Atlanta Braves Trade Andrelton Simmons To Los Angeles Angels

Before the trade happened, Simmons was just rumored to be a potential trade candidate with the Braves listening to offers from the NY Mets, San Diego Padres and Chicago White Sox, per CBS Sports. Exciting. – Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) November 13, 2015 Aybar is a free agent after 2016, but his salary will be just $6 million for the Braves, thanks to the cash the Angels are sending to Atlanta.

So, what does this deal do for both teams?

While I wouldn’t have dealt Matz for Simmons, it can be argued that Newcomb (a big lefty with a plus fastball and considerable upside) is comparable to Matz. Simmons was recognized for his defensive work in 2013-14 however, winning the Gold Glove, Fielding Bible and Rawlings Platinum Glove for his defense in 2013.

Simmons is still just 27, and under team control for five more seasons. Last year, his DRS was 25. The best ERA+ among the six primary starters was rookie Andrew Heaney at 107 (in a half-season), while the relievers tied for ninth in Major League Baseball with 21 blown saves.

From ESPN Stats and Info: We all know about Simmons’ fantastic defense, but if we look at just his offensive numbers from last season, he’d be a slight upgrade over what the Angels trotted out at shortstop previous year. Aybar also has defensive chops. He hit. 263 with 16 homers, though the trade-off for that production was his below-average glove. 276 in 1,220 regular-season games since 2006.

But this Simmons deal, with him signed for five more years and no bad contract being shed in the deal? Longtime Angels’ veteran Erick Aybar is heading out east after spending the first decade of his career with the Angels.

Rasmus accepts Astros’ offer • A person familiar with the decision said outfielder Colby Rasmus has accepted the Houston Astros’ one-year, $15.8 million qualifying offer, the first free agent to agree to such a deal.

But for 2016, Aybar will be the man. He’ll most likely be the No. 2 hitter behind Cameron Maybin or rookie Mallex Smith if Maybin should be traded. In 2015, MLB.com rated Newcomb as the 19th best prospect in all of baseball.

They also get the Angels’ number-two prospect, Chris Ellis. He posted a 2.38 ERA previous year with a strikeout per inning in 67 games, and since 2010 he’s got a 2.35 ERA (168 ERA+) in 388 games (379 innings) with 10 strikeouts per nine innings and almost 4 Ks per walk. Maybe those wishes can be granted and maybe they can’t; that’s for the genie and the Braves minor-league instructors to sort out. 320 on-base percentage, and the hope is that, as he gets older, that will continue to improve. In his previous two seasons, it was. 286 and.296, so it went in the right direction in 2015.

Ozzie Albies is Simmons’ eventual replacement at shortstop-he’s not the defender Simmons is, but he is a potentially better hitter-but it’s not certain he’ll reach Atlanta next season. 313 OBP in seven seasons, had never hit 23 homers before 2015 and has driven in as many as 70 runs once. I’m not sure what Major League Baseball and the MLBPA can do about the Marlins – the union complained the team wasn’t spending enough money a few years ago, then poof, Josh Johnson got a nice extension – but getting rid of Jeffrey Loria is a good start. “I’m happy to be part of an organization that is trying to win right now and trying to help my new team in whatever way I can”. With the Atlanta Braves, it no longer seems as if this is just a simple rebuild; but rather, scorched earth. Why the rush to sign A.J. If he has a good Spring Training, Newcomb has a chance to start in Atlanta in 2016.

Newcomb left the University of Hartford as the best pitcher in school history.