I would be very disappointed to see this happen. Even though he had his struggles he pitched a lot of nice
games where he got no run support.


From Sun Times:

Conversations with general managers and other high-ranking executives from nearly half the other teams in baseball this week at the general managers meetings in Orlando revealed an expectation in the industry that Opening Day starter Jeff Samardzija will be traded this off-season.

It would make him the first player identified by this front office as a “building block” to be traded during a rebuilding process that has gotten longer with every delay in stadium renovations and every question that arises over local TV rights deals.

And it’s starting to send the same message to executives around the game that fans have been getting since the Ricketts family bought the team and froze – then cut – baseball spending.

“If you do that, you’re saying you’re not trying to win,” said one long-time National League GM. “He’s a monster in the making. That’s not the kind of discussion that comes up in a planning meeting.”

Not with two years of club control left. Not if you’re operating as a big-market club with access to big-market operating resources – something many in the industry even outside the organization are starting to debate applies to the Cubs anymore.

Samardzija checks all the Cubs’ boxes, to use a phrase the brass likes – right attitude, leadership qualities, competitive nature and pure, raw power skills.

Yet when the winter meetings open in less than a month, he’s expected to be actively shopped – a potential scaled down alternative to Tampa Bay’s available ace David Price.

Two years into the Epstein-Jed Hoyer Era, the perception is creeping throughout the game that the Cubs are more Tampa Bay Rays than Los Angeles Dodgers – without the winning percentage of either to show for it.

“I don’t know what the plans are for the family, and I don’t know what their scaling is,” longtime agent and power broker Scott Boras said of the timeline. “I only know that their general managers tell us that their budget only allows them to do certain things.”

The Cubs won’t comment on specific plans for trades, but the team has sent clear signals that unless it reaches a multiyear deal with the arbitration-eligible pitcher this winter, it will trade him no later than next July’s trading deadline to avoid a steep decline in his trade value after that.


“In general, that’s one of the biggest challenges in this job,” said GM Hoyer, who would not talk specifically about Samardzija’s status or the team’s plans with him. “You always have to weigh the short term vs. the long term. The goal that we have is to build something that’s sustainable that brings a championship to Chicago. And our decisions are always made in that context.

“The short term vs. long term challenge is one of the biggest challenges that all 30 GMs face on a daily basis.”
Teams with lesser resources more keenly than others. And that’s a debate
Samardzija says he’s confident enough to go year to year as he proves his ultimate value while also wanting assurances the team intends to win while he’s still a young player if he commits longer term.


“In Chicago, it’s funny,” agent Scott Boras said. “A family bought the team. But it’s kind of like Meet the Parents. I haven’t met them yet.”
Boras wasn’t even referring to Ricketts patriarch Joe, the Ameritrade founder, father of the four siblings listed as owners and provider of the down payment on the $845 million purchase.

“I’m talking about, if this is a family-owned team, where is the [big-market approach]?” he said. “This is Chicago, and you’re developing the infrastructure. But fans don’t come to see seats, grass, cement. They come to see players.
“They’ve done a great job in the draft and development, and they’ve got a really good core of young players coming. But it’s not what’s expected when you bought … a major-market club.”

_________________
Flew too close to the sun on wings of pastrami

I cant get behind a trade of Samardzija. Maybe if it were for another MLB player, but I doubt it would be

Wouldn't have a problem with this at all. Think this is showing the front office doesn't believe he's going to sign a reasonable extension. I feel like Jeff thinks he's one small step from being Clayton Kershaw. Maybe that's not fair, but he comes off that way to me.

_________________
Team Cutler.

He has been forced into a top of the rotation slot when ideally I think he is a #3 or #4 guy. I just don't want to
see them send him off and then have him become the pitcher he is capable of being with another team after putting
all the time and effort into him.

_________________
Flew too close to the sun on wings of pastrami

[quote="Northside_Dan"]I feel like Jeff thinks he's one small step from being Clayton Kershaw. Maybe that's not fair, but he comes off that way to me.[/quote

I don't know what Samardzija thinks, but the guy who wrote that article sure seems to think that.

_________________
Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
I thought I saw him walkin' up to The Hill
With Matthew, Tulsi, and Don

The quotes from GM's and scouts often seem over the top

A "Monster in the making"?

To T-Bone's point, I see Jeff's career being a very good #3 starter who will occasionally have a brilliant outing to make people think he's about to put it all together. I feel that he's going to want to be paid on the #1 starter potential and I'd prefer the Cubs not to be the team that does that.

If there's perception around the league that he is a front line starter, Cubs should be able to get significant value for that.

_________________
Team Cutler.

Great, the guy is a bum. he is a 4th starter in the n.l. a dime a dozen. never liked this jerkoff or thought he was anything more than a 4th/5th starter .

_________________

I agree. Right now he seems to be on the Gavin Floyd/Edwin Jackson career path.

_________________
Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
I thought I saw him walkin' up to The Hill
With Matthew, Tulsi, and Don

He pitches like it sometimes, problem is that it is innings 2-9, after inning 1 when he gives up 5 runs!

I am fine with trading him, not based on his talent, but based on what his rumored salary requests are, $100 mill for 5 years? I understand this is his opening request, but you know he is close to what he really wants.

And yes, I know how much E Jax got and one bad deal does not make another one good.

_________________
"That's what the internet is for. Slandering others anonymously." Banky
“Been that way since one monkey looked at the sun and told the other monkey ‘He said for you to give me your fuckin’ share.’”

I know I hate the Cubs, but isn't that article filled with quotes that backs up many of my thoughts on the current plans of the Cubs?

Slashed budgets, no short term plans to compete, and now they seem to be shopping a "building block".

_________________
You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

A pitcher who's going to be 29 in January who's thrown 200 innings once and got tired to leave his ERA+ at 91. MONSTER!

Trade Shark to that GM ASAP.

The guy has always reminded me of aj Burnett ..who is nothing special .

_________________

Agree 100%. Nicely said.

transfer all Gavin Floyd conversations to this thread. That is what Samardzija is.

Good old Gordon gets a quote from a GM who acts like a 29 year old isn't pretty much a finished product rather than in development and a second quote from an agent who is trying to goose overall market then presents it like it is consensus.

_________________
O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

You're crazy. Burnett runs circles around Shark. Shark could only dream to even sniff the career Burnett has had.

Touch em all Daniel.

_________________
Proud member of the white guy grievance committee

It aint the six minutes. Its what happens in those six minutes.

Javy Vazquez on the upside

Yeah, Samardzija isnt getting a king's ransom but regardless, eventually, you have to start keeping guys to try and win

Scott Feldman and Carlos Villanueva both had better seasons than Samardzija. For Shark to have such a shitty season and still be highly regarded is crazy. Sell now!

Is he really thinking 20 mil per?

_________________
Elections have consequences.

You look at his career at ND and he wasn't even "a monster" in college.

I'm sure the Cubs are at 10-12 million and his is at 18-20. I think the Cubs are correct.

_________________
O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

Wouldn't be surprised to see him get 4 at 15 per.

_________________
Proud member of the white guy grievance committee

It aint the six minutes. Its what happens in those six minutes.

If Jackson is worth 14mil, Shark is worth 13mil. Really. Smart. Baseball. People.

_________________
We all have private ails. The troublemakers are they who need public cures for their private ails.- Eric Hoffer

I could see a 3-way trade getting worked out here:

Cubs send Samardzija to D-Bags and a couple prospects to TB
D-Bags send pitching prospect to TB
TB sends David Price to Cubs

One bad deal is enough

_________________
"That's what the internet is for. Slandering others anonymously." Banky
“Been that way since one monkey looked at the sun and told the other monkey ‘He said for you to give me your fuckin’ share.’”

This is a good post. The fact that he will soon be 29 and has not yet had that break-out year is an indication to me that he may never be the consistent, top of the rotation starter that many thought he could be. If they trade him and get a great prospect in return, I will not complain about it.

_________________
Go Cubs!!!!

" That many thought he could be " that is probably as close as you are willing to go. ...translated to your boy "Sammy " sucks. ...how that dumpster deal looking in Boston ?

_________________

Fuck Shark and his usual 110 pitches by the end of the 6th.

That's 95% of starting pitchers today.