They have nicknames for guys like Brian Simmons. Gym Rat would work if this were basketball.
This is baseball, however, where pickup games aren’t easy to come by for anybody older than 15. And taking 500 cuts against a batting machine isn’t quite as beneficial as shooting 500 jumpers in the driveway.
Playing time is precious and in a few weeks, when the White Sox begin their season at Texas, Simmons is going to see his playing time dwindle.
“I’m in no hurry for the season to start,” said Simmons, who has played 66 innings, 14 in left field, 29 in center and 23 in right.
That wasn’t the case a year ago when Simmons had played his way into the starting center-fielder’s job and the end of spring training couldn’t have come soon enough.
By now the story is familiar and less painful for Simmons, both physically and mentally. On March 22 just a week before camp broke, Simmons lacerated his left palm while sliding into a base. He spent the next five weeks on the disabled list.
Simmons was healthy enough to play again in late April but he still had trouble gripping the bat and went to Class AAA Charlotte on a rehab assignment. The White Sox were happy to get McKay Christensen some major-league at-bats and also insert fourth outfielder Chris Singleton into a few games in center.
Those few games ended up turning into a season’s worth for Singleton, who finished sixth in the American League rookie of the year voting. When Simmons was called up in July, he was fighting for playing time behind Singleton.
“I dwelled on it for a little while,” said the 26-year-old Simmons, a 1995 second-round pick out of Michigan. “But once I got back to the big leagues, I had a different role and I accepted it. I really just don’t dwell on it anymore.”
That attitude is why White Sox manager Jerry Manuel doesn’t hesitate to use Simmons in any situation at any time and Manuel says he’ll try to find ways to move him off the bench and into the starting lineup.
Left-fielder Carlos Lee’s best position is actually first base. If Paul Konerko succeeds at third, Manuel could move Lee to first, Frank Thomas to designated hitter and Simmons into left field.
This isn’t a permanent plan, just one of several moves Manuel said he might make during the course of the season to better the White Sox defense. Simmons, who made several highlight-reel catches last season, already has proven to be one of the best defensive outfielders in the American League.
Simmons may be most valuable as a late-inning defensive replacement, pinch-hitter or pinch-runner. Last season he stole four bases in four attempts and was 2 for 5 as a pinch-hitter.
“He knows his role without you identifying it for him and he’s prepared to play,” Manuel said. “When he comes off the bench he already has stretched, loosened up, knows the situation that he might be used for a defensive replacement. Knowing that he might pinch-hit or something, you can always see him down there getting ready and getting prepared. He’s a very smart player.”
Coming off a season in which he had a combined 411 at-bats between the minors and the majors–he hit .230 with four homers and 17 runs batted in in 126 at-bats with the White Sox–Simmons decided to spend two months playing winter ball in Puerto Rico.Players with intangible qualities like Simmons has are invaluable. Having won last year’s starting center-fielder’s job, however briefly, hasn’t gone unnoticed by general managers looking for help. Simmons knows this.
“Last year I could have felt sorry for myself,” Simmons said. “I don’t feel that way. I feel like I have a lot of opportunity left to come.”
