The Los Angeles Angels and the Atlanta Braves were the first pair of teams to complete a big time trade this offseason. On Thursday night the Braves sent Andrelton Simmons to the Halos in exchange for shortstop Erick Aybar, along with pitching prospects Sean Newcomb and Chris Ellis. After Atlanta locked up Simmons with a 7-year $58 million contract just last year, and the Angels already have a solid shortstop in Erick Aybar, this is a head scratcher for both teams.
The Angels have an abundance of top pitching prospects, but no offensive talent in the farm system. If they were going to trade away a guy like Sean Newcomb, it would have been better to receive young hitters back in return. The Angels have two huge contracts already on the books, and one coming off of the board after 2016 in CJ Wilson, so adding Andrelton Simmons is just more checks to be written. There is no doubt that the 2-time gold glover is more valuable than Aybar, but it is not enough to get the Angels to the Series, unless more big moves are to follow this Winter. Sure Aybar is going into free agency after 2016, but he has been a solid .275 hitter and has a gold glove of his own, while being cheaper than Simmons to keep on. In order for the Angels to reach their goal, they need to find fill the huge holes in left field, 3rd base, 2nd base, and catcher. With this move they did acquire a permanent solution at short for the future, but at a huge cost. Sean Newcomb is the number 19th ranked prospect in all of baseball and is a southpaw, if he was going to move it should have been to fill one of the Angels’ four holes. However, Simmons’ bat will most likely improve moving the AL West, while his glove is god-like, so the Braves will also be losing someone valuable.
Yes, Atlanta is in rebuild mode, but it is not a complete rebuild. Not only does getting rid of Simmons mean the drop in ticket sales, as people come to see his glove dazzle, but he is under contract and could have been the center piece to the rebuild around. Sure, Newcomb is a great addition, but the Braves already have arguably the best set of pitching prospects of any farm system. Erick Aybar will bring slightly more offense to the table, but he is not a guarantee to re-sign after the 2016 campaign. While especially the last few seasons have shown that the World Series is won by clutch hitting, defense, and a strong pen, it just makes Simmons’ value grow. Trading Andrelton needed to fill one of the outfield holes with a promising young hitter, or bring in a few offensive kids to grow in the minors.
What this trade could have meant in the minds of both GM’s is that the Angels are going for it all this year and the near future, and the Braves are going to completely rebuild, while making cap space. Yes, this move makes the Angels better, but not enough to make a run at the title. The Braves need to expect a drop in ticket sales, while hopefully the GM has a plan for organizing their farm system.
