The Chicago Cubs will kick off the 2009 Spring Training season on Wednesday afternoon when they take on the Los Angeles Dodgers at HoHoKam Park. Jeff Samardzija will be getting the start and is expected to throw two innings before Mitch Atkins takes over to pitch two innings.

Samardzija is hoping to make the 25 man roster which he is expected to do, however he is not taking any for granted and will be working his butt off to make the roster. He had this to say to Carrie Muskrat of Cubs.Com about the upcoming season:

“I love being around these guys so much and after getting a taste of last year and seeing how these guys play the game, I want to be here,” Samardzija said. “Guys like [Derrek Lee] and Reed [Johnson] are playing the game with a passion and it’s great not only to have that, but to have them play on your side. It’s not bad having D-Lee at first and hitting third.

“If I could pick a team to be playing with on the field, whether it’s out of the bullpen, whether it’s starting, this is the team I want to be playing with,” he said. “If I can help this team win some games, whether it’s throwing an inning every day or every third day, I feel I can do that.”

One thing that is for certain is young pitchers like Samardzija and Atkins will get plenty of changes to show that they can throw the ball and should on the 25 man active roster. The Cubs will be without Ted Lilly who is throwing in the Winter Baseball Classic and the Cubs will also be playing 39 Spring Training games this year.

Let’s all hope that it is an injury free spring training for the entire team and the Cubs play some good baseball while getting ready for the start of the 2009 season in April.

**photo courtesy of Getty Images**