OAKLAND, Calif. -- First baseman Justin Smoak has agreed to a two-year contract extension worth $8.25 million with the Toronto Blue Jays.The contract announced by the team on Saturday will pay the 29-year-old Smoak $4.125 million per season in the first two years of the deal, with a $6 million option in 2019.Smoak would have been a free agent after this season in a thin market but said he wanted to stay in the American League East.We love Toronto, me and my family, and we wanted to stay here as long as we can, Smoak said. So we just wanted to get something done.Smoak is in his seventh season in the majors with his third team. He was the 11th overall selection in the first round of the 2008 draft by the Texas Rangers.He batting .234 with nine home runs and 23 runs batted in this season. In seven major league seasons, hes had a .225 batting average with 101 home runs, 316 RBI and a .310 on-base percentage.Smoak, by his own admission, says he hasnt lived up to the expectations of his elite pre-draft status.No, not even close, Smoak said Saturday before the game against Oakland. I know I can be a better player. Its all about staying consistent. Thats what you strive for every day and thats the goal to keep working on ... to be a more consistent player.Smoak, an everyday player with the Seattle Mariners for four seasons, has accepted being a role player with the Blue Jays.I know what it takes to play every day for a full season, and I also know what it takes to be a guy off the bench and be ready to help this team out, Smoak said. I want to play every day, thats always the goal. But if thats not the case, thats not the case.Whatever it takes to help this team win ballgames. 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TORONTO -- Of all the teams in the World Cup of Hockey, its fair to say that the greatest pressure falls squarely on the collective shoulders of Team USA to hit the ground running.Granted, none of the eight teams can afford to start slowly, given that the tournaments pool will be cut in half after only three preliminary games.But for an American team desperate to prove it was put together correctly, desperate to prove that its style of hockey can trump the best the world has to offer, a matinee matchup against Team Europe on Saturday (3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2) to kick off the 2016 World Cup of Hockey looms large.Is it a must-win?Lets call it what it is. So, yes, its a must-win.Team USA coach John Tortorella was asked Friday whether the mantra for this veteran, hard-nosed team might be, If not now, then when?He replied by refining it to, simply, Its time.That time is Saturday afternoon. Not Tuesday night against Canada, not later on against the Czech Republic.Im sure guys are going to have nerves, Team USA defenseman Jack Johnson?said. You love to get that rush of competing, thats what makes tournaments like this so great. Its the rush of nerves and the emotions and everything that goes into it. But we know how important these games are. I think, going into Saturday, its [about] that game and that game only. Were not thinking ahead because youve got to win that game before you can win the next game.If you figure two wins gets you out of the preliminary round, and if you figure Canada, Team USAs opponent in the second game of the preliminary round Tuesday night (8 p.m., ESPN), represents the biggest challenge, then beating both Team Europe and the Czechs is imperative for the Americans.Team Europe represents something of an unknown. After looking slow and disconnected in pretournament losses to Team North America, the Euros bounced back with a strong effort in their final tuneup match against Sweden, which is considered one of the tournament favorites.Everythings great, but then you play the first two games and the results were definitely not great, said Team Europe captain Anze Kopitar. Then you almost have a little bit of doubt. You dont know exactly how youre going. I think [beating Sweden] was a great confidence booster for us.The pretournament win was huge for Team Europe and serves as a kind of cautionary lesson for Team USA, reminding the Americans not to assume that they can come with anything less than their A-game on Saturday and expect to collect a victory.Finding that emotional balance will be key for Team USA. It must bring the same speed and physicality it showed against Canada in pretournament play, but not provide power-play opportunities to a Team Europe squad that figures to struggle offensively.There really is no easing into it, Team USA veteran?Zach Parise?said. With a three-game round-robin, and only taking two teams, you cant really afford to have a slipup.dddddddddddd You cant afford to really have an off-game early or else youll need a little luck [to move on]. But I think were going to be ready to play.Team USA started the pretournament schedule with an emotional, physical effort against Canada. The Americans won that game 4-2, but Canada rebounded to take the rematch the next night in Ottawa 5-2 and outplayed Team USA in both meetings.Team USA looked much better in its final tuneup against Finland, a 3-2 victory, and the feeling among the American players is that they are finding their rhythm under head coach John Tortorella.I think were in a good spot right now, but theres definitely going to be things to clean up, forward T.J. Oshie?said. I think were heading in the right direction.It is hard, because if you get off to a bad start, you might be going home in a week. I think our teams got enough experience, weve got enough veteran guys, to where well probably stay pretty level-headed and not get overanxious or nervous or anything like that. It definitely could get to you, worrying about that. But I think this group is experienced enough to where we wont let it.Longtime NHL analyst and former NHL goalie Darren Pang wouldnt go as far as saying the U.S. absolutely must win Saturday, but he did say its crucial for the Americans to set the right tone.I think its about how they play, said Pang, who is providing analysis for ESPN during the tournament. How they want to play and how they set the tone, because I think they are a tone-setter for this tournament.Pang said he has been impressed with how players have accepted their roles as set out by the coaching staff.Youre starting to see an identity, Pang said. What Ive been impressed with is that it looks like players have checked their egos completely at the door and theyre going to play the way the coach says.Although Tortorella would not reveal his lineup Friday, he confirmed Jonathan Quick would start in goal and line rushes during practice on Friday suggested that Justin Abdelkader would be the extra forward.The coach admitted that some players have rounded into game shape more quickly than others. I looked at some guys early on and said, Theyre just not ready to give here, Tortorella said. You have talks along the way, and you see guys step up. I wont give away names, but I was really worried about a couple of guys, and then they came right to the forefront. Theyre going to be in the lineup.Some other guys have played themselves out of it. Nothing is fair with [only] five days of practice in determining a lineup, but thats the world that we live in this tournament, and thats the way weve gone about it.In other words, its time. ' ' '
