Smoak should be our everyday 1B - is there any question?

Komodo · Post #1 » by **Komodo** » Sun Mar 8, 2015 5:54 pm

Just watching the PS, and I like what Smoak brings to 1B defensively. A big guy who catches right, good on the bag. Allows EE to focus on DH. Why is this not common sense to Gibbons? Is it because EE doesn't want to just play DH? In general I'm a huge fan of defense and I like the Smoak addition, even if he will struggle at bat. Start Smoak at 1B!

Komodo · Post #2 » by **Komodo** » Sun Mar 8, 2015 7:51 pm

*crickets*

Post #3 » by **Schad** » Sun Mar 8, 2015 8:02 pm

I agree with starting Smoak at 1B, but he's actually not a great defender at the position by any stretch. Also, that appears to be the desired plan...assuming Smoak hits, and we can find someone to take Dinner off our hands.

SharoneWright · Post #4 » by **SharoneWright** » Sun Mar 8, 2015 11:28 pm

Yes, I agree. While Valencia gets most lefties.

Michael Bradley · Post #5 » by **Michael Bradley** » Mon Mar 9, 2015 12:07 am

Smoak/Valencia at 1B, Edwin at DH, and Navarro as back-up catcher only.

That's the best way to maximize the current roster.

PowerPlant1 · Post #6 » by **PowerPlant1** » Mon Mar 9, 2015 2:21 am

Yes, why? He makes any dreams of offense go up in ..... Couldn't even write it.

I don't like black holes on offense. They don't exactly help in low scoring games and can drag other hitters down when someone is an automatic out.

Anyways, he will likely platoon with Valencia. I just don't like it. I am aware of the defense but is 1B really that important a position defensively?

Really, EE was an OF last year which I thought was a horrendous decision which may have led to the EE injury. Gibbons likes to max. the lineup.

chargerxthirty · Post #7 » by **chargerxthirty** » Mon Mar 9, 2015 2:36 am

While it seems that defense at 1st base is overrated I'm not entirely against having a guy like Smoak play @ 1b particularly because how he catches with his right hand and is big.

My logic in this is primarily dictated by the fact that Reyes and Donaldson combined had a pretty large number of throwing errors last year. It would not be favorable to have a small guy who catches with his left hand playing 1B considering our 3B/SS combo.

Just saying.... and that's not a slight at either of those guys. Quite frankly I want Reyes @ short and obviously want Josh at third, I just think we need to hide some of their bad throws. I want Reyes to be in the right frame of mind and not be worrying about where he will be playing. He'll be adequate..... and he has the potential to go off as a switch hitting leadoff batter at any given time. Batting title under his belt etc.

Smoak primarily at the 1 bag I think and edwin DH mostly... valencia has gotta be a rover on this team basically.

Lateral Quicks · Post #8 » by **Lateral Quicks** » Mon Mar 9, 2015 2:48 am

EE will play 1B when other guys get cycled through DH, which I expect to be 2-3 times a week. The rest of those games will be shared between Smoak and Valencia. So really I don't expect we'll see Smoak more than 3-4 times a week depending on how many guys need rest, what pitchers we're facing, etc.

Randle McMurphy · Post #9 » by **Randle McMurphy** » Mon Mar 9, 2015 2:54 am

Sure, start him against righties. Navarro is probably going to end up taking his PAs, though.

satyr9 · Post #10 » by **satyr9** » Mon Mar 9, 2015 12:39 pm

Is there a question? He hit somewhere between AJ Pierzynski and BJ (nee Melvin) Upton last year, those guys couldn't stick or shouldn't stick at C and CF last year, so of course there's a question whether Smoak should play 1B everyday.

I, and you, and everyone else, can see the Jays management put the roster together where he'll be given a shot to show last year was the low and it'll be better going forward, but I can't see how anyone could or should argue he's somehow already secured not just a roster spot, but a daily position.

If EE is comfortable DHing, quite a few guys aren't 'cause the routine is very different, and Smoak or Smoak/Valencia is closer to league average as a hitter, kind of the bare minimum for a 1B and/or DH, then there's some defensive value there too. It's also one of the easiest ways to find cheap league average hitting and insert it into the lineup. But until Smoak shows he's that, there's nowhere near any kind of guarantee he should have the spot. Especially when the second option, at least for now, is EE at 1B and Navarro DH/2Cing. Smoak's defensive upside over 500PA can't be more than 10-15 runs defensively over EE, it just can't, that's already giving him huge credit. It's hardly a crazy notion that just about any major leaguer can provide 15 more runs of offense over 500PA at DH then someone hitting like 2014's Melvin Upton.

And "every day" is another thing. With some older guys on the squad, let's imagine the Jose's both get 2 days off a month where they DH, you're still putting EE back at 1B for at least those 25 games. Toss in the road games in the NL for 10 more, and however many you'd toss to Dioner to keep him playing and not mutinous, and you're already down to a slightly more than 100 game at best. Those could easily be, and probably should be, platooned with Valencia. If Smoak gives you 250-300 PA hitting RHP at 1B over 70ish games, that's basically what you mean if you call him the every day 1B. That's the likely upside play, not 600 PA and 150 starts.

All that aside, I actually think it is/was a good play and stands a decent chance of a reasonable pay off. I also think it's incredibly unlikely ST does enough to keep him off the 25-man, but he could easily be a guy that after 100 PA gets unceremoniously dumped forever, 'cause he has to be the 2013 Smoak, and not the 2014 Smoak or he's an enormous negative on the team.