The Mets have designated left-hander Josh Smoker for assignment to clear space on the 40-man roster for infielder Jose Reyes, as James Wagner of the New York Times first reported shortly before the move was made official (Twitter link).
Smoker, 29, averages roughly 95 mph on his heater and has averaged 11.7 K/9 in his two big league seasons. However, he also averaged more than five walks per nine innings in 2017 and has been tagged for 1.76 HR/9 in his two MLB seasons. Control is an issue for Smoker, but given his velocity, penchant for missing bats and the fact that he has a minor league option remaining could very well lead to intrigue from other teams around the league.
With Smoker off the 40-man roster, the Mets’ lone southpaw option for the bullpen is Jerry Blevins, so they’ll assuredly hope he clears waivers and can remain with the organization. If not, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Mets pursue some affordable left-handed depth options to compete for a spot in new manager Mickey Callaway’s bullpen in Spring Training.
The Cubs should jump on Smoker. He has legit closer potential.
Hey Yankee. Are like 10 year old? You are on every post and talk about the Cubs. Are you that obsessed with them? This post has nothing to do with the Cubs and everyone is sick of your childish trolling post about the Cubs should do this. The Cubs that. Get over it already you F annoying andactblije your 10 years old. You should jump on it and get a real life. Don’t worry about the Cubs they are none of your business what they do or don’t do. Why do you care so much not being s Cub fan. Just a creepy stalker, obsessed, worried? Just seeking attention. Get over it
Yankeeaddiction is a longtime troll on the site and always posts about the Cubs…but your post was more insufferable than his, chill dude
I think the guy is an online stalker. Do you think a stranger to me would get that mad and write that much in response to my initial two sentences. It is something personal from real life.
You just need to grow up Yankee don’t mind talking baseball. Do mind stupid childish trolls. You been on every post about the Cubs. Stalker yeah that sums you up.
Just stating facts. If the truth is insufferable then so be it. No defence or justification. Let’s act like adults and not 10 year olds at lunch time in Jr high
Thank you for the kind words my dear friend.
LOL to this thread
(My team) should jump on Smoker. He has legit closer potential.
Does he have a ‘smokin’ hot fastball?
I would call it Smoker hot.
No, but he does cough up a lot.
Smoker for a guy who throws 95 MPH is one of the more appropriate sports names I’ve ever heard, right up there with Mike Stonebreaker who was a linebacker in the NFL…
Should have just non-tendered Robles. I can’t imagine what they see in Robles.
“Should have just non-tendered Robles. I can’t imagine what they see in Robles.”
Did you bother looking at their numbers before posting that comment? What they see in Robles is a pitcher who has thrown a little less than two hundred innings over the past three years with a WHIP under 1.3. As compared with Smoker who is older, has thrown fewer than half as many innings and was generally awful doing so (WHIP >1.6). Not saying either is a budding star but any rational organization would have kept Robles over Smoker, and it wouldn’t be a close call. Watch the Mets sign him to a minor league deal now anyway. Cheers.
I think teams will have interest in him. Last off season the Yankees were in a similar situation with one Anthony Swarzak. The Mets just signed him to a two year deal at 7 mil per year. Did anyone predict such a scenario. Smoker has a great deal of potential and I want to see him with a new pitching coach. People overlook the Mets hired a pitching coach as a manager and then got Dave Eiland as pitching coach. The guys in charge of Met pitching did not do a good job the past few years. Smoker is the type of guy the Marlins should sign to flip at the deadline.
Sorry, but I’ve seen almost every Mets game for the last 10 years on mlb.tv. Robles is by far the WORST pitcher I’ve seen.
I’m a Yankee fan and beteces is worse when he’s in a slump.
Sometimes our eyes can deceive us. The numbers make it quite clear that Robles has been the better pitcher. If you are correct, and Robles is worse than Smoker, why isn’t that reflected in their performances? You would think that the better pitcher would have better results, right. OSo why has Robles performed noticeably better than Smoker when the latter, you claim, is better?
Is it your claim that Robles wasn’t as good as his numbers indicate, Smoker was better than his numbers indicate or both? And why? Because, as outlined above, when you look at their B.B.-ref pages side by side it’s clear that Robles has been better. Notwithstanding your carefully trained and cultivated scout’s eyes.
I’m a Rockies fan and I can’t forgot how Robles blew the game against the Rockies last year cuz he couldn’t throw a strike,, hilarious
they think Robles will have a good season, since her worked out all off season with Pedro Martinez, so we shall see what happens., hopefully he gets better and someone they can rely on in bullpen.
Well, they’re wrong. Players so mechanically unsound and off point like Robles will never somehow gain command. He’ll get lit up and then they’ll waive him in June probably, and basically waste money.
I mean, Robles averages over 4 BB/9. The command is atrocious. He can’t even locate his fastball, often missing locations by 2 feet. On top of that, he’s not a guy who will somehow find it.
Yet for whatever reason they keep going to him. Smoker has issues, but the command is far superior to Robles and it should have been Smoker over Robles.
What is the big deal if you non-tender Robles? You save nearly a million dollars and if he signs elsewhere then so what.
so Jose Reyes is more important than this guy…..you could never have too many arms in the pen. But you could have too many injury prone veterans that will get injured.
and they still have Matt Reynolds
For pete’s sake, why do they keep Matt Reynolds on the roster?!
Why always use K/9? 11.7 K/9 makes him sound like some elite strikeout pitcher, but that is inflated by all the walks and hits. His K% is actually 28% which is still good, but would equate to something like a 10-10.5 K/9 for a pitcher with a better WHIP.
If I had another kid, which is impossible, and my last name was Smoker, I would totally name that kid Richard. Even if it was a girl.
(I’m aware this is the dumbest thing ever posted on here but hey, when the big news of the day is Jose Reyes and Alcides Escobar re-signing we have to amuse ourselves somehow, right? )
Ween fan??
Yep!
Bruce and Jeff will pick you up at ten.
Don’t think he gets past the Marlins on the waiver wire. He would be an excellent project, if they can find a way to harness his control he would be a nice left-handed addition to a primarily right-handed pen.
Would like to see the braves go get him. Not really cause I think he will be a major contributor, but he’s a home town boy who can really bring it. He was a first round pick once upon a time. Might be a nice option to have in the minors when we need the help. Use to play with him back in the day, good ball player
Second coming of John Rocker
Hey Braves, go get him.