There were all kinds of things going on today. Some deals were finalized...there were conference calls...there were luncheons...Here's a synopsis of the day's activities.

Cubs Sign Samardzija

The Chicago Cubs today announced that the club and right-handed pitcher Jeff Samardzija have agreed to a five-year Major League contract with club options for the 2012 and 2013 seasons. Samardzija, who will focus solely on his baseball career, will report to Big League camp in Mesa, Ariz., on February 14.

Samardzija, 21, was Chicago’s fifth round selection in the 2006 First-Year Player Draft. He made seven starts between Single-A Boise and Single-A Peoria, posting a 2.70 combined ERA (9 ER/30.0 IP) and was named the Cubs’ fourth-best prospect by Baseball America at season’s end.

Samardzija was also a star wide receiver on the Notre Dame football team. He led the football team with 78 receptions and 1,017 receiving yards in 2006, his senior season, and was named first team All-America by the Football Writers Association of America. In 2005, he set Notre Dame single-season records for yards receiving (1,249) and touchdown catches (15).

Comments from Samardzija:

“I am pleased to announce that today I have reached an agreement on a five–year Major League contract with the Chicago Cubs.  Consequently, I will devote my full time and attention to professional baseball and forego a potential career in the National Football League.  I am honored to be given the opportunity to pursue this career path as a member of the Chicago Cubs. This is a dream come true for a kid who grew up in Northern Indiana looking up the road at this great city and its loyal fans.  I feel very comfortable that this is exactly where I belong. 

“Obviously, my decision means I have played my last football game.  That does not mean I have lost my passion for the game.  I will always love football.  My four years at Notre Dame – playing for the Fighting Irish – were amazing.  I could not have asked for more from my teammates, our fans, and our coaches.  I appreciate fully that another amazing experience awaited me in the NFL.  But, as much as it seemed like a real possibility last summer, I have concluded that playing two sports professionally is impossible. 

Indians Sign Nixon

The Cleveland Indians today announced the club has signed free agent OF Trot Nixon to a one-year Major League contract for the 2007 season.  The deal is worth an estimated $3 million, and Nixon can earn an additional $2 million in incentives.

In 2006 Trot hit .268 (102-381) with 24 doubles, 8 homer and 52RBI in 114 games.  He compiled an on-base percentage of .373 after drawing 60 walks over the 114 games, hit .311 (82-264) in the first half with 6HR & 43RBI in 78 games and hit .288 (83-288) off RHP.   

Cleveland Indians Executive Vice President and General Manager Mark Shapiro on today’s announcement - “The addition of Trot Nixon not only gives our club another quality outfielder who excels against RHP, but it gives our team another veteran presence with championship experience and adds to the overall depth of our organization and Major League club for 2007.”   

To make room for Nixon (who will wear #33) on the 40-man roster the Indians have designated RHP Jeremy Guthrie for assignment. 

Braves and Pirates Finalize Swap

The Atlanta Braves and Pittsburgh Pirates completed a four-player trade today, as the Braves acquired left-handed relief pitcher Mike Gonzalez and minor league shortstop Brent Lillibridge from the Pirates in exchange for first baseman Adam LaRoche and minor league outfielder Jamie Romak.

Gonzalez, 28, was perfect in save opportunities in 2006, converting all 24 chances.  In 54 games, he posted a 3-4 record and 2.17 ERA, the fifth-best ERA among all National League relief pitchers. Gonzalez's .213 opponents' batting average ranked eighth in the league.

"Mike has established himself as one of the top relief pitchers in baseball," Braves Executive Vice President and General Manager John Schuerholz said. "We believe that his addition to our club has strengthened our bullpen - especially in the late innings."

Our own Rob McQuown took part in the Schuerholz conference call later in the day and you can read about it here.

Royals Media Forecast Luncheon

Craig Brown attended the Kansas City Royals media forecast luncheon today. This year, Luke Hudson, John Buck and general manager Dayton Moore were the headliners at the luncheon.  Craig got a chance to mingle with the guys before the event kicked off…Read all about it and check out some pictures here!

To be optimistic in the spring is every fan’s right.  It turns out, that optimism isn’t limited to fans.  Players and management can feel that way, too. 

This year, Luke Hudson, John Buck and general manager Dayton Moore were the headliners at the luncheon.  I got a chance to mingle with the guys before the event kicked off…

Hudson has been working on developing a straight change up this winter.  He already throws a change, but it didn’t fool many batters last season.  I asked him if he set any goals this winter, and he told me that he didn’t have anything specific in terms of numbers.  His focus has been on building his strength (specifically in his legs) and developing a regiment to help him stay healthy.  He figures if he works on those things, the numbers will be there at the end of the season.

Since the bullpen let him down more often than not, I asked Hudson about the new arms in the relief corps.  I didn’t expect him to throw any of his old teammates under the bus, and he didn’t disappoint.  But he gave an interesting answer where he feels that there is now a good mix of both starters and relievers on the staff.  Stronger starting pitching means less stress on the bullpen, and Hudson believes everyone will benefit.

As for his place in the rotation, Hudson isn’t concerned about the Royals stockpiling arms for their rotation.  He’s excited about the “quality arms” the Royals have acquired since he arrived and feels that it will create enough competition in camp that it will be good for the staff.  Many have Hudson penciled in for the back of the rotation, but he doesn’t care where he’s slotted.  He just wants a turn every fifth day.

Heading into this season, he’s excited by all the moves the Royals have made.  Hudson senses a new feeling around the team – determination.  He describes the 2007 version of the Royals as “determined to win.”  He’s thinking he’s going to be a part of the team that turns the fortunes of the Royals around, and gets them back on the winning track.

I’m not one to get into fashion, but I’ll have to give kudos to Luke Hudson who was wearing a Royals tie. 

For Buck, the topic of the day was his new teammate Jason LaRue.  Buck said that Moore called him before the deal went down to keep him informed, and that he was a little surprised that the Royals chose to deal for another starting catcher.  The LaRue acquisition has motivated Buck to, “prove that I can do it.”

Although the Royals are not going to contend for any titles in 2007, Buck says he can feel that expectations are higher now than any other time since he’s been with the club.  He attributes that to Dayton Moore and his aggressiveness in the free agent market this winter. 

Offensively, Buck is looking for more consistency from himself.  Last season, Buck hit .205/.280/.318 in April, .300/.364/.480 in September and pretty much everywhere else in between.  In fact, inconsistency has been a John Buck trait ever since he arrived from Houston in 2004.  It’s nice that he realizes a key step in his improvement as a ballplayer is to minimize the lows.  Besides, the writing is on the wall.  If he gets too low, he’s going to lose more and more playing time to LaRue.  If Buck doesn’t want to split time behind the plate, he’s going to need a solid start and avoid any kind of a prolonged cold streak.

Both Buck and Hudson alluded to the Royals finish last season, and how important that was for the team.  Hudson called their play the second half of the season “important.  Our strong finish spoke to the character of our team.”  Separately, they both said that their finish will be a huge stepping stone for more success in 2007.

See?  Optimism isn’t limited to fans.

John Schuerholz held a conference call today to discuss the recent trade with the Pirates.  Here is a brief report on what he said:

Pitching:
First off, my first impression is that he was just gushing about this deal.  And when someone asked him what he liked about Mike Gonzalez, he chuckled, stated, "He gets most of the hitters out."  And then, he rattled off his career stats, including ERA, hits allowed, homers allowed , and strikeouts (all in the context of innings pitched).  Also, "Any hitter you talk to who has ever taken a bat to home plate against him has said he is dominant."

Shuerholz described several steps in the process to ascertain the health of Gonzalez, and is "very comfortable with the medical reports on Gonzalez."

"I think our pitching staff in total is now much stronger. ... [the relievers] will give Bobby more flexibility as to how he will use starters."  This was a commentary on the off-season moves which have been made to bolster the bullpen.

First base:
Obviously, the big concern to Braves fans is the loss of LaRoche's offense.  And while not disrespecting Adam LaRoche, Schuerholz expressed a lot of confidence in Scott Thorman's ability to step in and play 1b at a high level.  "We believe it's time for another young player to matriculate - if you will - into everyday responsibility."  He noted that Thorman's AAA coach, Brian Snitker (who will be the 2007 3b coach in Atlanta) has the view that Thorman has every bit of the potential to help the Braves like McCann and Francoeur did.

As to whether Wilson and Thorman would platoon, Schuerholz simply noted that decisions about how to use players are Bobby Cox's decisions.  He applauded the versatility of Wilson to play LF, 1b, and that he has performed well as a PH.

Middle Infield:
Reportedly, Kelly Johnson has been working daily with Glenn Hubbard to improve his defense at 2b.  Hubbard is credited with turning Giles into an excellent defensive second baseman.  While not stating that Johnson would be the starting 2b, the comments made it sound like he has the inside track, as he "may be able to lead off and play 2nd."

Prado and Aybar were also mentioned as options at 2b, presumably if Johnson doesn't cut it in ST.

There is a lot of optimism about the middle-infield situation in the organization, in general.  Schuerholz noted, "We've got a lot of depth in that area, and depth of quality."  He rattled off the names of the 2b/ss in the system, and made it clear that even if there weren't jobs for all these guys, they'd be very valuable in trade discussions for other needs.

"We like him a lot!" was what Schuerholz had to say about Lillibridge.  He raved about his defense and his 53 stolen bases, in addition to his hitting ability. 

In summary: Are you comfortable going into Spring Training with this roster? "Absolutely.  Yes."