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If Montero is Frank Thomas or something, then yes, Smoak would have to be an insane HOFer to beat him value-wise. Or maybe Jack thinks Montero is Paul Konerko, which would be a very good add...but not a world-beater.
I remember Konerko laying waste to AA at 20 and AAA at 21 and being the best hitting prospect in the land.
And then Paul became a very good, very steady - but non-HOF - first baseman.
Kind of what we expect Smoak to be.  Konerko's a career 30/32 man.  A Mark Teixeira is a 40/37 man.  Frank Thomas was a 35/35.  Frank just walked a ton to boost his value, which Montero will not do, and as Konerko did not do.
I dunno - it's done, so we'll see where the chips fall now.  Smoak is not fast enough to leg out tons of doubles, IMO, so I'm not expecting more than his being a 30/30 man.  Still, 30 doubles and 30 HRs with what I expect to be an OBP between .370 and .400 is quite pretty.
Especially when it's from the park-appropriate side of the plate.
I'd like him to be that now, though.  I'm so tired of the Mariners offense circa 2004-present.  We have Smoak instead of Montero, and we need him to be a leader on the field and in the clubhouse, sooner rather than later.  I hope he's ready.
~G