Samardzija picks baseball over football

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Notre Dame wide receiver Jeff Samardzija has decided to forego a pro football career for that of a baseball pitcher -- and he'll be well-compensated for it.

Samardzija signed a five-year deal Friday to play baseball full-time, starting in the Chicago Cubs' minor league system, with the team holding options for 2012 and 2013.

ESPN.com's Wayne Drehs reports the deal is worth $8 million, guaranteed. A news conference was scheduled for Friday afternoon.

When the Cubs drafted Samardzija in the fifth round last June, giving him a $250,000 signing bonus, he intended to play both football and baseball professionally.

Last season, Samardzija pitched for Class A Boise and Peoria, where he finished a combined 1-2 with a 2.70 earned run average. He struck out 17 and walked 12 in 30 innings.

He is expected to start the season in Class A Peoria, where Cubs Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg will be the manager.

A two-sport atlhete at Notre Dame, Samardzija had 78 receptions for 1,017 receiving yards in 2006. In 2005, he set Fighting Irish team records for yards receiving with 1,249 abd touchdown catches with 15. In baseball, he went 21-6 with a 3.82 ERA in 50 career appearances for Notre Dame.

 
I'm surprised that he signed just a few months before the draft. I would of thought that he would of at least worked out at the combine or at ND's pro day so that he could get a feel for when he was going to get drafted. But I guess $8 million dollars can be quite persausive.

 
I was looking foward to seeing how he does in the NFL. But if an athlete likes both sports, the $8 mil doesnt take the back seat. That's tempting alright.

 
gamecocks said:
I'm surprised that he signed just a few months before the draft. I would of thought that he would of at least worked out at the combine or at ND's pro day so that he could get a feel for when he was going to get drafted. But I guess $8 million dollars can be quite persausive.
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8 million dollars, plus pitching every five days, plus not getting creamed coming across the middle, possible ending his career ...... no brainer

 
Eric the Red said:
gamecocks said:
I'm surprised that he signed just a few months before the draft. I would of thought that he would of at least worked out at the combine or at ND's pro day so that he could get a feel for when he was going to get drafted. But I guess $8 million dollars can be quite persausive.
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8 million dollars, plus pitching every five days, plus not getting creamed coming across the middle, possible ending his career ...... no brainer
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BUT! Line drive right into his temple.......ouch..... :lol:

 
As a huge Cubbies fan, i was happy to hear the news..... this kid can throw well... The way that I have it figured, he will begin in AA, and then make it to Iowa.....just before the Cubs call him up, they will trade him to the Pirates for some washed up center fielder..... He will then go on to be traded to the Braves and become an All-Star...... Cubs Curse.

 
HANC said:
As a huge Cubbies fan, i was happy to hear the news..... this kid can throw well... The way that I have it figured, he will begin in AA, and then make it to Iowa.....just before the Cubs call him up, they will trade him to the Pirates for some washed up center fielder..... He will then go on to be traded to the Braves and become an All-Star...... Cubs Curse.
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:lol:

 
Baseball career over a football career seems like a no brainer to me. What is the average career of football vs. baseball players? I'm guessing baseball is several years longer. And I would bet the average baseball salary is significantly greater than the average football salarly...

 
HANC said:
As a huge Cubbies fan, i was happy to hear the news..... this kid can throw well... The way that I have it figured, he will begin in AA, and then make it to Iowa.....just before the Cubs call him up, they will trade him to the Pirates for some washed up center fielder..... He will then go on to be traded to the Braves and become an All-Star...... Cubs Curse.
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If he is an allstar with the Braves, that is fine by me.

 
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