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White Sox fans happy to see Samardzija

Throughout the off-season, the White Sox constantly talked about how one productive roster addition after another perked up a fan base that largely turned away in disgust the past two years.

They raved about a boost in ticket sales after free agents Adam LaRoche, David Robertson and Zach Duke came aboard and Jeff Samardzija arrived in a trade from the Oakland Athletics.

That, the White Sox explained, allowed them to come up with $42 million more to sign Melky Cabrera for the next three years and set up what looks to be an extended run of success.

If the past weekend is any indication, the White Sox aren't lying, at least on the fan front.

SoxFest moved out of an antiquated location, the Palmer House (good riddance, Red Lacquer Room), into the more spacious Hilton Chicago and quickly sold out for the first time since 2010.

The fans who piled in did seem to be energized by all of the new faces and the very real chance to return to the playoffs for the first time in seven years.

During Friday's opening ceremony, it was one standing ovation after another as Gene Honda introduced White Sox players and staff. When Samardzija's name was called, the Continental Ballroom really erupted.

"I'm happy to be here, man," Samardzija said right before taking the stage. "I'm humbled and I'm excited for the opportunity. Does it make it a little more special that it's the White Sox? Absolutely. And I look forward to that."

Off all the moves general manager Rick Hahn has made since the Sox finished the 2014 season fourth in the AL Central with a 73-89 record, getting Samardzija from Oakland for four unproven players looks to be the gem.

"You look at a guy with his track record, he's just a competitor, he's a talent," manager Robin Ventura said. "You bring a guy like that in, we've seen him pitch in our ballpark very well, so we know he likes to pitch there, he can pitch there.

"The side note on the whole thing for me is you're bringing in a guy that grew up a White Sox; he's wearing a uniform he grew up watching, always wanted to be in.

"For some players, there's just a little bit of a special feeling. For our fans, they're going to see a guy that's one of their own. He sat in the same seats they're watching him in and always dreamed of being a White Sox player.

"There's a lot of good feeling that goes along with it, but first and foremost he's a great pitcher and a really good competitor."

Ten years ago, the White Sox won their first World Series since 1917 thanks to a strong starting rotation that featured Mark Buehrle, Jose Contreras, Freddy Garcia and Jon Garland.

This season they have Chris Sale, Samardzija and Jose Quintana, with last year's No. 3 overall draft pick Carlos Rodon likely to join the mix sooner than later.

Samardzija, who attended Valparaiso High School in northwest Indiana and played wide receiver at Notre Dame before breaking into major-league baseball with the Cubs, is the near ideal right-handed workhorse the Sox need to pitch between left-handers Sale and Quintana.

In 33 starts for the Cubs and A's last season, Samardzija was a tough-luck 7-13 with a 2.99 ERA, 2 complete games, 202 strikeouts and a .234 opponents' batting average.

The 29-year-old allowed 2 earned runs or less in 21 starts and 1 earned run or less in 14 outings. Samardzija also is one of five major-league pitchers with 200 or more strikeouts in each of the last two seasons, joining Sale, Felix Hernandez, Clayton Kershaw and Max Scherzer.

"I think you throw about seven, eight, nine (starting) staffs in the hat and I think you pick one of them and the winner at the end of this year is going to be who performs the best," Samardzija said. "On paper, there are a lot of staffs that are about equal.

"I think you throw us in that mix with all those top-end staffs with the Dodgers, Seattle and so on down the line. Now it's just about going out and playing the game and seeing where everyone falls at the end of the year.

"I think to have your hat in that conversation is exciting, and now it's up to the staff to go out and perform to the expectations."

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