Mariners notebook: Justin Smoak moves on

The Justin Smoak era has come to an end in Seattle as he was claimed off waivers by the Blue Jays earlier today. Seemingly every chance to get his bat going consistently was exhausted, and the Mariners are moving on.

The writing was on the wall. Smoak was out of options, Logan Morrison had shown promise that deserved another look and the team has two prospects in DJ Peterson and Patrick Kivlehan that could see time at the position at some point in 2015. Toronto pick up the contract that includes a $3.65 million option, arbitration or a $150,000 buyout. The Blue Jays will have three days to decide if they will pick up the option or not.

Expectations were high for Smoak, who was acquired as part of the trade for Cliff Lee in 2010. When he arrived in Seattle he was brought straight to the majors, although some in the organization had reservations about doing so as Smoak had fewer than 600 at-bats in the minors at the time of the trade. After struggling in his first two weeks he was sent to Tacoma. He was called back up later that season and and hit .340/.421/.580/1.001, the first of his September teases.

Like most players, it was a matter of hitting consistently. Sometimes it was there, more often it was not. Sometimes the left side was stronger, sometimes it was the right side. The glimpses, his prospect status and superior defense provided him many at-bats to put it all together. It probably didn’t hurt that Smoak is a good guy, too. From playing while losing his father to cancer to dealing with the slumps, Smoak was always a good guy to be around. Easily on my top 10 list of guys I enjoyed seeing every day through the years.

I shared my last memory of him during my last chat and will do so again here as it is special. When we arrived back at the stadium (from Toronto, ironically enough) following the final trip of the season, Smoak was talking on his cell phone. I had an idea of what the conversation was and had it quickly confirmed by a teammate – his first child was on the way. You could see the jitters, the excitement, the panic in trying to get back to his home in South Carolina as he talked on the phone. A scramble ensued around him as arrangements were made to get him on a flight as quickly as possible. A staff member jumped in his truck to drive him to the airport and as they pulled away teammates were cheering and yelling, “Go Smoaky!” They were clearly excited for him. Thankfully, he made it home for the birth of his daughter.

It would appear the Mariners have answers and options at first base. Smoak hit .226/.308/.384/.692 in his five years in Seattle. We shall see if the change of scenery does him good.

Notes

• The 40-man roster is now at 39. Important dates to keep in mind: Eligible players become free agents at the conclusion of the World Series, and free agents may sign contracts with other clubs six days after it ends.

The Reserve List (40-man roster additions for Rule-5 protection) is due Nov. 20 and Dec. 2 is the last day to tender contracts to club-controlled players.

• My biggest nightmare in this game is losing a player. It has happened once while I was covering the Mariners and it was worse than I could have ever imagined it to be. My heart goes out to the family and friends of Oscar Taveras as well as the Cardinals organization and others who came in contact with him every day.

When we say goodbye to the players at the end of the season, I always have a little more concern for those who are leaving the country. The players from Latin America go home to not just different lives, but different worlds. We have heard about the dangers of crime, kidnapping and and other violence in these countries. I have heard stories of players living in compounds with escape tunnels and armed guards. One of the most stunning sights for me in a clubhouse happened years ago when a player emptied out his wallet one day and showed me his concealed weapons permit for his country. I couldn’t imagine this player in particular carrying a gun, worse yet carrying it because he needed to. He could be a target in his country because of who he was and what he did for a living. It’s different. It’s a different reality.

Another reality is outlined in this article. Rules of the road are almost nonexistent in the Dominican Republic and Venezuela and taking the wheel can be taking your life into your own hands. Again, part of the reality that a number of guys in the Mariners’ clubhouse have to deal with.

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