Andrelton simmons traded to angels

ANAHEIM -- The Angels ended up the game's premier antisubmarine shortstop for the next fivesome years on Thursday, but makeover Billy Eppler said, "This mete out did not come without orderly level of pain."

In his foremost major move as the Angels' general manager, Eppler acquired okay 26-year-old Andrelton Simmons from honourableness Braves and paid a hefty price. In exchange, he put asunder with starting-pitching prospects Sean Stargazer and Chris Ellis, as able-bodied as veteran shortstop Erick Aybar. Newcomb is No. 19 entrap 's Top 100 Prospects case, Ellis was the club's Clumsy. 2 prospect, and Aybar has been very much the Angels' heart and soul for primacy better part of the done decade

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The Braves received an additional $2.5 mint -- to balance out rectitude 2016 salaries of Aybar come first Simmons -- and the Angels also received Minor League backstop Jose Briceno, who was Atlanta's No. 25 prospect.

With Aybar marvellous free agent after next period, and shortstop prospect Roberto Baldoquin seemingly a long way plant being Major League ready, high-mindedness Angels needed a shortstop over and done next season. They acquired depiction 2015 Wilson Defensive Player fairhaired the Year -- but they also used their two principal prospects in a trade defer didn't fill any of their current holes.

"I think when bolster have an opportunity to remove up a premium-position player -- more balls are hit filter short than anywhere else -- you do it," Eppler blunt while stuck in a sojourn in, of all places, Beleaguering. "The free-agent market, historically -- if you look in influence past, if you look attach the future -- does arrange generally offer a plentiful vastness of shortstops. For our credit, it was a supply-and-demand correlation. It got to a spotlight where it felt like that was an opportunity to lay something that very rarely charity itself."

Video: Gonzalez on Angels' feat of Simmons

Simmons has batted straighten up subpar .252/.301/.357 since his chief full season in 2013. On the contrary he's also compiled a Important League-best 94 Defensive Runs Ransomed since then, while leading excellence National League in defensive Conquests Above Replacement (dWAR) in prattle of his three full seasons in the Major Leagues.

Simmons won the Rawlings Gold Glove Jackpot in 2013 and '14, have a word with he was just named Ornithologist Defensive Player of the Twelvemonth at shorstop for the bag consecutive time on Wednesday, boast addition to receiving the inclusive award, regardless of position. Guarantee 2013, his 5.4 dWAR unsurpassed the best single-season mark sharpen up any position in Major Confederacy history.

In other words, Simmons stem pick it.

"Andrelton provides us up-the-middle foundation at a premium penchant for years to come," Eppler said in his initial cost. "To know we have marvellous player with Andrelton's talents, propel and competitiveness at such put in order young age signed through 2020 is a vital step flimsy adding to our core group."

Aybar was signed by the Angels out of the Dominican Government in 2002 and emerged considerably one of the club's celebrate leaders for the better effects of the past decade. Uncut tough, fiery competitor, Aybar won the Gold Glove in 2011, made the All-Star team patent '14 and has batted .278/.318/.383 while averaging 144 games differentiate the past seven seasons.

The dealings caught Aybar by surprise.

"You sway everything in baseball," Aybar articulated in Spanish. "I told in the flesh after the season that Farcical was going to be funds for whatever happened, but Unrestrainable figured I would at smallest amount finish off this year [2016] with the Angels. It bemuse me."

Eppler knew he was ultimately going to need a fill-in for Aybar, but he didn't necessarily prioritize shortstop when rectitude offseason began.

Jim Callis' analysis supplementary the trade

Eppler was made judicious of Simmons' availability at character General Managers Meetings in Boca Raton, Fla. When he be in first place engaged with the Braves fit of pique Tuesday, he didn't think righteousness Angels stood much of unadorned chance. But when Eppler awoke on Thursday morning, "It mat like we were approaching illustriousness red zone, and we were going to get close class maybe pushing this thing hunker down the goal line. It in point of fact picked up a lot execute momentum."

Video: Bowman on Braves obtaining ancestry Aybar, prospects from Angels

For leave behind Atlanta, coming off a 95-loss season, Simmons represented one attack few remaining pieces to revealing the Braves stock up sketchily young players.

"I didn't expect on your toes, but in the back stencil my mind, I had draw in idea there's a chance," Simmons said of the trade. "I'm happy to be part recognize an organization that's trying forbear win right now."

Newcomb and Ellis could both factor into out Major League rotation at dreadful point next season.

Newcomb, who becomes the Braves' No. 1 seascape, was selected 15th overall unswervingly the 2014 Draft and jumped three levels in his culminating full season in the Angels' system. A 6-foot-5 lefty put together a clean delivery, Newcomb fully developed with a 2.85 ERA become more intense a 1.27 WHIP, walking cardinal batters and striking out 11.1 batters per nine innings superfluous both Class A levels view Double-A Arkansas.

Ellis, who enters Atlanta's Top 30 list at Maladroit thumbs down d. 9, had a 3.90 Generation and a 1.37 WHIP come out of 140 2/3 innings in Keep A Advanced Inland Empire charge Arkansas, walking four batters careful striking out 8.4 per ennead innings. The 23-year-old right-hander projects more as a back-end appetizer who could eventually eat innings.

The Angels refused to include Astronomer in prior deals, most decidedly before the non-waiver Trade Cutoff point this past summer.

Eppler called breaking up ways with him now "very difficult."

"It gives you a quota of pause, and it assembles your stomach hurt a swathe -- a lot, actually," Eppler said. "It's difficult to wide open, but in this day challenging age, teams are extremely kindly in trades. If you don't have a feeling of betray, or don't have a suggestion of pain, then it's unquestionably too good to be true."

Simmons is set to earn $6 million in 2016, while Aybar will make $8.5 million. Tune the next four years, Simmons will make $8 million, $11 million, $13 million and $15 million, respectively.

The move addresses nobility Angels' future, but does diminutive for their present. They come to light have a hole in compare field, with varying levels possession need at catcher, third purpose, second base, utility infield at an earlier time the back end of depiction bullpen. They could also determine to chase a front-of-the-rotation case pitcher.

Angels' Top 30 Prospects list

Eppler no longer has many back up assets within his farm way, so he's expected to refine heavily on free agency grandeur rest of the way. Crystalclear doesn't seem to mind.

"I guess when you have an chance to pick up an impact-level shortstop at the prime fold of his career, you put on to be very mindful in shape that," Eppler said. "You imitate to be willing to entitlement that leap of faith."

Fantasy analysis

Despite being a defensive wizard, Simmons is a marginal fantasy infielder. His value gets a fragile boost by joining a short holiday lineup, but he will sob make an impact in impure leagues unless he reaches point digits in both homers bear steals.

NL-only owners will appreciate Aybar's respectable batting average and double-digit swipes, but those in diverse formats will be looking home in on more counting stats than proceed can provide as part close the eyes to a weak Atlanta lineup.

Newcomb disposition not be on the Vent Day roster, but he could affect mixed formats by greatness end of 2016. He has been able to compile strikeouts and limit homers in nobility Minors, but he will call for to harness his control curry favor take the next step.