A very optimistic Jeff Samardzija recently spoke with MLB.com reporter Carrie Muskat. The former Valparaiso High School and Notre Dame star covered everything from his outlook on the 2011 season, to the departure of longtime pitching coach Larry Rothschild, to working out with teammate Ryan Dempster.
"I think it's been an evolution, going from how I threw in Little League to working things out to what did I like, what worked, what felt comfortable," he said. "Now it's almost like a finished project. You go through everything and you come out a different guy. I'm almost back to the simplicity of how I felt when I was younger mixed with the knowledge of what I've learned over the years. It's a humbling experience."
Click here to read the full interview on MLB.com. Carrie Muskat is a reporter for MLB.com. She writes a blog, Muskat Ramblings, and you can follow her on Twitter @CarrieMuskat. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.