Braves talked to 'about 15 teams' for Andrelton Simmons trade
Though the Los Angeles Angels were the team to ultimately "win" the Andrelton Simmons sweepstakes, they certainly weren't the only team in the running.
After the trade, Atlanta Braves general manager John Coppolella described the trade talks and how the Angels became the landing spot for the All-Star shortstop via the AJC:
Coppolella also explained that he made the move early -- rather than waiting until the Winter Meetings -- because he was concerned the Angels would deal prospects Sean Newcomb and Chris Ellis in other deals.
Although this deal has been highly scrutinized by fans of both teams, its a deal that will take years to determine who the "winner" is. The Angels replaced Erick Aybar, who had one year left on his contract, with Simmons, considered the best shortstop in the game.
The Braves received Aybar and the two pitchers -- Newcomb and Ellis -- who might not make a big league appearance in 2016. The prevailing thought, however, is that Newcomb has a chance to be a top-of-the-rotation starter in the future, drawing comparisons to Jon Lester.
