Samardzija picks baseball

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/6385348?FSO1&ATT=HMA

Samardzija going to focus on Cubs career
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<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="440"> <tbody><tr valign="top"> <td> Ken Rosenthal / FOXSports.com
<!-- Meta Tag For Search --> <!-- meta name="author" content="Ken Rosenthal"--> <!-- meta name="source" content="FS"--> <!-- meta name="eventId" content=""--> <!-- meta name="contentTypeCode" content="1"--> <!-- meta name="editorContentCode" content="1"--> <!-- meta name="blurb" content=""--> <!-- meta name="modDate" content="January 19, 2007 18:55:36 GMT"--> Posted: 22 minutes ago <script> // front-end hack to remove postedTime from Rumors page until a better way can be determined if (document.URL.indexOf("/name/FS/rumors") != -1 && document.getElementById("postedTime") != null) document.getElementById("postedTime").style.display = 'none'; </script> </td> <td width="10"> </td> <td align="right"> <!--this is for sponsorships or brandings--> <table align="right" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tbody><tr> <td><!-- workingCategoryId: 49-->
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</td> <td width="440"> <!-- search:</noindex> --> <script> if(fanid.length > 0 && typeof(nflDefaultLeague)!= "undefined") { leagueId = nflDefaultLeague; //find teamId of default league (if exists) for(var i=0; i < teamsInfo.length; i++){ if(teamsInfo[4] == leagueId){ defaultTeamId = teamsInfo[0]; } } var fantasyLeaguePlayerJsPath = 'http://msn.foxsports.com' + '/nugget/200002_' + leagueId + '|||' + fanid; } </script> Cubs prospect Jeff Samardzija, a record-breaking receiver at Notre Dame, is giving up football for baseball, FOXSports.com has learned.
Samardzija, a right-handed pitcher, was the Cubs' fifth-round pick last summer and projected as a first-round pick in the NFL draft.He signed a $7.25 million contract with the Cubs and went 1-2 with a 2.70 ERA in seven starts at Class A last summer before returning to Notre Dame for his senior football season.


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Makes more sense financially I guess, I actually assumed he was going to try to play both.
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Good decision. Too slow to get open against good college cover guys, let alone NFL ones.

5th round picks get 7+ million? Jesus. My kid is going to have a baseball glove in his crib with him.

WharfRat said:

5th round picks get 7+ million? Jesus. My kid is going to have a baseball glove in his crib with him.

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Baseball America had him rated mid first-round for baseball. Teams were scared off by football. He is a Cub fan so they took the chance.

If it had been known that he'd commit to baseball he probably would have been a Top 10 pick. And I think the Cubs had to sweeten the pot a bit to get him to commit.

Is it true he was clocked at 97 mph?

Clip Joint said:

Is it true he was clocked at 97 mph?

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I heard 99mph, but more consistently 93-95mph.

Talk about big man on campus. Star football player with loads of $$$.

IS

Bio fron the ND baseball site:

Jeff Samardzija UPDATED BIO. CAPSULE (RHP; Jr.; Valparaiso, Ind.; as of June 19, 2006) - Selected by the Chicago Cubs in the 5th round of the 2006 MLB draft (the Cubs did not have a pick in the 2nd-4th rounds) ... was projected by Baseball America as the 20th-best overall prospect (including high school players) heading into draft day but fell to the 5th round due to his dual commitments to baseball and football ... Baseball America also listed Samardzija as the 2nd-best athlete among college prospects for the 2006 MLB draft, behind Texas centerfielder Drew Stubbs ..

InSpades said:

Talk about big man on campus. Star football player with loads of $$$.

IS

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You think he's still on campus?

onemwtheone said:

You think he's still on campus?

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Probably at the Cubs Convention today.

Not the greatest decision in the world... Two of my buddies are in the minors right now one will be within the next two years... both have played against Jeff.... BASEBALL IS THE HARDEST TO MAKE IT AT... I know Football is physically rough on your body but he is a reciever which might be the least painful position in football if there is such thing...

And no he wouldn't have been a top ten pick guy was going from rounds 2-5 at the latest... he throws hard but lacked control... nto a lot of walks but leaves a lot of stuff over the middle of the plate... he has a huge ceiling but to make it out of the minors is so tough... The cubs gave him a ton of money for where he was drafted ESPECIALLY I G'Teed money so that gives him a better chance to make it because the Cubs will feel the pressure to bring him up.... But it doesn't matter where you are drafted the minors is a completely different game then college and high school...

I would say Jeff has a 50% chance WHICH IS EXTREMEMLY HIGH of making it to the big leagues and I say that because of how much he was signed for... In the NFL he could have been a solid reciever for 10 years giving him over probably 30 million at the least in the NFL maybe 50 million plus in his career....

If this guy burns out in the minors... or throws his arm away he is done at 8 million and will start making about 75k a year which isn't bad but I am just saying...

Maybe I will be wrong but the guys breaking ball is inconsistent and his fastball is very straight... and his changeup is in the making... he needs these pitches to develop otherwise he has no chance starting in the big leagues...

AND usually 5th round money is about 85-100K.... So he did get more money then he should have... and even if he was drafted in the second round he got more money...

These are just what my guys that have played against him have said... one of my buddy has actually been very successful against Jeff.... but they dont rip him they just understand how hard it is... IF He was left handed this would be a differnt story...

GL to him but I dont think this was the best decision he could of made... from what i was hearing...

he'll be like drew henson....probably a mediocre baseball player at best. shoulda stuck with football.

themanej2001 said:

Not the greatest decision in the world... Two of my buddies are in the minors right now one will be within the next two years... both have played against Jeff.... BASEBALL IS THE HARDEST TO MAKE IT AT... I know Football is physically rough on your body but he is a reciever which might be the least painful position in football if there is such thing...

And no he wouldn't have been a top ten pick guy was going from rounds 2-5 at the latest... he throws hard but lacked control... nto a lot of walks but leaves a lot of stuff over the middle of the plate... he has a huge ceiling but to make it out of the minors is so tough... The cubs gave him a ton of money for where he was drafted ESPECIALLY I G'Teed money so that gives him a better chance to make it because the Cubs will feel the pressure to bring him up.... But it doesn't matter where you are drafted the minors is a completely different game then college and high school...

I would say Jeff has a 50% chance WHICH IS EXTREMEMLY HIGH of making it to the big leagues and I say that because of how much he was signed for... In the NFL he could have been a solid reciever for 10 years giving him over probably 30 million at the least in the NFL maybe 50 million plus in his career....

If this guy burns out in the minors... or throws his arm away he is done at 8 million and will start making about 75k a year which isn't bad but I am just saying...

Maybe I will be wrong but the guys breaking ball is inconsistent and his fastball is very straight... and his changeup is in the making... he needs these pitches to develop otherwise he has no chance starting in the big leagues...

AND usually 5th round money is about 85-100K.... So he did get more money then he should have... and even if he was drafted in the second round he got more money...

These are just what my guys that have played against him have said... one of my buddy has actually been very successful against Jeff.... but they dont rip him they just understand how hard it is... IF He was left handed this would be a differnt story...

GL to him but I dont think this was the best decision he could of made... from what i was hearing...

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Probably the right decision if his heart isn't really into football. Northern Indiana is a very good baseball area. LaPorte (conference foe of Valpo) has won quite a few state titles.