Braves, Simmons Agree to Extension
As if Braves Country didn’t have enough to celebrate.
The Braves have agreed to terms with SS Andrelton Simmons on a seven-year contract. The deal runs through 2020.
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) February 20, 2014
The Braves have more than made up for the departures of veterans Brian McCann and Tim Hudson, having now signed four players to extensions of 4 years or more.
The contract breakdown, per Jon Heyman of CBS Sports is as follows:
Simmons breakdown: $1M sign bonus, salaries of $1M, $3M, $6M, $8M, $11M, $13M, $15M
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) February 20, 2014
It is unclear if Simmons would have reached Super-Two status, but this contract guarantees the Braves at least two prime free agent years from the 24 year old defensive whiz. The later salaries are a bit higher than I expected, but the Braves surely will see full value from this contract from Simmons’ defense alone. Last year Simmons not only won the National League Gold Glove for shortstop, but also recorded the highest DRS (Defensive Runs Saved) for any position since the invention of the statistic. Showing flashes of power and a promising knack for making contact in 2013, Simmons pounded 17 homeruns while striking out just 55 times in 658 plate appearances. His power numbers have already exceeded expectations, and while he may never hit more than 17, the Braves have deemed his progress as a player and his untapped potential to be worthy of the second longest extension in franchise history, following Freddie Freeman‘s monster 8 year deal earlier this month.
Some quotes on the signing:
Wren (on Simmons): "for us, it was somewhat of a no-brainer that he would be part of that young core that we would tie up" #Braves
— Kevin McAlpin (@KevinMcAlpin) February 20, 2014
Wren (on the many long term deals): "there will be more as we go forward because we have a good young dynamic group" #Braves
— Kevin McAlpin (@KevinMcAlpin) February 20, 2014
Oh dear lord, Frank, don’t tease us any more. Mike Minor next? Kris Medlen? Stay tuned to Tomahawk Take for all your Braves extension news – I have a feeling we’ll have another one of these in a couple of days.