Braves trade Andrelton Simmons to the Angels

We’re talking 94-97 miles per hour fastball topping out at 99, folks – from the left side. For the year, Newcomb went 9-3 with a 2.38 earned run average, with 168 strikeouts to 76 walks. However, the Braves still were there and put out winning seasons from 1991 to 2014.

That’s a nice haul for the Braves, who net a capable veteran middle infielder and former All-Star in Aybar, plus two of the Angels’ top four prospects in Newcomb and Ellis, per Baseball America. The Braves’ shortstop was going to be there for a long time, and even though the Angels’ shortstop was a free agent after this year, he had been there for a long time.

According to NBC Sports, Newcomb, 22, is the centerpiece of the deal for the Atlanta Braves. We need the offense to change that, and we have the pieces to that now.

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.

Eppler praised Aybar, who hit. At the time we weren’t sure whether he would be a pitcher or a shortstop. But at the end of it, he’s a really good player. He was a huge part of this deal. It’ll cost you Noah Syndergaard and another premium prospect. And if they are going to spend big and give up a pick, there are better pitchers available in free agency, right?

In Boston, where Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen led the storied Celtics to the last of their 17 National Basketball Association championships in 2008, the process of replacing the Big Three has been a tedious one.

Simmons is still just 27, and under team control for five more seasons. Somebody that our staff really liked and our scouts really liked.

No, I’ll bet this deal was entirely about Sean Newcomb, because the Braves seem to be entirely about pitching prospects.

Players and owners will re-examine free agent compensation during negotiations that start early next year for a collective bargaining agreement to replace the current deal, which expires on December 1, 2016. Yes, better than Omar Vizquel.

Erick Aybar is under contract for the 2016 season (although who knows if he even lasts that long), but what happens at shortstop for the Braves after that?

But that’s not the reason I wouldn’t have made the trade. If they picked the right players. 2015 was certainly a down season, as he hit about as well as Simmons but played much, much worse defense. The same idea applied to the trade of Justin Upton to the San Diego Padres.

The good news is Eppler still has three months before spring training to cross a few more items off his list.

Which means it’s the second straight offseason in which I throw up my hands and proclaim I have no idea what the Braves are doing. He’s about the same age as Yasmany Tomas, and it’s not like the Diamondbacks are convinced that what they see is what they get there. There is no guarantee that either Sean Holcomb or Chris Ellis will ever make it to the show, and if they do, there is no guarantee that they will turn into the next Jacob DeGrom, Matt Harvey or Jake Arrieta. Now, Simmons has been dealt as well. It’s a tougher one to sell to the faithful.

So, this was a win-now move for the win-now Angels, sending prospects for a star, but it was also a long-term move. “I didn’t expect it, but in the back of my mind I had an idea there’s a chance”. The southpaw is said to be seeking at least a five-year contract.

Here we go again. Angels beat writers and Angels fans will, though.

After acquiring Andrelton Simmons from the Braves on Thursday, the Angels might have the best defensive shortstop-center field combo in all of baseball, with the two-time Gold Glove victor Simmons joining perennial MVP candidate Mike Trout. Sometimes, you get Pierce Brosnan-a unusual placeholder who’s fine to have but ultimately forgettable.

Now they have a stockpile of young pitching prospects, and they’re proud of their top youngster, Ozhaino Albies (a shortstop, not coincidentally).

Simmons was a known quality. He was named the Wilson Defensive Player of the Year on Wednesday, offsetting his mediocre offensive skills with spectacular work in the field. I can’t help but wonder if the Yankees are being used to create leverage.

Braves BB Ops don’t want to move Simmons($53M, thru y ’20) or Teheran($40.6 thru ’19), but may have to do one.

Simmons was a one-of-a-kind defender. Now he’s an Angel. Shelby Miller and Julio Teheran? And are you confident either of them will be around for several more years?

Outfielder Colby Rasmus agreed to accept Houston’s $15.8 million qualifying offer, the team said Friday. 276 with 18 home runs and 66 RBIs. He had 23 doubles and 39 steals, and scored 60 runs. He has a. 258 career average, .320 OBP and. He batted. 200 with two homers and 12 RBIs in 48 games for Atlanta.