SAN FRANCISCO–Not long ago, in 2014 Jeff Samardzija was pitching for the Oakland Athletics. In 2014 he was 5-6 and started 16 games after coming from the Chicago Cubs, a team he spent most of his career with since 2008. Now he returns to the Bay Area and will wear the San Francisco Giants uniform, as he got a 5-year deal worth $90 million.

 I remember years ago during a Giants radio broadcast I asked former Giant pitcher Juan Marichal about today’s contracts and what would he think he would get in today’s game, Juan (who is a very humble man)smiled at me and said “no se como comenzar a decirte”  trans: “can’t even begin to tell you…”. Juan Marichal probably will sign in today’s game for around $30 million, maybe more per season, a man that dominated the 1960’s often winning 20 games and throwing 20 to 30 complete games per season. In 1968 Juan Marichal finished the season 26-9  2.43 earned run average completed 30 games (5 shutouts) and threw a total of 326 innings, and yet, he didn’t win the Cy Young. He never won a Cy Young.

But in today’s game a guy like Samardzija who last season with the Chicago White Sox finished with a 11-13 record and 4.96 earned run average, gets a 5 year deal worth $90 million dollars. By the way his 11 wins last season was the most he is ever won in a season, he also yielded 29 home runs, tops for a pitcher in the American League, and threw 2 shutouts.

Samardzija(also known as The Shark) will the be Giants #2 starter behind  ace lefty Madison Bumgarner. Obviously a big payday for The Shark who will take a physical next Tuesday and if everything goes well the Giants will introduce him to the media at AT&T Park a few days later. He could be a very good fit for the Giants, especially now that he has job security (something that is very tough for anybody playing for the A’s) with that very nice contract, it should calm down and focus pitching for a team that expects to contend. Just like Vida Blue, Barry Zito and Tim Hudson Samardzija would have started games for both Bay Area teams.

The Giants and the other teams beginning the Winter Meetings next Monday in Nashville, Tennessee. They are also looking to sign an outfielder, and they might have a good chance of signing another ex-A’s in all-around veteran Ben Zobrist, the money will not be close to that of Samardzija, but one big difference between Zobrist and Samardzija is that Zobrist has produced for every team he has played during his career, he is the total team player and a winner. He has played for Tampa Bay, Oakland and Kansas City, the 2015 World Champion team. He is a good person, works very hard on his skills and any team(not only the Giants) would be lucky to sign him. He can play the outfield and the infield, and can come out off the bench, something the Giants did not have much of in 2015.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the Spanish TV voice for the Angels, the Spanish radio voice for the A’s and does News and Commentary each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com