Atlanta Braves Andrelton Simmons….He’s Back!!!
By Jeff Schafer
On the first day of full squad practice in the 2015 Spring Training, Atlanta Braves shortstop Andrelton Simmons went into the clubhouse and told Manager Fredi Gonzalez he was suffering from a sore/strained left oblique muscle.
Gonzalez and the Braves correctly held Simmons out of any activities that would hinder this injury for a solid week. He has progressed well enough over the past few days and is set to participate in his first Spring Training game in 2015.
Braves beat writer, David O’Brien tweeted this afternoon that Gonzalez is ready to put Simmons in the lineup on Thursday night against the New York Yankees.
#Braves Fredi G said Simmons is a go for tomorrow night vs. Yankees, his debut after nursing an oblique strain for past couple weeks.
— David O'Brien (@DOBrienATL) March 11, 2015
In years past, if Simmons felt an injury spur upon him, he would keep it to himself so that he could stay on the field. It looks as though he has learned his lessons to speak up with these nagging injuries. Simmons said he felt the strain after a batting practice session around the first of February and then he aggravated it again the first week of workouts.
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“The past couple of years, they’ve had trouble with me staying in the trainer’s room and just taking my rest,” Simmons told the media on February 26th. “I want to be out there. I like being out there taking ground balls and diving and hitting. So I’m trying to learn to be patient.”
Andrelton will look to rebound at the plate from a down season in 2014. He had the slash line of .244/.286/.331 with only seven homers and 60 strikeouts.
Braves new hitting coach, Kevin Seltzer will try to improve his swing by taking a simpler approach at the plate and not trying to drive the ball over the fence every swing. He needs to keep his weight back and stay in his shoes while he swings.
Below is a video that 680 The Fan’s Kevin McAlpin posted this morning of Simmons taking BP at the Braves Spring Training facility.