BROCK AND SALK

What are Mariners expecting from Justin Smoak?

Jul 5, 2013, 11:32 AM | Updated: 3:46 pm

By Brent Stecker

Justin Smoak hasn’t developed into the power-hitting, middle-of-the-lineup cog the Mariners hoped he would become when they acquired him from the Texas Rangers in 2010. Though he’s looked serviceable since returning to the team from an injury June 18, he has three-plus disappointing MLB seasons to his credit. So what are the expectations for the 26-year-old first baseman?

smoak retro
Justin Smoak has hit three home runs since returning from injury on June 18, but he only has six homers this season in 59 games. (AP)

Mariners insider Shannon Drayer joined 710 ESPN Seattle’s “Brock and Danny,” and she pointed out why Seattle continues to give Smoak chances.

“You definitely have time in that he’s still under club control, and you’ve got him for next to nothing right now,” Drayer said. “We see throughout baseball so many examples of guys who are just flat-out late bloomers. … Is it a little alarming to see the hits but nothing with runners in scoring position right now? Yes. But he’s not blocking anybody over there. I think a lot of potential is still there.”

Smoak is hitting .259 with six home runs, nine doubles, 13 RBI, and a .756 OPS this season, but three homers, three doubles and five RBI have come since his return from a strained oblique.

A large fear surrounding the possibility of the Mariners cutting ties with Smoak is the emergence of late bloomers like the Orioles’ Chris Davis, who has been the league’s best-hitting first baseman this season, and the Padres’ Chase Headley, who was one of the top power hitters in the NL last year.

“If you look at the swing, if you look at his physical-ness, if you look at the fact that he’s a switch-hitter, all of those things would kind of lend you to believe, if you can do it, you don’t want him to be the one that gets away and all of the sudden turns into Chris Davis,” Drayer said. “I’m not saying he’s going to, but you don’t want that to happen.”

The Mariners are still looking for some consistency from Smoak, who had an all-or-nothing game Thursday against Texas, hitting a single and a double but striking out in each of his three other at-bats.

“Yesterday was a disaster — every time he stepped up to the plate and there was a runner in scoring position, nothing, and every time he stepped to the plate and there wasn’t, he came through,” Drayer said. “But the fact that he’s coming through in any situation right now I think is a step in the right direction.

“Again, you want to see what’s there. I always have an eye open for something else, because he certainly hasn’t proved it at this level. He’s proved he can survive a big-league season, he’s proved that he plays a good first base, but for what you got him for, and that was, ‘You’re 6-foot-4, we wanna see those 25 to 30 home runs from you a year,’ we certainly haven’t seen that yet.”

Brock and Salk podcast

Brock and Salk

Seattle Seahawks NFL Draft Jackson Powers-Johnson...

Brandon Gustafson

Brock’s Seahawks Draft Profiles: ‘The best center’ in the 2024 class

If the Seattle Seahawks want to boost their offensive line, Brock Huard wouldn't mind if they draft Oregon center Jackson Powers-Johnson.

8 hours ago

...

Seattle Sports Video

Video: Nelson Cruz reflects on his time with the Seattle Mariners on Brock & Salk

‘The Boomstick’ Nelson Cruz joined the Brock & Salk Show on Seattle Sports before throwing out the ceremonial first pitch at the Seattle Mariners 2024 season opener at T-Mobile Park. Cruz discussed his time with the Mariners, what retirement is like, and whether or not he would bring out the boomstick one more time before […]

11 hours ago

Seattle Mariners Mitch Haniger...

Mike Salk

Salk: Scars remain as Mariners return, but hope isn’t far away

As the Seattle Mariners return for 2024, Seattle Sports' Mike Salk writes about seasons, scars, frustration, hope and baseball.

1 day ago

Seattle Seahawks NFL Draft Payton Wilson...

Brandon Gustafson

Brock’s Seahawks Draft Profile: ‘Twitched up’ LB fills a need

Next up in Brock Huard's Seattle Seahawks draft profiles is a very intriguing defender in North Carolina State linebacker Payton Wilson.

1 day ago

Seattle Seahawks Sam Howell...

Brandon Gustafson

New Seahawks QB Sam Howell describes trade, his role and more

The Seattle Seahawks have a new QB in Sam Howell, and he joined Brock & Salk on Wednesday to describe the trade that sent him to the Hawks.

1 day ago

...

Seattle Sports Video

Video: Getting to know new Seattle Seahawks QB Sam Howell

What do Seattle Seahawks fans need to know about new QB Sam Howell? What will he bring to the QB room and competition this season? He joined the Brock and Salk show toady to talk about what type of QB the Seahawks are getting. Can he be a piece that helps this team get back […]

1 day ago

What are Mariners expecting from Justin Smoak?