CHICAGO – The Chicago Cubs today recalled right-handed pitcher Jeff Samardzija from Triple-A Iowa. He will take the roster spot of right-handed pitcher Kerry Wood, who was placed on the 15-day disabled list yesterday with a blister on his right index finger.
Samardzija, who will wear uniform No. 29, will be available to make his major league debut this afternoon against the Florida Marlins at Wrigley Field.
The 23-year-old Samardzija joins the Cubs after going 4-1 with a 3.13 ERA (13 ER/37.1 IP) in six appearances with Iowa, the lone six outings higher than Double-A in his professional career. With Iowa, Samardzija struck out 40 batters in 37.1 innings, an average of 9.6 strikeouts per nine innings, and limited opponents to a .241 batting average. He has a 2.37 ERA (5 ER/19.0 IP) in his last three starts, striking out 25 and walking only five in 19.0 innings. Overall, he has pitched at least six innings in all six of his Triple-A outings.
Samardzija began the season with Double-A Tennessee and went 3-5 with a 4.86 ERA (41 ER/76.0 IP) in 16 appearances, all but one as a starter. The righthander has gone 7-6 with a 4.29 ERA (54 ER/113.1 IP) in 22 outings, all but one as a starter, in 2008 between Tennessee and Iowa.
The first member of Chicago’s 2006 Draft class to reach the big leagues, Samardzija signed a five-year major league contract with club options for 2012 and 2013 on January 19, 2007. Selected in the fifth round, Samardzija combined to make seven minor league appearances between Single-A Boise and Peoria in 2006 prior to signing the major league deal.
After pitching in Boise and Peoria in the summer of 2006, Samardzija returned to the University of Notre Dame for his senior football season as a wide receiver. The 6-foot-5, 218-pounder completed his Notre Dame football career with a school-record 179 receptions, 2,593 receiving yards and 27 receiving touchdowns, earning First-Team All-America honors in his final year.
Samardzija committed fully to baseball upon signing his major league deal (declining entry in the NFL Draft) and split the 2007 season between Single-A Daytona and Double-A Tennessee, combining to go 6-11 with a 4.57 ERA (72 ER/141.2) in 30 appearances, 26 as a starter.
Here’s video of the fight. Peoria looks like the heavy in this one. We’ll see:
http://www.daytondailynews.com/m/content/oh/media/video/news/index.html?bcpid=1459469120&bclid=1459331347&bctid=1688297742
Here’s the Dayton angle for what it’s worth:
By Marc Katz
Staff Writer
Friday, July 25, 2008
DAYTON — How did it start?
Maybe the Peoria Chiefs were angry they had three batters hit with pitches Wednesday night in a 4-3 loss, which ended with Angel Cabrera’s walk-off homer.
Maybe their anger escalated when Nate Samson, their second batter Thursday, July 24, was hit by a Kyle Lotzkar pitch.
Certainly the Dayton Dragons and Chiefs realized this wasn’t going to be an ordinary game when Dayton shortstop Zack Cozart — the second batter in the bottom of the first — was drilled in the helmet by Chiefs pitcher Julio Castillo.
Then, when the Dragons scored four times on three straight hits, Cabrera walked to the plate. He was hit with Castillo’s second pitch. What happened next will be remembered by fans long after the 6-5 victory is forgotten.
“They hit Cozart in the first, then Cabrera,” Dayton catcher Devin Mesoraco said. “Maybe he’s wild in the first inning.”
Cabrera didn’t think Castillo, who had walked seven and hit two in 21 1/3 previous innings, was wild. Cabrera threw his bat toward his dugout in disgust before trotting to first base. Then, on a possible double play ball, he took out the shortstop with a hard slide, making it a force play.
“It was a clean slide,” Cabrera insisted. “It doesn’t matter if he likes it. It’s baseball. That’s my job, to take the guy out. It had nothing to do with me getting hit.”
When the next batter, Brandon Menchaca, was buzzed with a pitch, Dayton manager Donnie Scott came out of the third-base coaching box to complain to umpire Tyler Wilson.
That prompted interim Peoria manager Carmelo Martinez to join the discussion. It quickly deteriorated into an argument between the managers, and when Martinez pushed Scott, the benches emptied.
“It just happened,” Scott said. “I didn’t think it was going to go anywhere. I’m sorry it happened and I’m sorry (Reds GM) Walt Jocketty was here to see it.”
Actually, Jocketty and a few other Reds officials at the game (including farm director Terry Reynolds), had a hand in its completion. Originally, the two umpires ejected both managers and 15 players, eight of them Dragons. That meant to continue, each team had to use two pitchers in the outfield.
Midwest League president George Spelius was contacted by telephone, and when he consulted with the Reds and the Cubs (Peoria’s parent), he was told neither side wanted to play with pitchers in the outfield.
So he reversed the ejections so the game could continue. Suspensions likely will come today, once Spelius views a tape of the incident, and Castillo will probably be dealt with more harshly than the others. During the brawl, he wound up and threw a baseball toward a group of Dragons near the dugout, but the ball sailed and hit a fan in the face. Chris McCarthy, 44, of Middletown, was treated and released from Miami Valley Hospital.
How badly the Dragons are hit with suspensions remains to be seen. The team is playing its best of the season and is 13-2 over its last 15 games.
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2157 or mkatz@DaytonDailyNews.com.
I dont care how good Samardzija has been doing at AAA, this is a terrible move, for reasons Joe mentioned earlier. Hes been groomed as a starter, keep him that way. its not really working for Marshall, i cant see how they cant see that.
This is probably just a taste for Samardzija. Just to show him what it is like in the majors. During his call up, I predict he will pitch only one or two innings. Hopefully Lou will make those innings under very low-stress situations.
Regarding the fight, they should throw Castillo in jail and I hope the fan sues the hell out of him. What he did was totally uncalled for and very dangerous. What the “F” was he thinking by whipping a ball at someone? Player or not.
so much for lou not putting him in the game during pressure situations…only up a run, top of the lineup…there is not too many low-pressure situations in the majors. he is on the team to help, not for some kind of audition.
Hopefully Lou will make those innings under very low-stress situations.
Heh. So much for that.
by the way the fan will not as Jose said “sue the hell out of” the player- the fan should and probably will “sue the hell out of” the Cubs which should make Sam Zell happy. first a five hundred thousand dollar fine and now this.
Rob:
Reality states that you are 100% right. He will go after the Cubs. But, he should go after the player. The Cubs did not whip the ball, the player did.
I thought Samardzija pitched okay. He did not lose that game for us. Our so-called star players went 2-17.
I thought Samardzija looked good. The two hits he gave up were on tough pitches. The only reason Cantu got the double was the Lou did not want to let him throw anything but a fastball in the first inning. Major league players can hit any fastball if they know its coming. The second inning they let him mix in the slider and sinker/splitter more. The sinker/splitter is going to be the key to his success in the majors. His fastball looked outstanding, 94-98 with lots of movement.
I like the fact Lou brought up Samardzija now and threw him into hot kitchen. Obviously the kid has stuff to succeed and shoudl be a part of any playoff run we have. Get him in the heat of things now rather then later and see if he has then mental preparedness to succeed. I can’t argue with Lou on this at all.
Obviously the kid has stuff to succeed and shoudl be a part of any playoff run we have.
Obviously? Not so sure about that.
He has somewhat struggled in the minors (though he did pitch better in AAA), so I am not sure how, at this point, you can say he should be a part of a playoff run.
Lets see more than two innings of work before he crown him the next K-Rod.
Did anybody else who watched the game on WGN find it strange that when they ran a poll asking fans which Cubs player would have the best chance to play for the Bears, the most votes went to Zambrano, and not the guy who actually would have been drafted by an NFL team? Just found that amusing. And on the point of the topic, I thought Samardzija looked pretty good. It was nice to see him pitch so well in his second inning after giving up the lead. Plus, his stats at the lower levels probably aren’t as good of an indication of how good he is, as his stats at AAA. At A and even AA, pitchers primarily throw their weaker pitches to try to develop and improve them. This can really lead to bad numbers that will straighten out once the pitcher starts relying more on his best stuff in AAA.
Noone is crowning him K-rod…I don’t know how yo make that jump? But the kids has talent and a splendid fastball. The hits off him were excusable for sure. And well, being around the game as I have , you just know when someone has the amkeup for the big or not. He does and woudl be a fine addition to extended rosters I think.
Well sure… a fine addition to an extended roster? Sure.
He may even continue to tribute before the rosters are expanded.
I am just saying that he has now pitched four innings in the big leagues. I think it is WAY to early to say that he should be a part of anything at the major league level.
Don’t get me wrong – I want to see him pitch, and pitch well, for the Cubs this year. But it would be wise to take a “wait-and-see” approach.