Jeff Samardzjia has yet to live up to his billing as a big league pitcher. The former Notre Dame football standout is in his final guaranteed season with the Cubs, and is out of minor league options. This is Shark's sink-or-swim moment. If he falls flat in Mesa, it's the waiver wire and uncertainty. If he makes the club (or clears waivers), he'll have a chance at impressing the Cubs enough to pick-up his 2012 option. The Cubs actually hold a second option year, so a swimming Shark could be a Cub fixture though at least 2013. The sinking version would be a bad memory. One that would be hung like an albatross on General Manager Jim Hendry's neck, who recently signed his own contract extension through 2012. The path Samardzija has taken to this point—from record-setting receiver to struggling reliever—has been had numerous twists and turns. From starter to reliever (at least once), two (or more) major changes to his repertoire, at least one mechanical overhaul, and wanting nothing to do with Iowa to preferring to stay in Iowa to develop his craft. Role. Approach. Mechanics. Attitude. Each has changed or morphed over the course of his professional career. All fine and good, as long as they manifest properly. Results Results going forward. Not in the past. While his past is all we have to go on, Samardzija can be cut some slack. First, he wasn't a full-time baseball player. That's one thing for an outfielder, but another thing altogether for a pitcher. Second, the Cubs share some of the burden for flip-flopping Samardzija's role from time-to-time. Third, even when settled into the I-Cubs rotation in 2010, it was still a development effort more than anything. Here's a Shark timeline 02/22/07 in football shape, not pitching shape at his first camp 06/12/07 moved to bullpen to work on mechanics 09/14/07 asked to rest his arm and not play winter ball 02/06/08 slated for Double-A from the time he arrived in Mesa for his second camp 03/11/08 made enough of an impression to be considered for a call-up later in the season 05/06/08 having control problems in the Tennesse rotation 05/26/08 Hendry attributes Samardzija's struggles too 'trying to hard' 06/23/08 promoted to the Iowa rotation 07/03/08 after 10 days, the Cubs think he's pitching better in Triple-A than Double-A 07/25/08 Major League debut in relief 08/14/08 considered for a start, but kept in the bullpen 11/06/08 in the mix for a 2009 rotation spot 02/26/09 targeted for the bullpen or Iowa 03/19/09 officially removed from the rotation race 03/25/09 slid out of consideration for a roster spot 04/23/09 called-up from Iowa to join the bullpen 06/30/09 back-up for another stint, with an improved "slider" 08/12/09 knocked around in first big league start 09/02/09 given consideration for a 2010 rotation spot 09/22/09 called-up from Iowa, into the late-season rotation 10/02/09 heads to winter ball with a modified delivery; more "on top of the ball" 02/15/10 at camp early, happy with the curveball improvements made while in Mexico 02/24/10 making a good impression early in camp 04/12/10 made the team, but was spending most of his time on the bench 09/13/10 after spending most of the year in Iowa, called-up to take Carlos Silva's spot 03/05/11 another training camp, this time settled as a reliever The improved slider mentioned in 2009 was really the beginnings of his curveball. Samardzija also added a cutter in 2010. What we've seen of him since his late-2010 call-up has been a different pitcher than the one we saw back in 2008. For the PITCHf/x inclined, this animation shows the change in mix from the slider days, to the baby curveball days, to the full curve and cutter of today. http://inspic.com/A8CC6597 Being focused on relieving with what I would call a more solid arsenal of pitches should benefit Samardzija going into 2011. His delivery is more compact and he is more on top of the ball. But will his control be sufficient to make him a useful reliever? Given the amount of money he's made, the Cubs ought to expect quite a lot more. Alternatively, it's all a sunk cost and they'll take what they can get. If anything, the amount of money he's due to make this season may make him easier to pass through waivers, if it comes down to that. --

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