PRO BASEBALL NOTES: The Cell hosts NW Indiana Sox Fan Night Friday

Sorry, Ozzie Guillen won’t be there except as a fan. He won’t be managing either team.

Hawkins’ 10th team still 3 short of MLB record

CHICAGO | LaTroy Hawkins put his arm this year where his mouth was in 2012.

MLB NOTES: Region products try to rev up careers in minors

Jeff Samardzija of Valparaiso, Curtis Granderson of Lynwood and Lloyd McClendon of Chesterton are household names in the majors. John Mallee of Schererville soon will be as Astros hitting coach.

Samardzija, Cubs win home spring opener

MESA, Ariz. | Valparaiso native Jeff Samardzija made a strong spring debut and the Cubs scored four unearned runs in the first inning against San Francisco Giants ace Matt Cain, then held on for a 4-3 victory Sunday at HoHoKam Stadium.

No looking back to last season for Cubs

MESA, Ariz. | Cubs manager Dale Sveum knows exactly what he'll say about last year's 101-loss season when he meets with his team for the first time this spring.

Samardzija says Cubs management on right path

CHICAGO | Jeff Samardzija can see the big picture coming into focus for the Cubs.

Cubs officially sign 'likable' pitcher Edwin Jackson

CHICAGO | Edwin Jackson keeps bouncing around, and he thinks he knows why.

GEORGE CASTLE: Youkilis would be good for Cubs, Sox – yet doesn’t fit anymore

The one convergence for our baseball teams is a goateed former OBP guru who was a folk hero with his last two teams and would be once again if he played in Wrigley Field.

Jeff Samardzija, Cubs pitcher

Cubs starter Jeff Samardzija, a Valparaiso High grad, is projected as the team's No. 1 starter in 2013.

Despite 101-loss season, Cubs' Sveum anxious to climb back in the saddle

CHICAGO | It's been 10 days since the Cubs season ended at 61-101, and Dale Sveum can't wait for spring training.

Jeff Samardzija

Cubs starting pitcher Jeff Samardzija, a Valparaiso High School graduate, said the three toughest hitters he's faced are Prince Fielder, Albert Pujols and Ryan Braun.

GEORGE CASTLE: Samardzija won’t employ hindsight to wonder ‘what if?’

Jeff Samardzija pitches tonight indoors away from the Phoenix heat, charged with dual mundane tasks: stopping another Cubs loss from mushrooming into 2012’s umpteenth mega-skid and getting his 5-5 record above .500.

Samardzija doesn’t bobble his big day

CHICAGO | Too many times to count, an athlete receives a big day in his honor or is the subject of a giveaway like the bobblehead in Jeff Samardzija’s body-length image handed out Tuesday at Wrigley Field.

Samardzija stellar as Cubs beat Nationals

CHICAGO | Former Valparaiso star Jeff Samardzija felt he had something to prove. He certainly made his point on the mound.

On the Cubs: Samardzija takes worker's route to rotation

Jeff Samardzija really got serious this time. So he achieved a serious result perhaps only he and his close-knit family in Valparaiso could have foreseen.

OFFBEAT: Chicago Cubs honor Valpo's Jeff Samardzija with bobblehead

Phil Potempa's daily entertainment news column.

Samardzija pitches 3 sharp innings, Cubs beat Royals

SURPRISE, Ariz. | Valparaiso High School graduate Jeff Samardzija allowed one hit in three scoreless innings Wednesday as the Cubs defeated the Kansas City Royals 6-4.