NewsSamardzija eying rotation spot in 2010
Righty encouraged by strides made as starter this season
By Carrie Muskat / MLB.com
10/02/09 2:28 PM EST
CHICAGO -- Thursday's rained-out game doesn't count in the standings or the stats, but it was an encouraging one for Cubs pitcher Jeff Samardzija.The right-hander gave up three runs over three innings against the Pirates before nature intervened, and the game was called. Samardzija will finish the season 1-3 with a 7.53 ERA in 20 games, including two starts.
He heads into the offseason projected as a starter, possibly in the Cubs' rotation for 2010. First stop will be a few weeks in Mexico this offseason, playing for Triple-A Iowa manager Bobby Dickerson.
"The kid needs to pitch winter ball," Cubs manager Lou Piniella said. "He's on the right path. I thought he threw the ball fine [Thursday]. He just needs to work on the things he's working on and get more consistent with it, and winter ball will give him that opportunity."
Samardzija spent time in both the bullpen and rotation, but the Cubs appear settled on him as a starter.
"Starting-wise, I think he'll be able to throw all his pitches and I think he can get better quicker," Piniella said. "When you pitch out of the bullpen, you're only pitching an inning, two innings at a time, so you basically go after the hitter with one or two pitches. Starting-wise, you have to develop all your pitches and repertoire."
That's what Samardzija wants.
"Now you can go out and have days like [Thursday] and you go out and have a plan on what you want to work on," he said, "and two days later, you go work on your side, and really get into a rhythm, which, like I've said before, has been an issue for me."
Pitching in relief was one way for Samardzija to get to the big leagues. He doesn't look at being in the bullpen as slowing his progress.
"We wouldn't have made the adjustments if that hadn't happened," he said, adding that he learned more this year than last season.
Cubs pitching coach Larry Rothschild tweaked Samardzija's delivery, and the changes paid off.
"In this league, you don't want anything flat," Samardzija said. "These guys are good and they'll jump on any mistake. We made a couple adjustments to get on top of the ball and get a better angle to the plate. It's helped my changeup tremendously."
On Thursday, Samardzija said his changeup was the best it had been since he was called up and was encouraged by the Pirates' reactions. They didn't make contact on that pitch.
His hitting is another thing. In Samardzija's start in Milwaukee, he collected his first big league hit and first home run. On Thursday, he singled to right, and was almost thrown out as right fielder Brandon Moss scooped up the ball and threw to first baseman Garrett Jones.
"I would've been out, and I didn't think I dogged it out of the box," Samardzija said. "They were playing shallow and I hit it right at him. Good thing Jones wasn't paying attention, otherwise, I would've had to walk back to the dugout with my head down or kept running out of the tunnel in right field."
Samardzija doesn't want to talk about his hitting.
"I just don't want to say anything to jinx it," he said. "I love hitting. As a pitcher, it's fun because that's your one time you don't have any pressure and you're just having fun. You're expected to get an out. If you get a hit, it's even better. I enjoy it -- I've enjoyed hitting my whole life. I just have to change from being a 5 o'clock hitter to a 7 o'clock hitter."
He can work on that in Mexico, too. Samardzija was happy to end the season knowing what the team expects.
"You just want a plan," he said. "That's all I've wanted is to know what the role is and go from there. No. 1 is helping this team out. Any time that can happen, you jump on it."
"Now, he's on the right path," Piniella said. "What he needs now is to refine what he's doing and we'll see when he gets to Spring Training how far he's come."
Carrie Muskat is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
