I just finished reading Zach’s article in which he lauded the play and the value of Jorge Polanco to this Twins team. I agreed with every word written. It filled me with such hopefulness and optimism and general good feelings, that I felt I should provide an immediate negative addendum.
It’s easy to pile on, it’s easy to criticize. It’s far easier to criticize than to build. It’s far easier to write a negative “hit” piece than to write something valuable and positive laying forth a blueprint for the future. So…have I taken the easy way out? Yes, yes I have.
In my defense (and someone who defends himself has a fool for a client….or something like that)…this season has been one step forward, and two steps back, so in keeping with that, it’s time to address the elephant in the room. I know people are thinking about it, as I carefully monitor Twitter and thus, I have my finger on the pulse of a lot of stuff. Some of that stuff, of course, fails to add to society’s discourse or general well-being, but then again, some of it does. This past weekend there was a thread openly musing about why Andrelton Simmons was still on the team, why he was still taking time from those with future potential, and just….why?
I’m not a major league baseball player. Andrelton Simmons is, which makes him one of the truly elite baseball players in the world. That said, if Twitter is correct (and why wouldn’t it be?) many people are saying (wow….that sounds familiar somehow)…anyway, many people are saying (and thinking silently if they’re not saying it)…why is he still on the team?
I believe there is only one rational explanation. He couldn’t be traded. The Twins traded J.A. Happ for God’s sakes. ANYBODY can be traded. EVERYONE can be traded. Everyone, with the possible exception of Andrelton Simmons, in this place and in this year. This, alone, makes Andrelton Simmons, the most interesting man on the field.
Given his interesting perceptions coupled with his lack of production at the plate and somewhat disappointing performance in the field, it is inconceivable that he wasn’t offered in trade. One of the things all of us fans must always accept is that when “our” team makes a trade offer, another team has to believe making that trade would benefit them, just as we must surely believe it would benefit us. The benefits of taking on Andrelton Simmons would be? Take your time, I’ll wait.
Many of us have mused from time to time about what we’d do if we were the General Manager of a team. We would have made a particular trade, or we would have signed a particular player. Maybe, we could see ourselves making massive blockbuster moves, or at other times, merely slight tweaks in order to improve the product on the field. Surely, in these times, we have founds ourselves both agreeing and disagreeing with moves made by those actually in charge. This brings me back to Mr. Simmons. What would you have offered in trade as an opposing GM? Again, take your time, and if you realize it is taking too much time, I think you’ve answered the question posed…what would it take? It was an impossible trade to make and thus it didn’t happen, and that makes Andrelton the most interesting player on the field. Until the end of this season.
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