Samardzija, still tinkering, gives up 2 more home runs
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — It would not be the final week of spring training without abject fear over a key player’s performance or health. Every team has one or two.
When one of them is the third starter in a rotation that lacks the usual organizational depth and experience, the old baseball chestnut that “it’s just spring training” becomes more of a prayer.
After surrendering three homers in an inning not once, but in each of his past two starts, Jeff Samardzija started a
Triple-A game against the Cubs on Wednesday with three fantastic innings. But he lost it in the fourth, giving up two more homers, and the way his day ended ordinarily signifies some concern over a pitcher’s arm.
After allowing a double that hit the batter’s eye, two homers and a single, Samardzija abruptly came out with one out in the inning after he hit a man with his 73rd pitch.
Cutting innings short is not unusual in minor-league games when they get long. Samardzija had thrown 24 pitches to six hitters.
But his total pitch count was a bit lower than expected. Also, when the Cubs’ half of the fifth arrived, pitching coach Curt Young had to summon a reliever, Madison Younginer, who had not warmed up and had to start from scratch. Young walked over to the Cubs dugout to explain the situation.
Asked if he was physically OK, Samardzija said, “Yeah. I feel good. We’re just working through some things.”
Manager Bruce Bochy revealed that Samardzija had a neck issue earlier in the spring and it might be lingering, but “other than that, he’s fine.”
While Samardzija’s health bears watching, he looked sound over his first three innings, when he allowed one hit and struck out six, including two to strand a runner at third base.
After the two-homer, threerun fourth inning, Samardzija said he continues to work on secondary pitches at the expense of a fastball he knows he can whip out of his holster at any time.
“All camp, I’ve just been trying to hammer home working on the off-speed stuff,” he said, “any situation, regardless of the result. When the game comes I’d probably be throwing fastball.”
If Samardzija can unleash the first three innings he had Wednesday in the regular season, the spring fretting will be forgotten.
“The stuff ’s moving,” he said. “Getting swings and misses like that is always good. It’s the same thing we’re always talking about, right? Guys are out there hunting heaters, so if I can come out early in the game and have my off-speed pitches where I need them to be, and come back with the heater as the game goes on, we’re probably going to have a good day.”
Samardzija is scheduled to throw the third game of the season at Dodger Stadium after a final exhibition against the A’s at AT&T Park on Monday night. Madison Bumgarner and Johnny Cueto will pitch ahead of Samardzija. The four and five spots remain unclaimed, with Ty Blach, Chris Stratton and non-roster invitee Derek Holland chasing them. One or two could start in long relief due to off days on either side of the home-opening two-game series against the Mariners.
The Holland signing seems shrewder by the day. While he has not come close to the mid-90s velocity he flashed before shoulder injuries, he has an idea on the mound.
In Tuesday night’s game against the Royals, Holland built a lot of 0-2 counts. His issue in a four-inning, threerun start was putting some of those hitters away. He got a lot of foul balls.
“The thing I like about Holly, he got ahead in the count the whole outing,” Bochy said. “He pounded the strike zone well. Overall, he had a pretty good day.”