San Francisco Giants: Superlative Awards for the 2016 Season

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Jul 29, 2016; San Francisco, CA, USA; San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Jeff Samardzija (29) leaves the field against the Washington Nationals in the sixth inning at AT&T Park. Mandatory Credit: John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports /

Strongest Thigh: Jeff Samardzija

Hey, did you know Jeff Samardzija played college football? I don’t think baseball announcers have ever talked about it, so just making sure. Samardzija still has some of the football player mentality, and some of the athleticism as well.

All that time as a football star must have given him some pretty strong legs.

On May 3rd, Samardzija was making his start against the Cincinnati Reds. He was pitching very well, taking a 3-1 lead into the eighth inning, but had a chance to give himself a little more cushion with an at-bat in the top of the eighth.

With runners on second and third and two outs, Samardzija couldn’t help himself. He chased a breaking ball down in the dirt from Caleb Cotham, striking out to end the frame. Samardzija was livid with himself, yelling an obscenity at himself before breaking his bat over his thigh.

The bat snapped in half as the 6’5″ hurler stomped his way back to the dugout, probably feeling like the baddest man on the planet at that point. He threw away the bat halves in disgust, angry at the lumber for having betrayed him.

He showed no ill effects from that, pitching a scoreless bottom of the eighth before handing the reins to his bullpen. They clinched a victory for him.

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