CHICAGO – If Jeff Samardzija had his way, the Cubs wouldn’t treat him differently than his fellow starting pitchers during his first season in the rotation.

No extra rest or monitoring his innings – just an expectation of getting the call every fifth day. Samardzija knows that’s out of his control, however, and the Cubs aren’t taking any risks with their 27-year-old pitcher.

“I’d like to pitch every fifth day no matter what,” Samardzija said. “I think I can physically do it and I can handle it but it’s not my call. So I’m going to pitch when they tell me to pitch and I’m going to go out there and give everything I have and lay it all out there and leave it on the field.”