Pirates’ left-hander Smoker in line for bullpen role

BRADENTON, Fla.

— Former Calhoun High standout Josh Smoker couldn’t remember the last automobile race he attended in person. Maybe it was in high school, after his days behind the wheel were over. But Smoker still felt at home Sunday, when he and George Kontos took a trip to watch the IndyCar Series’ Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.

“It was cool getting back in that atmosphere,” Smoker said before Monday’s 8-5 loss to the Orioles. “I tell you what, I missed the smell of the racing fuel. That’s something you’ll never forget.”

Smoker returned to the mound on Monday and fired a scoreless seventh inning. Competing for a spot in the Opening Day bullpen, the lefthander has allowed only one hit and a walk while striking out five batters in five shutout innings this spring.

“My mindset going into [Spring Training] was not trying to do too much, going out and being myself and having fun and pitching, not trying to worry about things I can’t control,” Smoker said. “I feel like I’ve done a pretty good job of that.”

Looking to lock down a bullpen job, Smoker also knew he’d need a sharper slider than he offered most of last season, when he posted a 5.11 ERA out of the Mets’ bullpen. He started throwing the pitch earlier in the offseason than usual, and that work has paid off so far.

“This is probably the best it’s been this early in camp, which is very good news for me,” he said. “That’s something I was looking forward to, hoping my slider was going to be where I wanted it to be.”

Before baseball became his career, racing was his passion. Smoker’s father, Mike, is an engineer who provides parts for everything from go-karts to bigger race cars. Growing up in Calhoun, Ga., Smoker got into racing when he was 4 years old, driving quarter midgets before progressing to Bandolero and late-model cars. The last time Smoker raced, he said, he was 14 years old. Smoker, 29, is perfectly content on the mound now.

“You’ll lose your instincts pretty fast,” he said, smiling. “It takes a different person to get behind the wheel of a car and go 200 mph.”