Recalled pitcher Jeff Samardzija is expected to eventually join the Cubs' starting rotation. (AP)
Jeff Samardzija was among the Cubs' call-ups Tuesday from Triple-A Iowa, after Ryne Sandberg's team missed a playoff spot by losing the final game of the season to Memphis on Monday.
Samardzija is expected to join the rotation, although manager Mike Quade said he doesn't know how his rotation is setting up with Tom Gorzelanny still mending from his hand injury after being hit with a line drive.
Samardzija watched several teammates get called up while he remained at Iowa all year, and admitted he wondered at first if he would ever get the call.
"Originally they said, 'We'll send you down until you get right and then get you right back up here because there's a role to be had,' " he said. "I went down, I got right and pitched my (butt) off for a while and didn't hear anything."
Samardzija then asked to become a starter at the All-Star break, and the Cubs let him do so. He went 11-3 at Iowa, and didn't complain about his status.
"What are you going to do?" he said. "I don't make the decisions. I don't call people up or down. I just play. Hopefully I play as good as I can and my numbers and play on the field speaks for itself."
Outfielders Sam Fuld and Brad Snyder, infielder Bobby Scales and reliever Justin Berg also have been called up. Scales will be insurance at third base, in case Aramis Ramirez is slowed down by his quad injury. He was added to the 40-man roster along with Snyder, while Esmailin Caridad and John Grabow were moved to the 60-day disabled list.
It's a very windy day at Wrigley, with a gale force blowing straight out to right. Carlos Marmol was seen climbing into the shrubbery in center field to fetch a wayward Frisbee thrown by one of the other Cubs' relievers.
Carlos Silva will make his first start since his heart procedure. Tuesday is also the day the Cubs will honor Hall of Famer Billy Williams with a new statue in the right field corner, where the Harry Caray statue once resided.
Oh, and another thing that proves that you Cubs complainers do not remember anything beyond the last Cubs loss. Just because the Cubs haven't called up what ever minor leaguer you never heard of until you looked him up on cubs.com just now, doesn't mean they won't call him up later in the month. Last season Tyler Colvin didn't get called up until late September.
And just because someone doesn't get called up doesn't mean they are sitting at home doing nothing. They could be going back to Arizona to work out at the Cubs spring training facility. They could be preparing to play fall ball in Arizona or the DR. They could be going to AA Tennessee to help them in the AA playoffs. They could be resting because they are banged up after a long minor league season. Or, it could be a strategic move to not call them up. Calling them up now will start the arbitration clock, which could lead them to become arbitration eligible a year sooner than if they don't call them up. It's crazy how some people just don't think things out. They just read "Cubs make a move" and their reaction no matter what is "HENDRY BAD!!!" Just chill out people! It's not the end of the universe if the Cubs don't call up Marquez Smith right away!
The reason why Samardzija got $10 million is because there was a good chance that he would have left to play football after a year or two in the minors. It's not like Hendry gives away $10 million to every draft pick. Samardzija was a special situation and it's unfortunate that it hasn't worked out so far. On the plus side, that contract is up after next season and the Cubs have all ready paid most of it. It's not like the Samardzija contract has kept the Cubs from making moves like with the Soriano deal or the Zambrano deal.
As for the person who said that September call-ups are to showcase the future, look around the rest of baseball and you'll find that pretty much is not the case. I mean, the Rockies just called up Jay Payton. Hey Payton, 1999 called, they want their good baseball player back. And Marquez Smith will get his chance to play next spring. And McGhee was a September call-up. And he showed us what he could do by hitting .190 in that call-up. And no one thought anything of him going to Milwaukee until he started to hit there. So get your head out of the sand and quit complaining about every little bit of news that comes out on the Cubs!!!
DiPino is right. The only reason this stiff is still around period is because of the stupid contract Hendry gave him when he was drafted. Straight 95 mph fastballs might get out AAA hitters, but not major leaguers. $10 million down the drain. Way to go Hendry!
At least he has better hair than that complete slacker the White Sux picked up, what's his name? Manny something? Doesn't matter.
Sam Fuld, Bobby Scales, and Brad Snyder....wow, there's a line-up of scrubs. I thought the point of september callup wass to showcase the talent of the future- not the past. Why not let a guy like Marquez Smith get a sniff of Wrigley? Maybe he's next year's version of Casey McGehee. Oh yeah, another reason to fire Hendry!
Ah yes,Bobby Scales we meet again.Can a Bobby Scales bobble head day at Wrigley Field be far behind?
Gee, we get to see Jeff Samardzija's mixing up his pitches; homer, single, double, triple, walk, wild pitch! The best one-pitch pitcher ever to make 10Mil.in the majors....and why should they bring him up AGAIN? How many chances do these Farnsworth Ego's get? Just think, only a few more weeks to go, and this Thursday is an OFF day....most everyday is an off day for the Cubs lately.
Hey everyone, I just thought of a joke. Tell me if it's funny or not. Here we go: Jeff Samardzija is now the best wide receiver in Chicago. Well, what do you all think? I think I should at least get points for originality!
["What are you going to do?" he said. "I don't make the decisions."]
What a spoiled little punk. You should be thankful for getting payed to play a game for a living. Instead he spits his venom at everyone. In my day, we would take these guys out to the woodshed for a good whipping.
Way to go Hendry. Blew your wad on another class act.
Trade Samardjia to the Bears for three beer vendors.
Jeff Samardjia's lack of ability is an epic example of Hendry's lack of ability. While we're at it, lettuce also toss Diamond, Coleman, Berg, Russell, and Cashner on the pile of doodoo.
Samardzija is Polish for "throw some gasoline on the fire"! Another Cubs BUST...FIRE JIM HENDRY NOW!
So they decided to call up the ten million dollar bust of a pitcher. I guess they want to see what he can do before they buy out this guy's contract come the off-season. Can it get any worse for this failing and faltering franchise?
Samardzija is back? Oh goodie. Oh well at least he can't cost the Cubs a playoff spot. Go back to football Jeff. He is the best WR in Chicago.
Anyone else question the wisdom of Sandberg getting himself tossed Saturday in the 1st inning of a basically must win game to make the playoffs? Not sure if I read the correct information but if true I'm not sure what he was thinking. I would think the manager should keep himself in the dugout for the biggest game of the year.
Bobby Scales! It's a good thing Piniella's not the manager anymore, as if he was, we'd see Bobby Scales playing every day while Colvin sat the bench, a la Jake Fox. He's decent as a pinch hitter though in my opinion.
I'm glad to see that they brought up Brad Snyder to get a taste of things in the MLB this year, as he's earned it.
I wonder if they are going to bring up Sandberg to be in the dugout? Wait a minute, that would make too much sense. I don't care if we're 9-4 under Quade. He can be the bench coach next year, or go back to third. I wonder if Mark Grace would like to be the bench coach? Let's try and bring some class back to this organization.
Please--it's time to give Samardzija some starts instead of Casey Coleman. That should have been done over a month ago.
I think that Berg, Hoffpauir, Fuld, and company are out of options after this year, so if they don't make the team this spring, it's bye bye for them. Hopefully at least Fuld can catch on, because he plays hard all of the time unlike some of our regulars.
As for a statue, I thought the next statue was going to be of Jim Hendry. It could be of him standing with his arm around Milton Bradley's shoulders, with both of them standing next to a money tree.
Adolfo,the difference is it wont take the Cubs 4 years to move the Billy Williams statue if they need to.
well maybe for Samardzija, the 7th or 8th time is a charm
"Jeff Samardzija was among the Cubs' call-ups Tuesday from Triple-A Iowa"
Now the best WR in Chicago.
A new Billy Williams statue in the RF corner? What will they do with the Fukudome statue that's been out there since '07?