Shark to play baseball...

by ontheuptick on Jan 19, 2007 12:59 PM CST Comment 25 comments

Bruce Levine, ESPN1000 is reporting that Jeff Samardzija is going to play baseball and bypass the NFL draft..

Wowzers, if it's true...

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Could be

I've heard that Samardzija would drop to the third or fourth round of the draft if he didn't commit to football. The NFL wasn't real keen on a WR with a divided focus.

If he were to give up baseball, he'd have been a late first rounder. Still, that means the money he'd be offered could be matched by the Cubs (or at least close to it) and he'd have to take all that pounding on his body that comes with the NFL.

Final thought would be that if he played baseball for three years and it didn't work out, the NFL would probably still be interested. Not so much MLB.

A little song, a little dance. A little seltzer down your pants

by Josh77 on Jan 19, 2007 1:13 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Definitely

Since he's already considered a "raw" pitcher.

EINSTEIN!

by tyger1147 on Jan 19, 2007 1:29 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

They are showing a fiver year deal

"The Cubs announced Friday that the pitcher will forego an NFL career to sign a five-year deal to play baseball full-time, beginning in the team's minor league system."

http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/cs-070119cubsdeal,1,2250341.story?coll= cs-home-headlines

I can't believe Al put Rick Wilkins in the top 100 cubs.

by diehardmark on Jan 19, 2007 1:29 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

did I hear a 'niner' in there?

TRAMMELL!

by Faith plus 1 on Jan 19, 2007 1:30 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Hehehe

awesome...

D-LEE!

by airweino on Jan 19, 2007 1:46 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Yes you did.

I gotta work harder on my New Years diet my fat fingers keep getting in the way:)

I can't believe Al put Rick Wilkins in the top 100 cubs.

by diehardmark on Jan 19, 2007 2:56 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

They signed him last year...

just his signing bonus goes up $6.25M if he chooses baseball...which he did i guess...good for him...i hope he makes the CUBS in a couple years!!!

Check out my daily baseball blog at MLB-threeSIXTYfive

by TheBeerBaron on Jan 19, 2007 1:31 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

I'm not really familiar with his abilities....

but is he that talented to justify such a huge signing bonus?

by Peoria Matt on Jan 19, 2007 4:04 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

He was a projected late 1st round pick

but too many teams/scouts were scared that he would ultimately chose football.....

Looks like some things actually do work out for the CUBS :)

Check out my daily baseball blog at MLB-threeSIXTYfive

by TheBeerBaron on Jan 19, 2007 4:57 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

His fastball gets up to 98 MPH.

Check out my daily baseball blog at MLB-threeSIXTYfive

by TheBeerBaron on Jan 19, 2007 4:58 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Bo knows there aren't 2 sport pros anymore.

n/t

by HanOfTheBluegrass on Jan 19, 2007 5:27 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Nice...

I will forever remember Bo Knows Bo as my first "big book" I read.

But yes, you're right, especially pitchers. He was considered "raw" anyway. It would have taken forever for him to really develop, I think anyway.

EINSTEIN!

by tyger1147 on Jan 19, 2007 8:04 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Is he a top prospect now?

I mean is he mentioned in the same breath as Donald Veal and Sean Gallagher? Or is he better?

"Losing is my only fear"

by Unique on Jan 19, 2007 8:39 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

well

he was a first round talent that we, now it appears, got in a steal in the fifth round. he can hit 98 mph and put up what like a 2.95 era at boise. He'll start where Veal started last year, so if he can advance through to Double A in 2007 then I think he would get top prospect status. Id rank the top 5 Cubs prospects as:

Pie
Veal
Gallagher
Eric Patterson
Colvin

(6.) Jeffrey S.

DON'T TRADE PIE!

by kylejo on Jan 19, 2007 9:17 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I might put

Scott Moore ahead of Colvin. Im hoping he can play some more shortstop and make the team next year.

DON'T TRADE PIE!

by kylejo on Jan 19, 2007 9:18 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

really?

...I'm hoping Michael Young makes the team next year and plays shortstop.

Maybe that's just me.

PINIELLA!

by theprognosticator on Jan 20, 2007 3:09 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Did Mark Pawelek get traded or something?

imo, he's closer to MLB ready than Veal.....

Check out my daily baseball blog at MLB-threeSIXTYfive

by TheBeerBaron on Jan 20, 2007 11:05 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Really?

Wasn't he just drafted out of high school only about two years ago?

PTBNL!

by gravedigger on Jan 20, 2007 11:28 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Pawelek is hardly more MLB ready.......

than Veal. He hasn't even made it out of Boise.

RAMIREZ!! PRIOR!!

by PriorandAramisfan23 on Jan 20, 2007 4:57 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Christ people....

...he has already agreed to not take on any type of football career and completeley devote himself to baseball. The bonus is wonderful but my disappointment is in the fact that I don't get to hear enough whining and crying on BCB>

Here's to a new year!!

by santo for prez on Jan 20, 2007 5:20 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

Maybe now...

...we can get excited about some players who may have an impact this year?????

Here's to a new year!!

by santo for prez on Jan 20, 2007 5:22 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

interesting

samardzija asked for a no-trade clause in his contract and got it.

"This is where I want to be. This is what I want to do, and I didn't want any doubts about it."

ha, thats awesome.

DON'T TRADE PIE!

by kylejo on Jan 20, 2007 7:26 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Hendry......

needs to stop giving everyone "no-trade" clauses in their contracts. Samardzija might not even make it to MLB.

RAMIREZ!! PRIOR!!

by PriorandAramisfan23 on Jan 20, 2007 8:23 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

I doubt that.

He's got talent, and seems to have a good understanding of what it takes to succeed in baseball, and the real desire to do so.

That combination usually works. The consensus seems to be that had he stated before last June's draft that he was going to forego the NFL for baseball, he would have been a first-round baseball pick.

That said, $10M over 5 years doesn't seem that outrageous. Point of comparison -- that's what Mark Prior got, six years ago.

They'll start him at Daytona and it would NOT surprise me, if he has a good first half, to see him promoted to Double-A by the 2nd half of the season, and then be added to the 40-man roster next offseason.

by Al on Jan 21, 2007 4:22 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs