Simmons explains his “hat trick”
Milwaukee - Shortstop Andrelton Simmons has had a wild week, playing six minor league rehabilitation games in four cities, and it might have showed a bit Monday night when he walked out for his first at-bat wearing a home Braves batting helmet.
Simmons sported the red bill as opposed to the solid blue helmet his teammates were wearing. They gave him a hard time in the dugout after he flew out in the third inning, so he was back in the visiting helmet for his second at-bat.
“I brought it outside for some reason; I wasn’t thinking,” Simmons said Tuesday afternoon, smiling. “I don’t know. I’ve been out of it for a bit so.”
Simmons went 0-for-3 with a walk in his first game back, and for only maybe the third time in his playing career, professional or amateur, didn’t get a ball hit to him at shortstop.
“I felt all right,” he said. “I was a bit anxious still but it wasn’t nothing too bad.”
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17 comments Add your comment
Mike Lum
September 11th, 2012
8:34 pm
Why was the home helmet brought on the road trip?
btbus
September 11th, 2012
8:38 pm
Because he came from his rehab with the minor league teams. He would need both with his travels.
bruce
September 11th, 2012
8:40 pm
Let’s roll
Wrecker
September 11th, 2012
10:31 pm
He is back in the groove tonight, but is not making much of a difference (not getting much help).
Biff Pocoroba
September 11th, 2012
10:46 pm
This team is just awful. Fredi keeps putting in these garbage pitchers that Wren gets off of the scrap heap that no one else wants. Then he starts a washed up first baseman that hasn’t played in a long time. The Phillies have a better shot at the wild card than the Braves now the way Fredi is managing this team. They somehow survived his idiodicy Sunday but couldn’t do it the last two nights No one on this team can hit and if they can’t win 1-0, then you can count it as a loss since there is no way they can score two runs with this awful line up and coach. They should have saved the money they wasted on a second hitting coach and gotten a real reliever that isn’t washed up. Look for Wren to sign Roger Clemens tomorrow..
Music City Hammer
September 11th, 2012
11:43 pm
If this team is “just awful” then what is the rest of the league? As frustrating as they have been all season, the Braves have the third best record in the NL and USA Today’s “power poll” slots them as the fourth best in MLB. Basically they need a new hitting approach — playing long ball is not getting it done for them. It may be too late to expect a major turnaround this season, but a little “small ball” could go a long way for this club right now. Forget the home runs. Go the “other way.” Opponents with all the shifts are giving it to you anyway. String together some singles and you’ll get some runs, but everyone needs to buy in. Small ball does win games. Look at the Brewers the last two nights.
JNick
September 11th, 2012
11:47 pm
Home and Road batting helmets? SMH…what next?
Strange Murphy
September 12th, 2012
5:57 am
The Braves are inconsistent as hey! Champions aren’t.
dromio94
September 12th, 2012
7:42 am
Really, DOB, you cannot say Simmons FLEW out. Baseball players don’t fly, no more than pigs do (no odious comparison intended). He “FLIED OUT”, the two words composing a single verb, with a specialized, baseball-only meaning. Meanwhile, the Braves sadly are flyng nowhere fast, while the Nats are sitting pretty; they don’t need to fly at all.
Ekim
September 12th, 2012
10:44 am
Yeah, what Music City Hammer said. Go pull for Houston, Biff. Then your off-key whining would have some validity.
David O'Brien
September 12th, 2012
12:06 pm
Really, DOB, you cannot say Simmons FLEW out. — dromio94
Thanks. Not sure what you’re talking about, though, since I’m home in Atlanta.
Chip's mousse
September 12th, 2012
12:40 pm
dromio: Grow up man. It’s baseball. What are you, eleven?
BillEGoat
September 12th, 2012
1:46 pm
With the payroll available, Wren has put a decent team on the field. Fredi is an average-talent major league manager. Now, we’ll see if this group of players has the necessary grit to be successful in SEPTEMBER win-or-go-home baseball. They were NOT last September, and this is basically the same group. The Braves were one of the better major league teams for most of the season, but September is different, more pressure, every AB, every pitch, every play on defense means more. Truthfully, the Braves have, to an extent, lacked late-season grit for a number of years, produced somewhat fewer wins than the talent warranted. We’ll see if the 2012 Braves have enough guys who’ll play high-caliber September baseball and carry the team. This is NOT on Wren or on Fredi–it is on the players.
reckingball
September 12th, 2012
2:46 pm
go braves
bbkorbel
September 12th, 2012
3:03 pm
Get the line movin’ & then keep the line movin’ Braves!
HAL
September 12th, 2012
3:53 pm
bille goat that is the most profound comment ive read on this blog wren and fredi have done as much as can be expected from this over hyped over paid group see heyward, bourn, jones,larry wayne none of whom areclutch performers if we make the playoffs my guesss is it will be mateen and bmac who get it done
JoeBravesFan
September 12th, 2012
4:08 pm
Andrelton can wear whatever helmet he wants as long as he’s in the lineup. His defense, and even his bat on occasion, is awesome. Janish did a great job filling in, causing Jack Wilson to be released, so we’re good at SS. Prado needs to be at 2B and Uggla needs to be sent packing. If we can’t retain Bourn after this season, Constanza needs to be starting in our outfield next year for his speed alone. He can hit pretty well, too…(he won the International League Batting Title). I would LOVE to see Terry Francona standing on that top step as our manager next season. While we’re at it, send McCann packing, because we should not pay what he’s sure to be asking in free agency or in an extension. David Ross would be a great primary catcher, and could BE the starting catcher on most teams. I think Frank Wren has done a great job with the payroll he has to work with. Maybe with Chipper’s salary coming off the books, we’ll be able to retain Bourn or get a different impact player.