Jeff Samardzija is the Real Deal Cubs Fans

by columbusOHcubsfan on May 6, 2008 6:00 PM EDT Comment 17 comments

Former standout Notre Dame wide reciever Jeff Samardzija is lookin' good for the Chicago Cubs as he continues to move up the ladder in the Cubs' farm system. Jeff started in the lowest class of A ball last year and enjoyed enough success to bring him to AA Tennessee and a spot on the Cubs' 40 man roster in 2008.

This year the hard throwing righty has posted an outstanding 3.44 ERA and a record of 3-2. His most recent start was an excellent outing in which he went a solid 5 2/3 innings in a 6-1 victory over Cincinnati's Chattanooga Lookouts. Jeff can also swing the bat as he scored a run as well.

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OK...

Rowdy Hardy Fan Club member.

by doublestix on May 6, 2008 6:03 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Samadrzija

I don’t know about him, he seems to be doing better this year compared to last year. In my mind his peak would be as a #3 starter, probably better suited to be in the bullpen.

let anthony reyes pitch and learn from his mistakes.

by thefordhamflash on May 6, 2008 6:04 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

wait

this is the guy with 20 walks and 21 strikeouts in almost 37 innings, right?

The one with a .265 BABIP and a 60% flyball rate?

by Galt on May 6, 2008 6:21 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I mean I think he'll be pretty good but..

since when is a 3.44era in anywhere not named Albuquerque “outstanding”?

FutureFish.org

by Ramp on May 6, 2008 7:09 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Hah

by Dfarth on May 6, 2008 7:29 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Samardzija has been on the 40-man since he signed his MLB contract out of Notre Dame...

Alan Trammell: Assistant (to the) Manager

by northsider on May 6, 2008 8:13 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

A bit early for "real deal"

As a Cubs fan, I think “real deal” is awfully early. Here’s to hoping, as it hasn’t been a pretty minor league season for us so far. Shark’s last start was quite promising. That said, he was still having his ups and downs early in the year, with some odd numbers relative to stuff (GO/AO, still doesn’t miss a lot of bats, and so forth).

I wouldn’t mind seeing him stay at Tennessee for most of the year and improving his secondary pitches some more. Perhaps a late bump to Iowa. Start him in Iowa in 2009, with the intent being a big league potential ETA in 2010. I have a feeling that, if he gets hot, though, we may bump him up quicker.

by toonsterwu on May 6, 2008 9:20 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Obviously we have no cubs fans here. I got a better reaction on my cubs blog

by columbusOHcubsfan on May 6, 2008 9:23 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

nothing impressive

what, from his stats impresses you and makes you believe he is the real deal?

by npurcell on May 7, 2008 5:15 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

His sterling ERA and W/L record.

Both of which are in no way lucky. Weren’t you paying attention?

by DrunkIrish on May 7, 2008 7:19 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

i'm a cubs fan

but those numbers are nothing to brag about….. especially from what I read about his stuff his K’s should be way up…. GB% should be way up as well…. don’t get me wrong I want him to succeed…. but just getting by in AA isn’t the real deal…. show me a 5-1 k/bb ratio….. or a 4-1 GB/FB radio and then we got something

"If you were a hot dog, would you eat yourself?"

by Trobone on May 6, 2008 11:37 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

K rate

Doesn’t bother me that much. It’s at 5.22 for the year, and while you’d like to see it inch up a bit, it is up from the 4.14 last year, and he is still very much a raw pitcher who’s secondary stuff could use more work. What worries me more is that 0.58 GO/AO ratio. For a hard throwing guy that throws a hard sinker, that’s just a mystifying ratio. I don’t have a breakdown, but if someone does, I’d be curious to what extent his sinker was generating groundouts relative to other pitches.

In general, I don’t believe he should be up full time until at the very least 2010.

Btw, to the OP, I don’t think it’s a matter of Cubs fans here, but overall, this site is still somewhat rebounding from the format switch and the number of posts have greatly dropped.

by toonsterwu on May 7, 2008 5:16 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Regarding the Posts

It’s getting better don’t you think. Of the 25 or so posts that I have on my front page – only a handful have less than 5 comments – and most have 10+. Seems to me like things are getting better…

by Dfarth on May 7, 2008 2:18 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

And yet

He’s only given up 1 HR so far. Looks like there’s something of a lefty/righty split too. (.27/.87)

I reject your reality and substitute my own.

by WayneCampbell08 on May 8, 2008 5:03 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Samardzija reminds me a lot of...

Braden Looper.

Just saying.

by samjjones on May 7, 2008 7:40 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Response

That produces an interesting question . . .if you could say with 100 percent certainty that Samardzija will have a career identical to Braden Looper’s in every way (minus W-L, I guess), would you A) approve the deal the Cubs gave him to sign and B) would you consider him worthy of the hype that he gets?

Before answering this question, make sure you look over Braden Looper’s career line.

by mrkupe on May 7, 2008 11:36 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Looper

Yes. Anyone who says otherwise is crazy. Looper isn’t anything great, but he has pitched over 800 MLB innings with a career ERA+ of 110. Obviously, most of that time was as a reliever, but to throw the equivalent of 4 full starting seasons worth of innings at a significantly above league average level is more than you can hope for from most every prospect, even someone as highly drafted as Looper.

by Diggity Dino on May 7, 2008 3:34 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs