USC's record-setting Smoak making it look easy

COLUMBIA — Last week, Justin Smoak registered for fall classes.

Just like every other kid on the South Carolina baseball team. Just like he's done for the previous six semesters since he left his Lowcountry home.

Only this time, barring an odd, odd set of circumstances, Smoak will not be here in the fall.

He'll be finishing his first year of Rookie ball in some place like Missoula, Mont., or Elizabethton, Tenn. He'll be a millionaire, by virtue of the signing bonus as one of the top picks in June's major league draft.

Patrick Collard/AP/File

South Carolina first baseman Justin Smoak (right) is tied for the team lead in home runs this season with 13.

In 2005, Smoak was a projected first-rounder coming out of Stratford High in Goose Creek. And Smoak is a projected first-rounder now, three years into his career at USC as the most prolific home run hitter in the school's decorated baseball history.

But you wouldn't know that. Not by looking at Smoak, talking to Smoak, getting to know Smoak. You wouldn't know because he registered for classes he will not attend.

"He's not a guy that falls in love with himself," South Carolina coach Ray Tanner said, "just because he has a big night or people tell him how good he is. He's built for this game.

"It's just what he does. It's who he is. It's a baseball game and he's a baseball player."

Take note of when Tanner said those words. It was a week ago tonight, a few minutes after Smoak tied school records with three home runs and nine RBIs against USC Upstate.

The night punctuated a six-game stretch in which Smoak went 12-for-26 (.462) with six homers and 14 RBIs.

Perhaps by no coincidence, the start of that tear is when Tanner chose to switch

Smoak and third baseman James Darnell, a right-handed hitter, in the lineup. Batting third, Smoak has settled into a groove.

"You're going to have times when you don't see (the ball) at all and sometimes when you see it well," Smoak said. "Right now, I've made a couple of adjustments. It's going OK for me."

Understatement. Smoak is currently in the midst of a 14-game hitting streak that has him up to .382 for the season, second on the team behind buddy Reese Havens (.395).

He is tied with Darnell and Phil Disher for the team lead in home runs, with 13. His 40 RBIs are third to Havens and Darnell.

He's drawn 35 walks, and 10 have been intentional. The rest of the team has been walked on purpose 10 times.

And there's something else to note about Smoak's career night from last week. Two of the switch-hitter's homers came from the left side of the plate. One came from the right side.

It's the first time he's ever homered from both sides of the plate in one game.

"I was kind of surprised," Smoak said afterward, laughing at himself. "Most of the time, I hit one left-handed and try too hard right-handed and wind up striking out or getting myself out."

For his career, Smoak has 52 home runs, more than any other player in USC history. Given what he had coming into the year, it was only a matter of time before Hank Small's mark of 48 homers fell.

He'll try to add to that this week when No. 12 USC (29-11) plays tonight against Furman in Greenville, Wednesday at home against Wofford and then travels to play at LSU for a weekend series.

The biggest knock on Smoak? Tanner had difficulty finding one. Everyone knows he's not exactly fast. So, maybe logging his first (and probably last) college triple is a legit goal?

That idea got a big laugh from Tanner. "I'd like to see him run a 6.8(-second) 60(-yard dash)," he said, still chuckling. "He's never going to do that."

Back in 1993, Tanner was working as an assistant coach for Team USA. The first baseman on that team was Tennessee star Todd Helton, who'd go on to become an All-Star with Colorado.

One day, a pro scout pulled Tanner aside and asked him for some honesty. He wanted to know if Helton really had the same loose-but-professional attitude that appeared when the lights were on.

Tanner told him Helton looked and acted every minute like a "15-year big-league veteran."

When asked last week if Smoak fit that same mold, Tanner shifted around uncomfortably kicking at the Sarge Frye Field infield dirt.

He wanted so badly to blurt out yes. But he didn't want to jinx his guy. He thinks that much of Smoak, and you never know when the baseball gods' ears are perked.

Everyone in pro baseball knows that the best major leaguer is one that doesn't ride the game's cruel, unchanging waves. It's a guy who stays steady throughout success and failure.

"He's just a natural for this game, in my opinion," Tanner said. "When I say that, I mean his demeanor is perfect for this game. The ups are very normal to him, the downs are very normal. He gets it."

The truth is, Smoak does already appear and play like a professional on a college diamond. Tanner grinned as he thought about and outlined his best player's best baseball trait.

Simply put, Smoak puts Tanner at ease. And that's more difficult than you realize considering Tanner's high-strung gameday behavior.

Tanner said when he watches Smoak from the dugout, whether Smoak's at the plate or in the field, he relaxes. He isn't on the top step, or on the field, living and dying with every pitch. Not when it comes to Smoak.

"I feel good watching him play," Tanner said. "He looks comfortable, doing what he does."

Smoak admits he's proud of how consistent he's been since the SEC season began his freshman year. Tanner says that point in time is when he knew Smoak had a chance to become a legend at USC.

Going into the conference season, Smoak was hitting about .265 with three home runs.

He finished the year at .303, with 17 home runs. He'd pulled up his average and hit 14 homers against the toughest competition of the year.

What prompted the change? Tanner told Smoak he was taking too many pitches, that he wasn't being aggressive enough.

There was no debate about aggression thereafter. Smoak became the most consistent, powerful force in USC's lineup.

But his attitude doesn't give away that secret. And that might be the biggest reason why he's on the doorstep of success at the game's highest levels.

"That's the highest evaluation of a player. He's a natural," Tanner said. "He's one of the best guys I've ever coached."

Oh, there's one other knock on Smoak in Tanner's eyes. He offered it prior to the start of the season.

He said he'd like to see Smoak play more games this season. At least one more. That would mean he'd be playing with his teammates in the College World Series for the first time, extending his USC career by the day.

Surely, Tanner will take Smoak as long as he can get him. But he's not expecting Smoak to be around for those fall classes.

Reach Travis Haney at thaney@postandcourier.com and check out the new South Carolina blog at charleston.net/blogs/gamecocks.