Jeff Samardzija has certainly had quite a ride already in his short but exciting sporting career. From catching touchdown passes at Notre Dame to striking out batters at Wrigley Field, the 6'5" right-handed flamethrower is enjoying life to the fullest.
And no, he insists, he is not taking anything for granted.
As he gets in his black Escalade and drives, listening to Led Zeppelin in his CD player, he drives slowly to enjoy the scenery. And not just the scantily clad female variety, either. Just enjoying the fact that he is playing baseball in such a great sports city for a first-place Cubs team and having his story told in the latest Sports Illustrated, courtesy of an article written by Luke Winn.
Some of this article was inspired by SI, come to think of it.
Samardzija knows he could be playing professional football. Heck, he was a finalist for the Biletnikoff award his junior season at Notre Dame, given to the college game's top receiver. He caught 77 passes for 15 touchdowns that season.
The following June, the Cubs' Jim Hendry took a flyer on him with a fifth-round draft selection when most everyone else thought Jeff's ultimate destination was the NFL.
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That summer, Samardzija divided his professional baseball time between the Rookie League and Class-A ball. In the winter, he caught 78 passes and 12 touchdowns for the Irish, who went to the Sugar Bowl to face LSU at the Superdome.
One of the attendees at the Superdome was Hendry, who met with Samardzija a few days later at Gibson's Steakhouse in Rosemont, IL, to talk about his baseball future.
Samardzija still had options, as the Senior Bowl and the NFL combine were looming. Within days, however, he chose to take the Cubs' offer, which included a $2.5 million signing bonus that would be forfeited if he returned to football.
After some early struggles as a starting pitcher in the Cubs' system, Samardzija got off to a 4-1 start with a 3.13 ERA at Iowa this season, enough to earn him the promotion to Wrigley.
In his debut against the Florida Marlins, he hit 99 mph on the gun and has not looked back. Through 11 relief appearances—which, at week's end, had included one-inning stints, two-inning stints, even a save—he had a 1.20 ERA with a 3.5-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
He had also received a full vote of confidence from manager Lou Piniella. "He's not intimidated," Piniella says. "I'm comfortable using him in just about any situation."
"The Shark," as the 23-year-old was called at Notre Dame, can never outrun his football past. Cubs organist Gary Pressy plays the "Notre Dame Victory March" when Samardzija takes the hill, although the pitcher says he'd prefer Jimi Hendrix.
As Cubs pitching coach Larry Rothschild notes, Samardzija has no fear. Whatever role Lou throws him in, the bigger the stakes, the grander the stage, the better the kid performs.
In fact, some think that one of the reasons he initially struggled was that he missed feeding off of the energy created by the much larger stage of college football, with the crowds in minor-league baseball being relatively sparse in comparison.
But with Wrigley Field rocking and rolling every game, no such concern here. And Jeff is now a part of something very special brewing at Clark & Addison this year. Come to think of it, he may be providing some of the energy that this team has been missing for, oh, say 100 years or so. But hey, who's counting?
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3 months ago
Bob, do you think Samardzija is our version of Joba Chamberlain?
from 3 months ago
Yes, I think that is a legit comparison.
from 3 months ago
Except, of course, we're not on the east coast so he won't get the kind of hype and pub that Joba gets.
from 3 months ago
It's a little early to make that comparison. Chamberlain is going to be a great pitcher. Samardzija has pitched 16 innings.
3 months ago
Thanks, good article. Samardzija strikes me as one of those exceptional athletes with his own readily identifiable style, especially when running at speed. Should I be off the planet for a couple of years, and upon my return see him flash anonymously across my screen in a Colts uniform or a Dodgers uniform, I believe I'd know him.
3 months ago
Look, to Yankee fans, Joba has been a "great' pitcher since before he even pitched 16 innings, that's why I say the comparison was legit. Anyway, how does anyone "know" that Chamberlain is going to be a great pitcher? Sample size is too small plus you have the injury factor. The simularities are that both pitchers are not (yet) great (read: unproven), both are starters who have pitched in relief in the majors, both throw 99 mph, both are young. Yes, Joba has had more time in the majors. But it's not like we're comparing Samardzija to an established great pitcher, we're comparing him to a guy who hasn't proven anything so I don't think the comparison is outrageous by any means.
3 months ago
Nice article. I have enjoyed watching Samardzija this season. I am happy to see him having success with the Cubs. He's a thriller, and couple him with Marmol, and a healthy Kerry Wood, and they have a dominant bullpen. I think this will be one of the big difference makers in the playoffs.
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