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Rays' Chandler Simpson is a nightmare for opposing teams for 2 reasons
TL;DR
Chandler Simpson of the Tampa Bay Rays is emerging as a significant threat to opposing teams due to his exceptional speed and contact ability. His performance is crucial for the Rays' chances in the competitive AL East.
Rays' Chandler Simpson is a nightmare for opposing teams for 2 reasons originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Tampa Bay Rays, in a very competitive AL East, need a few things to go their way if they want to win the division, or even sneak into the postseason.
And one of those things would be the breakout of a player other than Junior Caminero, and that looks to be the case with Chandler Simpson.
Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report highlighted two reasons why Simpson is becoming a nightmare for opposing teams. Beyond the obvious with his speed, his contact ability is proving to make for a deadly combination this season.
Rays' Chandler Simpson is becoming a nightmare
1. Simpson can fly around the basepaths
"Lest there be any doubt that Simpson is the fastest in MLB, he's the only one who takes less than 4.16 seconds to get from home to first. And he does it in 3.95 seconds," Rymer writes.
It's hard to overstate how fast Simpson is. He's the kind of player who can turn normal ground-outs into singles, singles into doubles, doubles into triples, and potentially even triples into inside-the-park homers.
His speed is truly game-breaking and is one-half of what makes him such a nightmare for opposing teams this season. But the other phase of his game might be more impressive.
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2. Simpson is incredible at making contact
"What we're finding out now is that he can also hit, as he leads MLB with a .407 average," Rymer writes. "He's also struck out only three times in 64 plate appearances!"
The Rays speedster isn't just someone who can get on base because of his speed; he's also making great swing decisions, and even striking out very few times so far.
In 64 plate appearances this season, he has three walks and three strikeouts to go with his league-leading 24 hits and two triples.
He somehow doesn't have a double, but it doesn't matter too much, because he's stolen seven bases already this season, and can turn singles into a runner on second base very quickly.
It's early in the season, and there's still time for things to change, but for now, Simpson looks to be one of the biggest nightmares to face as a hitter and on the basepaths.
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Q&A
What makes Chandler Simpson a nightmare for opposing teams?
Chandler Simpson is a nightmare for opposing teams because of his remarkable speed and strong contact ability, which create a lethal combination on the field.
How is Chandler Simpson impacting the Tampa Bay Rays' postseason chances?
Chandler Simpson's breakout performance is vital for the Rays as they aim to improve their chances of winning the AL East and securing a postseason spot.
Who is Chandler Simpson and what role does he play on the Rays?
Chandler Simpson is a player for the Tampa Bay Rays, known for his speed and contact skills, which are becoming increasingly important in the team's strategy this season.
