Giants expect to 'get along famously' with Samardzija
Jeff Samardzija is officially a member of the San Francisco Giants after being introduced at an afternoon press conference on Friday, and the former football player turned pitcher is excited about the opportunity to join the historic franchise.
(Courtesy: MLB.com)
"I'm just excited. This whole free-agent process, you don't really know what to expect, what to look for. What I just kept going back to was the Giants coming to me in the very beginning, and to hear they wanted me," Samardzija said with a smile.
"The way they play the game, the way they go about their business is something I've always appreciated, and something I'm all about. ... Really, in the back of my head I knew this is where I wanted to be, and this is where I belong because we have so many similar characteristics, and one is to win ballgames. And we're going to get it done, and I just want to be a part of that."
San Francisco lured the 30-year-old right-hander to the Bay Area with a five-year, $90-million contract that will have him line up as the team's No. 2 starter behind Madison Bumgarner.
Despite posting his highest ERA since 2010 for the Chicago White Sox last season, the Giants felt comfortable dishing out a sizable deal to the starter because he has proven to be durable, tossing 200-plus innings for two consecutive seasons.
"He's on his path to becoming what we think is one of the workhorse starters in the game," executive vice president of baseball operations Brian Sabean said. "Everybody wants innings. As much as this contract is about performance, this is also about going to the post. For all he went through last year, he threw 214 innings. ... I think we're going to get along famously."
Samardzija owns a career record of 47-61 with a 4.09 ERA and 1.28 WHIP across 254 appearances, 131 of which were starts.
He offer the Giants a formidable weapon in their rotation as they look to contender in an incredibly tough National League West division, after the Arizona Diamondbacks loaded up their staff by adding Zack Greinke and Shelby Miller, while the Los Angeles Dodgers remain dangerous with Clayton Kershaw atop their rotation.