LA Angels Andrelton Simmons shakes off slow start to back Trout

When the LA Angels traded for shortstop Andrelton Simmons in the winter of 2015 they wanted a strong defensive player who could hold his own at the plate.

Andrelton Simmons has been that and then some. Simmons has become a superb hitter since joining the LA Angels in the 2016.  He has improved by leaps and bounds in every offensive category while still being a defensive wizard at shortstop.

When Simmons came to the Angels he had a career .256 average in four seasons with the Atlanta Braves with 31 home runs and 168 RBIs and 16 stolen bases.  In his first three seasons with the Angels Simmons has hit .284 with 32 home runs and 204 RBIs with 42 stolen bases and he still has most of thee 2019 season to add-on to these numbers.

However, this Spring Simmons was downright awful at the plate in Spring Training hitting .140 going 6 for 43 with no homers and only one RBI.  While the Spring does not matter much, Simmons slump continued into the first three weeks of the 2019 season.  On April 15th, nearly three weeks into the season, Simmons was hitting .197 with one homer and six RBIs.

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Since then Simmons has caught fire.  In the last two weeks Simmons has raised his batting average 92 points to .289 and has doubled his RBI total as he now has 13 RBIs to go along with three home runs.  In the past week Simmons has hit .379 with two homers and five runs batted in.  This followed a week that he hit .351 before that.

He is the Angels hottest hitter right now and he has given the Angels a temporary solution on who to bat behind Mike Trout and provide him with protection so teams can’t pitch around him so much.

The trade that was the first by Billy Eppler after taking over as Angels general manager has probably been his best one.  He did sacrifice one of the Angels top pitching prospects in Sean Newcomb to get Simmons, but as of yet Newcomb has not shown great consistency on the mound.

According to Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register, Andrelton Simmons goal was to continue to increase his offensive prowess.

"Angels’ Andrelton Simmons feels stronger, hoping to increase power this season"

Other than Mike Trout in centerfield, Simmons has been the most consistent player for the Angels. Shortstop is one position that there is never a question for the Angel manager Brad Ausmus when filling out his line-up card each night.

For his exploits Andrelton Simmons is the Halo Hangout Player of the Week.  Hopefully he will continue this torrid pace the rest of the season.  Great job Andrelton!!!