The Cubs have avoided arbitration with pitcher Jeff Samardzija, signing him for one year and $5.345MM, Jon Heyman of CBS Sports tweets. Samardzija had filed for $6.2MM and the Cubs had proposed $4.4MM, so the final figure comes in just above the $5.3MM midpoint. The two parties were to have their arbitration hearing on Monday. Samardzija is represented by Frontline.
This contract simply avoids arbitration for this season, and does not resolve the possibility of a long-term deal for Samardzija, who is eligible for free agency after 2015. There have also been recurring rumors that the rebuilding Cubs could trade Samardzija, although the most recent word is that, given the continued presence of solid starting pitching options (like A.J. Burnett, Ubaldo Jimenez and Ervin Santana) on the free-agent market, the Cubs could wait until July to make a deal. Samardzija posted a 4.34 ERA with 9.0 K/9 and 3.3 BB/9 in 213 2/3 innings for the Cubs last season.
Samardzija’s one of those guys who was so underrated that he’s now overrated, in my opinion. He’s not bad, but is at very best a low-end #2 or 3.
the thing is, so was garza and they still got a good amount back.
Yeah, the Cubs (or maybe more specifically Hoyer/Epstein) are good at maximizing value on trades
Roberto Osuna, Anthony Gose and Neil Wagner for Samardzija.
Thoughts?
Not bad. Plausible for both teams.
Roberto ozuna????uhh
Take out Gose and insert Sanchez and I would do that deal. Cubs need pitchers, not OF’s
Very hard to see AA trading both Osuna and Sanchez for two years of Shark.
Cubs need to sign him. If we traded him, we’d get guys he hope to be like Samardzija one day. We have him now so lock him up Theo!
So you would hope to get league average pitchers back? For a guy who is going to walk in 2 years
I realize that ERA doesnt look like his best, i thought he was overrated but then i saw that his FIP and xFIP are in the mid-3s, which indicates Jeff did pitch a lot better than it looks like. I believe Jeff does have a strong #2 potential. Ace status? That’s a tough one.
I wouldn’t pay him what he wants to be paid. He has in his mind he is an ace and hasn’t come close to proving that. He looked like he quit last year
He’s no ace and is unlikely he’ll ever be one, however like you said his FIP and xFIP numbers are solid along with his fWAR as well. I would love to see AA acquire him as long as it doesn’t include Sanchez or Stroman in the deal.
I would be interested to see what he would do on a competitive team
Completely agree. He is sub par at best but most cubs fans (and I am a cubs fan) think he is some great pitcher. I say if you can’t lock him up for a team friendly deal soon you trade him for anything you can that’s worth any value. I think they should get a decent package but they seem like they are to reach for the stars. If they are waiting for a deal that will blow them away. It’s not gonna happen
He is not sub par. Sure he isn’t am ace yet, might not even have been a #2 last year but he is not sub par. A sub par pitcher is a Mike Pelfrey or an Edwin jackson from last year.
Geez this guy get way to many mentions for an 8 game winner
Hope this is sarcasm Lol
You do realize he plays for one of the least competitive teams in baseball, right?