Marshall to start Sunday

ATLANTA - In the past couple of years, Jeff Samardzija has gone from football standout to baseball draft pick to minor-leaguer to major-leaguer.

The way things were shaping up Wednesday, it looked like Samardzija might be a major-league starting pitcher Sunday.

All the while, Samardzija remains a national curiosity.

First things first.

After toying with the idea of using Samardzija, Jason Marquis or lefty Sean Marshall as his starting pitcher Sunday at Florida, manager Lou Piniella finally decided on Marshall.

Marquis worked 5 innings during Wednesday's 10-2 victory over the Braves in the first game of a day-night doubleheader. Samardzija pitched 2 innings of relief, and Marshall relieved for 1 inning in the second game, an 8-0 Cubs win.

Samardzija and Marshall worked in the minor leagues as starters this year, and both have been in the Cubs' bullpen of late. A start would have been fine with Samardzija.

"Would that be cool with me?" he asked. "Usually, not too many things aren't too cool with me. Yeah, absolutely. I think it would be great. It's going to be hot (in Florida). Like I said when I first got here, I just wanted to come in and throw whenever they wanted to give me a shot and take it as far as I could take it."

About that curiosity thing, Sports Illustrated had somebody here Tuesday to talk with Samardzija and Piniella about Samardzia. To his credit, Samardzija has taken all the questions about being the former football star at Notre Dame.

"When I don't have to answer football questions anymore, I'll be a happy dude," he said with a laugh. "I think that's what we're working on right now. Every inning we go out there, every quick inning I have and get some outs and get back in the dugout, that's going to help."

Piniella said he went with Marshall largely because he didn't to bring Marquis back on three days rest, even though Marquis said he was willing to do it.

Catch this: Catcher Geovany Soto's double in the first game gave him 28 for the year, putting him in the National League lead for rookies. Soto also homered, his 18th. That's the most homers by a Cubs rookie since catcher Randy Hundley hit 19 in 1966.

Minor matters: Righty Angel Guzman threw 3 scoreless innings Tuesday in a rehab start for Class AA Tennessee, giving up 3 hits. Guzman is on the mend from elbow surgery, and if he continues to do well, he'll be a September call-up.

Also at Tennessee, first baseman Jake Fox hit home run No. 20. At Class A Boise, third baseman Josh Vitters extended his hitting streak to 19 games.