With spring training just a couple weeks away, the parallels between Brett Jackson and Nate Schierholtz extend beyond just the fact they will man the same outfield in Arizona.
As the two were heading from California to Chicago for the 2013 Cubs Convention last week, they found themselves in the same row on the same flight.
That's not altogether surprising, considering they both hail from the same area on the nation's left coast. Schierholtz attended high school at San Ramon Valley in Danville, Calif., while Jackson grew up in Berkeley and attended the Berkeley campus of the University of California.
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According to Schierholtz, the two had the same coaches growing up.
"It's kind of a cool similarity," Schierholtz said at the Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers Friday. "I'm looking forward to giving him tips and helping him out any way I can. I'm looking forward to being his teammate."
The Cubs brought in Schierholtz this winter to help provide outfield depth on the big-league club, allowing Jackson to head back to Triple-A Iowa to start the 2013 season after striking out in almost half his at-bats in the majors at the end of last year.
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Schierholtz turned down offers from several other teams to ink a one-year, 2.25 million deal -- with 500,000 in incentives -- with the Cubs.
There are still a few weeks left in the offseason and the Cubs continue to court local product Scott Harison to help bolster the outfield, Schierholtz was given the impression before he signed that he would receive regular playing time in Chicago.
"Cubs manager Dale Sveum said he was looking for me to come in and play the outfield every day," Schierholtz said. "That's something I've looked forward to my whole career. I got chances here and there in San Francisco, but I didn't really get a full-time job ever. It's my job to come in to spring training and show them what I can do.
"The opportunity here was a no-brainer to me. I wasn't looking to be a fourth outfielder. I wanted a chance to play every day. I felt like this team is going in the right direction and I thought I could help them out."
While some other clubs were offering multi-year deals or the chance to contend in '13, they couldn't provide the regular playing time the Cubs had to offer.
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"What it came down to is I just felt comfortable here," Schierholtz said. "I talked to Dale a couple times before I signed and I talked to a lot of other teams as well. It just came down to Chicago really believing in me and believing I can come in and play up to my potential.
"It wasn't as important to me to sign somewhere for, say, two years and potentially not play as much as opposed to coming here and playing. Everything just felt right. I love the city and the fans. I couldn't be happier to be here."
As for when Jackson arrives, Schierholtz has plenty to offer the young prospect.
Schierholtz -- who, like Jackson, hits lefty and throws right-handed and is considered an above-average defender -- is only four years older than Jackson, but knows what it's like to handle expectations.
The 28-year-old outfielder was a second round draft pick of the Giants in 2003, six years before the Cubs took Jackson 31st overall.
Both players are roughly the same size -- Jackson is listed at 6-foot-2, 210 pounds while Scherholtz is listed at 6-foot-1, 205 pounds -- and ironically have the exact same career OPS in the minors (.867).
But while Jackson got his first taste of big-league action last season, Schierholtz has been here before and brings playoff experience to the Cubs outfield.
Schierholtz earned a World Series ring for his work on the 2010 Giants and spent the beginning of last year in San Francisco before being traded to the Phillies for Hunter Pence and watching his former team claim their second championship in three seasons.
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"I was fortunate enough to play for a couple teams that went to the World Series and won," he said. "So I want to get back there. I feel like once you've done it, you really want to get back and you have a little bit different perspective. I'll do everything I can to help the team out and hopefully we can start winning some games.
"Playoff experience has helped me a lot. It helped me just settle in and finally realize the importance of team chemistry.
"winning is more fun, that's really what it comes down to. When you win games, everyone's happy. That's the ultimate goal."