MLB Trade: Angels acquire Andrelton Simmons from Braves

Someone done went and set the hot stove ablaze. In the first blockbuster trade of the offseason, the Angels have acquired shortstop Andrelton Simmons from the Braves for shortstop Erick "Bees" Aybar, prospect pitchers Sean Newcomb and Chris Ellis, and cash considerations (supposedly around $3 million).

Erick Aybar wasn't very good for the Angels last season but he's a former Gold Glove winner and catalyst for some of the more annoying Angels teams in recent memory. So, it's interesting that the Angels decided to upgrade at a position they arguably didn't have a need at. Then again, Andrelton Simmons is basically Aybar with super powers.

To pry Simmons away from Atlanta, the Angels dumped their remaining prospects on the Braves from their otherwise barren system. Even with a new GM in former Yankees exec Billy Eppler, the Angels have this weird ability to get other teams to seemingly take less than you'd expect to get their man (Dan Haren, Zack Greinke, and now Simmons come to mind).

Nevertheless, the Angels now have the best player in baseball and probably the best defender in the game. So, that's balls. The good news, I guess, is they still have several holes, a big fat nothing on the farm, and they didn't really upgrade at a position of need.

Still...

Ugh.