SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Jeff Samardzija is familiar with rivalries. He played for the Cubs against the Cardinals. He strapped on a gold helmet for Notre Dame against USC, otherwise known as "the greatest intersectional rivalry in college football."
He broadened his experience Sunday, when he put on a black Giants uniform and stared back at the Los Angeles Dodgers. And after striking out Carl Crawford, Joc Pederson and Yasiel Puig in the first inning, Samardzija might already be more popular than half the players on the Giants' Wall of Fame."I love it," said Samardzija, who allowed a run and struck out five in three innings of a 5-2 exhibition loss at Scottsdale Stadium.