CHICAGO | Was a star born Sunday in Wrigley Field?

If Cubs manager Lou Piniella could anoint such a player, Valparaiso's Jeff Samardzija would be shining the brightest. Entranced with Samardzija's "power arm," Piniella entrusted the region phenom with a two-inning save, Samardzija's first in the majors, in the Cubs' 9-6 victory over the Florida Marlins.

"We've been looking for one more good arm in the bullpen," said Piniella, and he confirmed he found one in the gangly, 6-foot-5 Samardzija, called up Thursday to make an impressive big league debut the next day. He zoomed to the front of the bullpen by retiring all six Marlins, three via strikeouts, on Sunday.

"I'm not changing what I said before -- every time I go out, I want to instill confidence in the coaching staff," Samardzija said. "That's all you can do. They can pick and choose who they want to go to and when they want to go to you. Get confidence to them they can put me in there any time."

Samardzija's fellow Cubs were effusive in praise of the sensational rookie.

But the opinion that matters is Piniella, who will put a kid in a key role if he performs. And perform Samardzija did beyond anyone's expectations.

"Cool as a cucumber out there" was Piniella's top analogy for Samardzija.

"It's impressive," Piniella said. "Going out there, pitching two solid innings in an important game. I asked Jeff before the game if he was ready to go. He said, 'Just call on me.'"

Pitching under pressure before 41,000-plus at Wrigley Field, or even bigger crowds this week at Miller Park in Milwaukee, should not be a problem for Samardzija after his Notre Dame football experience.

"The stage in South Bend is a hectic one," Piniella said. "What (crowds) did they have out there? Eighty-thousand? I've never been in South Bend."

Informed Samardzija could get him Notre Dame football tickets, Piniella said he'd take advantage of the connection, then proclaimed amid inquiring media members' laughter, "I don't want to sit in the upper deck."

"I think I can do that," Samardzija said. "Depends how many he needs."