Cubs' Samardzija looking forward to Friday start

As a native and resident of northwest Indiana, Cubs pitcher Jeff Samardzija knows all about the whole Cubs-White Sox rivalry.

Samardzija will make his first career start against the White Sox on Friday as the two teams open their annual interleague series at Wrigley Field.

If he pitches at U.S. Cellular Field next month, that'll be fine with him. But he won't call it U.S. Cellular Field or “the Cell.” He'll simply call it “Comiskey Park.”

“That's because that's what it is,” Samardzija said Thursday. “It's the Tweeter Center. It's not Comcast amphitheater or anything. That's what it is. It's still the Sears Tower, also.”

But seriously, Samardzija says he's excited about starting against the Sox. He has made 3 appearances against them lifetime, all in relief.

“I'm really excited to understand the importance of it and to pitch in it,” he said of the series. “I threw against them in a couple of relief appearances the past couple of years, and that was exciting.

“Starting is a little bit different of an animal. You kind of get prepared for it and see it coming from a little ways away. I'm just excited. I'm really excited, actually. I love pitching here in Chicago, especially against both sets of fans.”

And in both parks.

“I'm actually looking forward to pitching down there,” he said. “That's like pitching in my back yard, at Comiskey. That's like 20 minutes from my house.”

Samardzija also said he gets a kick out of listening to White Sox TV announcer Ken “Hawk” Harrelson.

“I always liked whenever he just didn't talk for like a minute-and-a-half,” Samardzija said. “Then, all of a sudden, he'd be like, ‘The 3-2 (pitch).' Where were the other 15 pitches?”

Parker up, Maine down:

Right-handed reliever Blake Parker had his contract selected from Class AAA Iowa, with lefty reliever Scott Maine being optioned to Iowa.

Parker, a 16th-round draft choice in 2006, made his major-league debut Thursday night against the Phillies after several up-and-down years in the minors. This season at Iowa, he was 1-0 with a 2.08 ERA, a 1.08 WHIP and 5 saves.

“Very long time, but it makes it so much more rewarding and worthwhile to get that call,” the 26-year-old Parker said. “It's almost now just sinking in.”

Maine failed to retire any of the three batters he faced Wednesday night, and manager Dale Sveum said the lefty needs to work on his command.

Working on it:

Well before Thursday night's game began, the Cubs were on the field for afternoon work. That included pitcher Matt Garza, who was practicing this throws to first base after fielding groundballs.

Garza has had trouble making overhand throws to first, especially on bunts. He committed 1 error Wednesday night and threw another ball into the ground on a basehit. He came out firing in practice.

“I told you guys I could throw to first,” he said. “It's just every time in a game situation, they put it right on the money, right in no man's land. It's more comedy, more laughter for me.

“If that's their game plan to go against me, we're going to have a lot of fun, a lot of quick games.”