Simba dominates top Braves defense of 2010s
ATLANTA -- If attempting to compile a list of the best defensive plays made by the Braves over the course of the past 10 seasons, you should account for the fact you’ll likely spend an extra hour or two just watching video of Andrelton Simmons’ wizardry.
Below is what you may eventually come up with for a list of the Braves’ best defensive plays of the past decade. Quite honestly, the list could have consisted of nothing but Simmons highlights. But we sprinkled in a few of the gems created by Ender Inciarte, Jason Heyward and others.
1. Simba did what?
Date: July 21, 2014
Simmons highlighted a 3-1 loss to the Marlins when he had Christian Yelich, Dan Uggla and Julio Teheran all staring in amazement. As Yelich attempted to steal second in the fourth inning, Simmons broke toward the bag. The Braves’ Gold Glove shortstop then, somehow, abruptly changed directions and fell as he snared a Jordany Valdespin liner that short-hopped off the infield grass. More amazingly, he then flung his body back toward the bag and tagged it before Yelich arrived.
2. Heyward’s game-ending dive
Date: July 22, 2013
With two on, two outs and the Braves holding a 2-1, ninth-inning lead over the Mets at Citi Field, Heyward preserved victory when he raced into left-center field to rob Justin Turner of what would have been at least a game-tying hit. Braves closer Craig Kimbrel expressed his appreciation as he looked toward the outfield with amazement and mouthed, “Oh my God.”
3. Inciarte’s game-ender
Date: Sept. 21, 2016
Inciarte might have locked up the first of his three consecutive Gold Glove Awards when he ended a 4-3 win over the Mets by robbing Yoenis Céspedes of what would have been a game-ending home run. With two on and two outs in the ninth, Inciarte raced toward right-center field and leaped against Citi Field’s outfield wall just in time to prevent Céspedes’ drive from sneaking over the fence.
4. Acuña robs, then dekes
Date: Aug. 15, 2019
Further displaying his wide-ranging entertainment skills, Ronald Acuña Jr. highlighted a 10-8 loss to the Mets when he robbed a home run and initially acted like he hadn’t. After rising above SunTrust Park’s left-center-field wall, Acuña fell to the ground and sat on the warning track for a couple seconds before revealing he had indeed made the spectacular catch.
5. Simba did what? Part II
Date: April 10, 2015
Travis d’Arnaud certainly understands we could have chosen this play, or even the one Simmons made to rob him of a hit the previous August. They were essentially the same play. But this more recent thievery was achieved with the Braves shortstop ranging a little further into shallow left field before making a strong off-balance throw that beat the former Mets catcher to first base. The third-inning gem helped Atlanta claim a 5-3 win in its home opener.
6. Inciarte doubles up Bryce
Date: April 6, 2016
Playing in just his second game as a member of the Braves organization, Inciarte introduced himself to the Turner Field crowd in impressive manner during the fourth inning of a 3-1 loss to the Nationals. The center fielder made a diving catch of Ryan Zimmerman’s drive to right-center field and then completed a double play with a strong throw that beat Bryce Harper back to first base.
7. Swanson thwarts D-backs
Date: Sept. 8, 2018
Dansby Swanson was selected by the D-backs with the first pick in the 2015 MLB Draft and was then traded to the Braves the following December. This factoid didn’t make Arizona fans feel any better when Swanson concluded a 5-3, 10-inning win in Arizona with a defensive gem. The Atlanta shortstop dove into the outfield grass to snare A.J. Pollock’s sharp grounder and then quickly threw to the plate to deny Nick Ahmed’s aggressive attempt to score from second base on the play.
8. Charlie Clutch
Date: July 7, 2019
Charlie Culberson has entertained Braves fans with a number of clutch late-inning home runs, including a few of the walk-off variety. But he helped preserve this 4-3 win over the Marlins with a game-saving double play. With the bases loaded and none out, Neil Walker hit a fly ball that Culberson caught in left field before unleashing a pinpoint throw that resulted in a double play when Brian McCann tagged Jorge Alfaro out in front of the plate.
9. Freddie falls into the stands
Date: Aug. 3, 2014
Freddie Freeman has made a few over-the-shoulder catches, and he’s also won a few battles while having to deal with a tarp. But his best catch might have been when he fell into the stands to snare Tyson Ross’ foul ball in the sixth inning of a 4-3, 10-inning loss to the Padres at Petco Park.
10. Simba’s hustle
Date: April 18, 2015
An out wasn’t recorded, but there’s still something quite memorable about the fact that Simmons fielded Devon Travis’ chopper past the third-base bag more than halfway down the left-field line. The shortstop’s hustle limited Travis to a single during the sixth inning of the Blue Jays’ 6-5, 10-inning win in Toronto.