The Atlanta Braves may have signed Freddie Freeman, Craig Kimbrel and Jason Heyward to extensions this offseason but that did not stop them from approaching shortstop Andrelton Simmons about a new contract
Simmons will become eligible for arbitration for the first time next winter but the two sides have already had discussions about a long term extension.
According to Joel Sherman of the New York Post the sticking point between the Braves and Simmons is his offensive upside. Already Simmons has proven to be a gold glove in the field but his offensive output has been questionable at times.
Hear #Braves want to sign Simmons long term but sides differ on offensive value now/future. Hitting pays huge, defense doesn’t.
— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) February 16, 2014
Simmons finished with a .248/.296/.396 line but mashed 17 home runs, 27 doubles and six triples. Those numbers were an improvement over his small sample from the previous year. How much Simmons improves on his numbers will go a long way in determining his future salaries.
