No Shark in the Draft.....

[Stanny]

Cubs sign Samardzija five-year, $10 million deal


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 signing bonus could add to that total. 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 athlete 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.


ESPN.com senior writer Wayne Drehs contributed to this story

 

[Jack's sore libido]

Raiders will use a 7th-rounder on him.

 

[YodasBeast]

That would give us his rights if he ever decided to come to the NFL right? Or is that just for this season?

 

[Jack's sore libido]

I think there's a one-year expiration date.

 

[YodasBeast]

Well, we'll probably get Mr Irrelevant again for the next few years, so why not?

 

[Jokerman]

I think there's a one-year expiration date.

IIRC, that's how we got Bo Jackson. He was a first round selection in I think 1986 by the Bucs. Bo went to play baseball instead. So after the Buc's were not able to sign Bo during that year, in '87 Al takes Bo in the 7th round - with a ton of smirking by the rest of the league no less.

 

[TheNextStep]

Kid made a smart choice. He wasn't going to get nearly 8 million guaranteed in his first football contract.

 

[Turo]

Kid made a smart choice. He wasn't going to get nearly 8 million guaranteed in his first football contract.

Can't fault him for that!

 

[Jack's sore libido]

And baseball has a much longer shelf-life.

Then again, as a Cub he's now doomed to have arm trouble.

 

[Madturk]

8 mill guaranteed, he's set for life unless he's going to blow it like the powerball winner dude.