Unless he agrees to an extension with the Chicago White Sox, Jeff Samardzija will become a free agent at season's end.

Samardzija says that among many factors, the pitching coach he’d be working with will definitely influence his decision.

"That plays into it, for sure," Samardzija said. "When you're making a decision to go somewhere, you're looking at everything, and coaches are part of it. You want to be with someone you're comfortable with and respect. When they get on you, you want to know it came from a good place."

The right-hander considers himself "a pretty low-maintenance guy” and prefers pitching coaches who are hands-on only when needed. He cited Chris Bosio and Curt Young as previous mentors who were "big stand-and-watch guys," who "mostly talked about how to approach hitters."