NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Jeff Samardzija passed his physical, his five-year contract with the Giants is official and the club’s narrative for giving $90 million to a pitcher who gave up the most hits and earned runs in the American League last season, is this:
He has tremendous stuff, a relatively low-mileage arm and the chance to harness his talent once he’s brought into the stable with pitching minds Dave Righetti and Dick Tidrow.
Helping along that narrative is this, from Samardzija’s last big league pitching coach:
“Man, I failed.”
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Don Cooper’s harsh self-assessment came to ESPN’s Doug Padilla as the White Sox’s pitching coach strolled the grounds of the Gaylord Opryland Biodome on Tuesday.