White Sox pitching coach says he 'failed' with Samardzija
White Sox pitching coach Don Cooper took full responsibility Tuesday afternoon for right-hander Jeff Samardzija's brutal 2015 season on the south side of Chicago.
"Man, I failed," Cooper told reporters on the second day of the winter meetings.
Samardzija, an All-Star in 2014 when he pitched on Chicago's north side, is set to finalize a five-year deal with the San Francisco Giants despite stumbling to a 4.96 ERA in his lone season with the White Sox, allowing more hits (228) and home runs (29) than every other American League pitcher.
Samardizja also watched his strikeout rate plummet, as well, amid a minor drop in velocity, while his batted-ball profile changed considerably with the White Sox.
| Season | K% | SwStrk% | GB% | HR/9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 24.9% | 12.1% | 44.6% | 1.03 |
| 2013 | 23.4% | 10.7% | 48.2% | 1.05 |
| 2014 | 23% | 11.1% | 50.2% | 0.82 |
| 2015 | 17.9% | 9.8% | 39% | 1.22 |
Still, despite his woes in Chicago, Giants manager Bruce Bochy remains optimistic Samardzija can rectify the issues that marred his 2015 season.
"We certainly like what we're working with," Bochy said. "... I think he's primed to come into his own."