Camp week
It's safe to assume Jeff Samardzija won't be wearing what Rothschild called "the left-handed look" any time soon.
Jeff Samardzija quickly is discovering he has a lot to learn about baseball etiquette.
Even the fast track has some bumps in the road.
If Jeff Samardzija wasn't in Mesa learning a new trade, he would be in Indianapolis for the NFL scouting combine. Though some NFL draft experts projected him as a first-round pick, Jeff Samardzija insisted he wasn't even aware the combine was taking place this week.
Jeff Samardzija is busy wondering if the Cubs will give him an opportunity to pitch in a Cactus League game before shipping him to the minor-league camp to prepare for Class A ball.
"I hope I do [get a Cactus League appearance]," Jeff Samardzija said. "I feel really good. It's not where I want to be fastball-wise, not 100 percent right now. But I went out [Tuesday] and threw really, really good.
Jeff Samardzija is coming off a football season and hasn't had time to stretch out his arm like other pitchers, and there aren't enough innings to go around for pitchers with no chance of making the final roster.
But from a baseball standpoint the Cubs don't have much to gain by having Jeff Samardzija face major-league hitters after only 30 innings in the minors. And Rothschild has more pressing priorities on this spring's to-do list.
"We're not going to put a lot on him," Rothschild said. "Just build him up this spring and get him ready to go out and pitch. Let him experience the camp here, and we'll go from there.
Meanwhile, quarterback Brady Quinn and several of Jeff Samardzija's other ex-teammates will be among 330 hopefuls attending the NFL combine. They may have to text-message him their 40-yard times, as he currently has too much information to process to pay much attention to their performances.
Jeff Samardzija is hoping to last long enough for his crew to watch him pitch in a Cubs uniform. He said former teammate Tom Zbikowski and some other pals are planning a spring-break trek to Mesa to check him out. Some could wind up crashing on the couch of the newly minted millionaire.
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