Levine: Samardzija Deal Could Be A Hit For Player, Team, City
By Bruce Levine-
SAN DIEGO (CBS) -- The deal of the Winter Meetings that became official Tuesday can be an all-around win for the White Sox, newly acquired right-hander Jeff Samardzija and the city of Chicago.
Why the city of Chicago you ask? No town in the United States embraces its own famous natives more than the city of broad shoulders. In Samardzija, you have a northwest Indiana product who embodies everything that Chicago tough is all about.
Samardzija had already played for Notre Dame and the Cubs previously, and now he's a White Sox. That's called living a dream for a kid from humble stock and strong backbones. Samardzija is a guy who once sat down with former Cubs general maanger Jim Hendry and signed a four-year, $10.6-million contract on a paper napkin at dinner with Cubs baseball boss and agent Mark Rodgers in tow.
"What a great story this has been for me," Samardzija said Tuesday. "Now if I can play for the Bears and skate for the Hawks it will be complete. I am just happy to put on the White Sox pinstripes."
In considering the additions of closer David Robertson and first baseman Adam LaRoche as well, the White Sox have sent a message to the league and fan base that they are serious about winning it all now. Giving up a cache of four quality young ballplayers to Oakland for Samardzija is a roll of the dice for the Chicago baseball folk. Samardzija may become a free agent in 2015 and leave after one season. But the chance to win a championship with arguably one of the most dynamic young pitching staffs may be a good enough payback.
White Sox fans should embrace the "show me" style of building a contender the Jerry Reinsdorf-run organization continues to display. Under general manager Rick Hahn and executive vice president Kenny Williams, the middle-market White Sox have signed stars to team-favorable contracts. This ahead-of-the-economic-field intuition enables Chicago to spend upward of $50 million this offseason.
It's possible that free agent outfielder Melky Cabrera could be the next big name the White Sox try and bring in.
Bruce Levine covers the Cubs and White Sox for 670 The Score and CBSChicago.com. Follow him on Twitter @MLBBruceLevine.
