,” he said with a smile. “I try to limit what I do off the field. I try to rest as much as possible during the season.”

The offseason is coming, and he’ll get some more rest, before getting back to work to be better next year.

“I’d like to do a little more damage with the bat, just a little more,” he said. “That’s everybody’s goal in the offseason, to improve a little bit and drive the ball more consistently.”

Angels shortstop Andrelton Simmons, who is 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds, acknowledges that there is a fine balance to maintain if he’s to add strength while remaining nimble enough to maintain his status as baseball’s premier defensive shortstop. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara)

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