Samardzija Headed to Cubs

[cooljayhu]

Instead of testing the his options in the NFL Jeff Samardzija has signed a 5 year $10 mil contract with a $2.5 mil signing bonus to join the Cubs and give up football:

sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/baseball/mlb/01/19/cubs.samardzija.ap/index.html

I think this is one of the more shocking annoucements I have heard in a while. I mean he is giving up alot just to have a chance at playing in the minors for a while considering he was than likely a first-rounder. Thoughts?

[Claytons Crew]

cooljayhu said:

I think this is one of the more shocking annoucements I have heard in a while.

Did this just become news in Canada?

[cooljayhu]

well I only heard about it today. Hey internet, newspapers, and other forms of media are slower due to the frigid arctic temperatures, constant blizzard-like conditions, and constant bombardment by flying hockey pucks.

[bearcat]

His stock was slipping due to the fact he was a two-sport player. He's better off pitching baseballs than catching footballs.

[LjSnUo]

He's making 10 mil, can't say he'd get that in football.

[Buzz Killington]

Who thought this read "Samardzija headed to Cuba"?

[cooljayhu]

ljsnuo said:

He's making 10 mil, can't say he'd get that in football.

not a season though its only 2 mil a season since its a 5 year deal. He could have gotten that if he had never played baseball cause he prob would have been in the top 15-20 picks

[Sportsbuck]

Yeah, his deal for the NFL would've been in the 5-6 year range, with probablly a 25-35 million total.

[DaBears54]

I hope he can become a great player.

[Terps]

sportsbuck2745 said:

Yeah, his deal for the NFL would've been in the 5-6 year range, with probablly a 25-35 million total.

.....ehhhhh........I don't think he would've gone high enough to net those numbers. It's not a horrible decision for him, considering the difference in the toll football can take on one's body as opposed to baseball.

[Centaur]

...might want to get some facts straight...look at the number of wideouts that get injured in a season, then look at the number of pitchers... Cubs especially (names Prior and Wood come to mind often)

[bearcat]

You would think a guy that is 6'5" and 220+ as a wideout would be good...eh, not really. He could play in the NFL for sure, but his upside is very limited.

He probably at best would be a decent #3 or #4 guy on a team. Doesn't have the speed to be a deep threat.

Baseball is where it's at for him.

[LjSnUo]

cooljayhu said:

ljsnuo said:

He's making 10 mil, can't say he'd get that in football.

not a season though its only 2 mil a season since its a 5 year deal. He could have gotten that if he had never played baseball cause he prob would have been in the top 15-20 picks

He would have been a third rounder.

[detroitbasketball]

Doubtful. Probably second and there were rumors a couple of teams MIGHT take a chance on him in the latter half of round one.

[I am a huge CUNT]

I'd rather be a pitcher than a catcher.

[cooljayhu]

I was talking more about if he had never picked up a baseball. Then he may have gone very early and even still if he had not made it so public that he was going to go for baseball he still could have picked in the top 25 maybe or at least in the top 10 of the 2nd round. That would have seen him get quite a pretty penny.

[LjSnUo]

When he said he wanted to play both sports the NFL would have shafted him and he woulda been taken late on day one.

[cooljayhu]

actually I completely agree with you he was kinda stupid for announcing it so soon. What if he hurts his elbow/arm and cant play baseball? He could of at least have a team to play for.

[Sportsbuck]

Wow, Usma was right. It does look like "Samardzija Headed to Cuba".

[bearcat]

cooljayhu said:

actually I completely agree with you he was kinda stupid for announcing it so soon. What if he hurts his elbow/arm and cant play baseball? He could of at least have a team to play for.

How old is he now, 22-23? Let's say he plays hardball for three years, and blows his arm out. Can't pitch anymore. So you're 25, 26 years old, and baseball's not an option.

If he decided to go back to football, he'd have to get back into football shape, and that process could take months. So realistically, based on what I've said, he would be 27 or so before playing football again. I don't know of many teams, if any, would be willing to sign a 27-year old receiver who hasn't played a down in the NFL.

Remember, this is all hypothetical.