Normally, you don’t expect a crusty old manager like Lou Piniella to embrace a highly touted rookie, but in the case of the Cubs new sensation Jeff Samardzija, Piniella practically gushes with unexpected praise.
“He went out there and pitched two solid innings in an important game,” Piniella said Sunday after Samardzija’s first career save.
“He’s very comfortable and has good stuff to go along with it. It didn’t faze him at all if it was the eighth or ninth or what. He was cool as a cucumber out there.”
Wow, Lou. If you handed out praise like that more often, guys in your ‘pen like ‘Stevie Ire’ (Scott Eyre) might think you actually know who they are.
“He’s a good-looking young pitcher,” Piniella fawned. “We needed one more good power arm [in the bullpen]. This kid looks like the right guy.”
Lou loves Samardzija so much he sounds like a starry-eyed ‘Golden Domer’ for fuck’s sake.
