Justin Smoak to the Brewers

[Bombers]

Per Heyman - Brewers are close to a deal with a Justin Smoak, solving their 1B issue

[JDBrewCrew]

Jon Heyman

@JonHeyman

3m

Brewers are close to a deal with a Justin Smoak, solving their 1B issue

 

Jon Heyman

@JonHeyman

56s

Brewers are quickly putting their team back together after losing so many players (14 off wild card team). Smoak is good defender with power.

[burnzy24]

Will wait to see the numbers, but I'd rather they just kept Thames. Smoak hit .208 last year

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Jon Heyman

@JonHeyman

3m

Brewers are close to a deal with a Justin Smoak, solving their 1B issue

 

Jon Heyman

@JonHeyman

56s

Brewers are quickly putting their team back together after losing so many players (14 off wild card team). Smoak is good defender with power.

 

Switch hitter, but is much better as a lefty stick. I think I like Thames better, but it is pretty much a wash.

[xisxisxis]

I don't mind limited dumpster diving, but stop doing it behind Goodwill....

 

I don't care if it's for league minimum salary, we already have an ARCIA...

[Luke99]

Smoak is a much better defender it seems

[jonescm128]

Will wait to see the numbers, but I'd rather they just kept Thames. Smoak hit .208 last year

 

I can't see their value being a whole lot different. I would also rather have Thames.

[wibadgers23]

We’ll see what the contract is but just bring back Thames for gosh sakes!

[shanedog19]

Smoak is a much better defender than Thames, and will strike out less. Overall, I like the addition.

[homer]

I don't know if this really solves anything. I know he was unlucky last year but still.....he's a switch hitter I guess?

[djoctagone]

if this deal and eric sogard's deal become official, the 40-man roster will be full.

[homer]

I'm not sure Smoak is a better defender than Thames.

[True Blue Brew Crew]

if this deal and eric sogard's deal become official, the 40-man roster will be full.

 

All but assuring a trade to come. Or a DFA or two at minimum.

[jonescm128]

I don't know if this really solves anything. I know he was unlucky last year but still.....he's a switch hitter I guess?

 

Yeah his BABIP last year was .223, well below his career average of .266.

 

He also had a hard hit rate of 42.7% last year compared to a career average of 35.9%.

 

Very unlucky indeed.

[Surhoff5]

Jon Heyman

@JonHeyman

3m

Brewers are close to a deal with a Justin Smoak, solving their 1B issue

 

Jon Heyman

@JonHeyman

56s

Brewers are quickly putting their team back together after losing so many players (14 off wild card team). Smoak is good defender with power.

 

Switch hitter, but is much better as a lefty stick. I think I like Thames better, but it is pretty much a wash.

 

 

I like Thames better too, but I think it's pretty clear Stearns is trying to get away from such a strikeout prone team. Urias, Garcia, Sogard, and Smoak do not strike out a ton compared to who they are replacing.

[StearnsFTW]

Like it, pending dollars. As mentioned was very unlucky last year.

[superfly]

Yay.

[PDCBalla]

1 year 5 million with club option 2021

[jjfanec]

1 year 5 million. Seems like a solid deal

[SRB]

Love Thames, but Smoak is a much more useful player. Better defense and he's not a strict platoon guy.

 

2017-2019 vs RHP

 

Thames: .367 wOBA, 126 wRC+

Smoak: .356 wOBA, 124 wRC+

 

2017-2019 vs LHP

 

Thames: .289 wOBA, 74 wRC+

Smoak: .334 wOBA, 110 wRC+

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Jeff Passan

@JeffPassan

·

43s

First baseman Justin Smoak and the Milwaukee Brewers are in agreement on a one-year, $5 million contract, a source familiar with the deal tells ESPN.

 

That is a very "David Stearns" type contract.

[Fear The Chorizo]

Smoak consistently maintains his OBP 100+ above his BA, is a better defensive 1B than Thames, and has yet to play his home games in Milwaukee's ballpark. Thames is more of a slugger but Smoak is a more well-rounded 1B. To me it's a wash and I'm not going to get upset over it...unless it's a 3-4 year deal for like 8M per. Edit: a 1yr, $5M contract for Smoak is perfect if the info posted to date is correct.

 

Smoak being a switch hitter gives them a bit of flexibility if they'd ever need Braun in LF and a RH-hitting 1B to face a lefty starter, but in reality Smoak is the likely LH-hitting platoon mate with Braun at 1B, and/or a primary bat off the bench.

[amt2138]

I like Thames better too, but I think it's pretty clear Stearns is trying to get away from such a strikeout prone team. Urias, Garcia, Sogard, and Smoak do not strike out a ton compared to who they are replacing.

 

I don't know this to be true because I kind of feel like Garcia and Smoak strikeout a good amount without looking up the numbers, but it would be very odd for him to value guys who put the ball in play and then also value Brett Anderson a pitcher that allows the ball to be put in play more than anybody in baseball. I don't think this is quite what Stearns is doing.

[pacopete4]

This makes sense. Hopefully, we can get some good luck going this year.

[NievesNoNO]

I like it. Smoak is marginally better than Thames and is passable v. lhp, where Thames really isn't.