Van_Slyke_CF
Mentor
Jeff Samardzija was recalled the other day by the Cubs and hopefully will be able to pitch better the last month of the season than he did at the beginning.
In parts of three seasons, Samardzija has pitched in 50 games with a 2-4 record and a 5.89 ERA.
CF members were very disappointed when he chose baseball over football, and rightfully so. We'd all rather see him as a standout WR in the NFL-adding to a critically-endangered species-than as one of many white men with "good stuff" and a chance to be an MLB pitcher.
I bet Samardzija really wanted to play football, regardless of his stated reasons concerning why he chose baseball. The Cubs guaranteed him something like $11 million over 5 years, IIRC, with options for a couple more years that could take the total value to $16 million.
But Samardzija probably could have made a good bit of the guaranteed number as an NFL first-round draft choice a few years ago with the signing bonus and annual salaries.
And it wasn't the increased injury risk playing football either, IMO.
What it really comes down to is that Samardzija was smart enough to realize as a white WR he probably wouldn't have been treated fairly in the NFL, especially if he'd gotten a nagging injury or two or, heaven forbid, dropped a few passes early on in his career. With the odds stacked against him, he took the sure route to riches and a long pro career in baseball, and left the racist B.S. of the NFL for other white players to deal with.
Sadly, I think he made the right choice.
In parts of three seasons, Samardzija has pitched in 50 games with a 2-4 record and a 5.89 ERA.
CF members were very disappointed when he chose baseball over football, and rightfully so. We'd all rather see him as a standout WR in the NFL-adding to a critically-endangered species-than as one of many white men with "good stuff" and a chance to be an MLB pitcher.
I bet Samardzija really wanted to play football, regardless of his stated reasons concerning why he chose baseball. The Cubs guaranteed him something like $11 million over 5 years, IIRC, with options for a couple more years that could take the total value to $16 million.
But Samardzija probably could have made a good bit of the guaranteed number as an NFL first-round draft choice a few years ago with the signing bonus and annual salaries.
And it wasn't the increased injury risk playing football either, IMO.
What it really comes down to is that Samardzija was smart enough to realize as a white WR he probably wouldn't have been treated fairly in the NFL, especially if he'd gotten a nagging injury or two or, heaven forbid, dropped a few passes early on in his career. With the odds stacked against him, he took the sure route to riches and a long pro career in baseball, and left the racist B.S. of the NFL for other white players to deal with.
Sadly, I think he made the right choice.
