Immediately, I have to wonder about the headline I've selected. Is anyone really worried about Justin Smoak anymore? I mean, anyone among us? There are people who ought to be worried about Justin Smoak, most of all Justin Smoak, but my sense is that the fans have pretty much moved on and accepted that Smoak isn't going to work out. If he does, great, but if he doesn't, duh. So maybe a better headline would've been The Other Justin Smoak Problem That Exists. Yeah, that hits it.
The big problem with Justin Smoak is that he isn't good. Not statistically, which is the way that we measure good. He might have very good natural talent, and that would explain why he used to be so highly touted, but he's had a devil of a time turning that alleged talent into results that aren't results you'd expect from a glove-first shortstop. I'd say the most disappointing thing about Smoak has been his limited power. There are a number of problems, but Smoak was supposed to be able to hit an impressive home run at least occasionally, instead of never. The commercial with Justin Smoak punching over a tree is going to go down as this year's mini-Believe Big. "Whoops," the marketing department will say. "We probably shouldn't have done that." Smoak was billed as a first baseman with thump and instead he's been a first baseman with...plop? Fluff? Swish? I don't know what word to use. Instead he's been a first baseman with something bad.
Seattle Mariners
Record: 31-40
4th in American League West
Home: Safeco Field, Seattle, Washington
Capacity: 48,052
4th in American League West
Home: Safeco Field, Seattle, Washington
Capacity: 48,052
The Other Justin Smoak Problem To Worry About
Lookout Landing 9/05/2012
One thing the Minnesota Twins have struggled to find is good pitching, both on the front and back ends of the rotation and bullpen. They seem to have found a solid closer in Glen Perkins but Minnesota Twins general manager Terry Ryan fully expects to field calls about Perkins as we near the trade de
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The Tigers also announced that Toledo pitcher Jose Alvarez will start Thursday’s home game against the Boston
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Chase Utley could begin a minor league rehab assignment as soon as tomorrow.
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Cheap in salary, but he won’t be cheap in acquisition cost.
The Astros are willi
Mitch Moreland was cleared to begin an injury-rehabilitation assignment at Double-A Frisco on Monday.
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The previous night, Fox Sports reported that Kershaw and the Dodger
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Not happening.
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The news on Anibal Sanchez and Jonathan Papelbon:
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“Concerned” is a word Leyland sometimes u
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Instead, inflamma
Luke Scott bashed a go-ahead, two-run homer and Tampa Bay's bullpen overcame an injury to starter Alex Cobb to post a 5-3 victory over Kansas City.
After spotting the Royals an early 2-1 lead, the Rays came back in the third.
Ben Zobrist notched a two-out single off Kansas City's Jeremy Guthri
Miguel Gonzalez admits he can’t get his mind off fatherhood. His wife is due to deliver a baby daughter this week, and Gonzalez is eager for the happy event.
In what’s most likely his last start before fatherhood, Gonzalez worked into the seventh inning as the Orioles beat Jon Lester, who use
For nearly nine innings, the Mets had come out on Father’s Day and put on a Little League display. They couldn’t field, couldn’t hit, couldn’t compete. Then Kirk Nieuwenhuis turned all that around, the same way he turned around Carlos Marmol’s fastball for a walk-off blast and a 4-3 come-f
He was dominant, again, as if nothing had changed since he last took the mound.
And Washington Nationals ace Stephen Strasburg wasn't bad, either, in his first game back from the 15-day disabled list.
But it was the Indians' Corey Kluber who was the most dominant pitcher Sunday as he pitched e
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The Rays placed Cobb on the seven-day concussion disabled list and recalled reliever Josh Lueke from Triple-A Durham on Sunday morning, a day afte
From beat writer James Wagner of the Washington Post comes word that the Nationals have, as scheduled, activated ace right-hander Stephen Strasburg from the 15-day disabled list. Strasburg will return to the Nats’ starting rotation on Sunday afternoon to face the Indians after sitting out the past
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Rockies catcher Yorvit Torrealba owns nearly a dozen race horses. He knows a little something about handicapping. So, late last week, he leaned back in his chair in the home team's clubhouse at Coors Field and offered his view of the National League West. "This is going to be a tough division. We ar
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Beachy said he’d been experiencing some discomfort recently and just hoped it would improve
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Five straight wins equals .500.
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Anthony Rendon skied the first pitch he saw from Cleveland Indians reliever Vinnie Pestano in the ninth inning. Second baseman Jason Kipnis raced into foul territory and first baseman Nick Swisher ran back to make a play that appeared routine. Two defenders, an easy popup in foul ground. Neither, ho
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