Carlos Zambrano Kept On Truckin'

In News And Rumors by dmick89Leave a Comment

Sometimes the lights all shinin on me

Carlos Zambrano earned a cup of coffee in 2001 and then earned his spot in the 2003 rotation with his half-season of MLB work in 2002. Mark Prior and Kerry Wood were all anyone could talk about and Carlos Zambrano was quietly, and impressively, going about his business and becoming one of the better pitchers in the game. The years following 2003 saw Wood and Prior, one by one, taken out of the game time and again. Neither could stay healthy. Neither were guys you could ever count on to get 200 innings. Finally in the spotlight by himself, Carlos Zambrano would entertain us for for 7 or 8 years.

Zambrano had become the third name in the three-headed monster that was going to lead the Cubs to multiple World Series Championships. In their absence, which was a lot of the time, Zambrano showed that his name belonged at the top. He may not have had the exploding fastball and pinpoint control that Mark Prior had or the 100 mph fastball and ridiculously good curve that Kerry Wood had, but Zambrano was a very difficult pitcher to hit. And most importantly, he was healthy, which was something neither of the other two could do.

In the 2003 postseason, Zambrano did not pitch particularly well. It was the first time that the light had shined on him. Due to injuries to Wood and Prior, Zambrano would get the opening day start in 2005. After pitching poorly he was ejected. I believe this was the game in which he gestured to the umpire that he needed glasses. Dusty had already taken him out, but as he walked off the field he couldn’t help himself. It’s still one of my favorite Zambrano memories. 

Let’s jump back to 2004. Zambrano had what was arguably the best season in his career. He followed up his first full season in which he posted a 3.11 ERA and 3.47 FIP with a 2.75 ERA and a 3.57 FIP. He was worth 4.7 fWAR (4.9 in 2003). His rWAR was highest of his career at 5.5. Zambrano had posted what was arguably his best month of his career that September. While the club had fallen apart at the end of the month, it wasn’t Zambrano. Te Cubs won every single game Zambrano started in 2004 and he got the win in 4 of them. After the Cubs had been passed by the Astros and eliminated, Zambrano had a poor start against the Braves on October 2nd, but it was all over then anyway. In September he threw 35.2 innings over 5 starts, allowed 27 hits, 4 earned runs (5 runs overall), walked 11 and struck out 28. His ERA entering the month was a solid 2.94 and by the end of September it was 2.60. His poor start on October 2nd increased it to 2.75. 

From 2003 through 2007 Zambrano was one of the best pitchers in all of baseball. Only Livan Hernandez, Mark Buerhle , Barry Zito and Brandon Webb threw more innings than Zambrano did. Of that group, he was the youngest. Only Johan Santana and Roy Oswalt won more games than the 77 Z won. He was 4th in strikeouts. He had the 8th best ERA+ and only Santana, Roy Halladay, Webb and Oswalt had more rWAR. 

2008 was a fun season to be a Cubs fan until the postseason. It was the best Cubs team I’ve ever seen them assemble and they gave us some memories to enjoy for a long time. One of those was on September 14th against the Astros in Milwaukee. Zambrano was coming off a rough month. In August plus his first September start (September 2nd) Zambrano had thrown 31.2 innings, allowed 36 hits, 26 runs, walked 18 and struck out 21. All of that was forgotten on the 14th when Zambrano faced only 28 Astros and allowed only one of them to reach base. It was the Cubs first no-hitter that I had ever seen. Zambrano threw just 110 pitches, 73 of them for strikes, walked one batter, struck out 10, hit another batter, but allowed no base hits over 9 innings. 

Considering his August performance, it was difficult to believe and even more difficult to believe as he allowed 9 hits in 7.1 innings over his final 2 starts. He also allowed 13 runs, walked 7 and struck out only 3. On the night of the 14th, Zambrano was nearly perfect. Obviously in decline, most people realized that what the future saw for Zambrano wasn’t anywhere near as bright as it had been or as it was on that night. We’d known for several years that Zambrano could no-hit any team on any night. It was the high point of Zambrano’s career and it came at a time that was arguably the low point in terms of performance. 

Other times I can barely see

Zambrano didn’t burst onto the scene like Wood. There was no 20-strikeout game early in his career. He didn’t impress the Cubs or the rest of the National League early in the ways that Mark Prior did. Even in the minor leagues things didn’t come especially easy to Zambrano. He wasn’t a highly touted prospect. Juan Cruz was considered the sure-thing starter entering 2003 spring training. Dusty Baker had different ideas. Like Wood, Zambrano was quite young when he reached the big leagues, but Sportscenter wasn’t covering his every pitch. 

Compared to Wood and Prior, Zambrano was able to pitch in relative obscurity. He was the 5th starter when the 2003 season began. Nobody had high expectations for Zambrano. Not even after his very good first full season in 2003. I remember thinking at the start of 2004 that I was most anxious that year to see how Zambrano would perform. We all knew what we had with Wood and Prior. When they were on the field they were unbelievably good, but Zambrano was that guy that could give them the Braves-like rotation that everyone my age remembers. Zambrano had his best season in 2004. 

Despite the early success, there were signs he wasn’t yet mature. He was young so it wasn’t a big deal. I recall him throwing more than a few fits early on. It wasn’t a big deal because he wasn’t the guy you were relying on to get you to the postseason. In reality you can’t rely on one player, but the Cubs weren’t relying on Zambrano to be their best starter. They had two who were better in Wood and Prior. After injuries started to derail their careers, Zambrano was thrust more into the spotlight than he ever had been. 

That first opening day start wasn’t memorable for reasons Zambrano would have preferred. All I really remembered about that game was the Cubs scored 16 runs, made Javier Vazquez look ridiculous and that Zambrano was ejected and gestured to the umpire that he needed glasses. To my surprise, Z’s start wasn’t as bad as I thought. He did last only 4.2 innings and had thrown 106 pitches. Only 57 of them were strikes so he had little command. He allowed 7 hits and only 3 runs. He walked 4 and struck out 8. For some reason I was thinking he allowed 7 or 8 runs in 4.1 innings. 

The next opening day in 2006, I also remembered that the Cubs won and scored 16 runs. I’m even pretty sure that Juan Pierre tripled to lead off the game. I also knew that Zambrano had a poor start, but had to look to be sure. Yeah, he allowed 7 hits in 4.2 innings, walked 5, struck out 5 and allowed 5 runs. He also gave up 2 home runs. 

A year later, Z had another poor outing on opening day, but this time the Cubs lost to Cincinnati. He allowed 6 hits and 5 walks over 5 innings and 2 home runs resulting in 5 runs allowed. I actually didn’t remember that one but remembered he pitched well in his next start that year against Milwaukee. I remember that because after his strong performance he said something he probably wished he hadn’t. He said something along the lines of the Reds being very good hitters and the Brewers weren’t. I recall Rickie Weeks saying something about how everybody in baseball knows that Zambrano is a nutcase. 

As fun as the 2008 season was, 2007 did not start out too well for the Cubs. After spending $300+ million on free agents, the Cubs got off to a terrible start. Nearly 10 games out in early June, Zambrano took his frustration out on catcher Michael Barrett. And he really took his frustrations out according to reports. He supposedly, after hitting him in the dugout, went to the clubhouse and beat the shit out of him. 

That was the first time I can remember Zambrano publicly apologizing for his actions, but it wouldn’t be his last. The 2007 team turned it around and that helped take much of the attention off of Zambrano. 

Following Z’s no-hitter a year later, incidents involving Zambrano seemed to happen far more frequently. He was in decline, surely frustrated that he was being paid more than he was worth, the injuries started to hit him making him more frustrated and he once again would take out his frustration on a teammate in 2010. Most of us thought it would be his last, but another public apology, some anger management and he returned the team and pitched quite well. At least the ERA numbers were impressive, as were the wins, but some of the peripherals were more than a little concerning. 

It had become clear that Zambrano had alienated his teammates by that point. His actions were always tiresome, but as his skills eroded they became less tolerable. We saw the same thing with Sammy Sosa years earlier. When Sosa was at his best, the players put up with his nonsense, but when he was just another guy, the Cubs were forced to ship him out of town while paying almost his entire salary. The same thing will have to be done here and what was once a very valuable player to any team now finds himself in a position where even finding a job may be difficult. 

Lately it occurs to me, what a long, strange trip it’s been

After I got to the Des Moines hotel room the other night I checked in on the Cubs game. i saw that Zambrano had given up a million home runs. I wasn’t particularly surprised as berselius and I have been highlighting his decline this season. It made me sad to see someone who was once so good pitch so poorly, but bad starts happen. A few moments after that I read about the latest disaster that Zambrano caused. As I read about it, I found myself sittin’ and starin’ out of the hotel window wondering what in the world ever became of Carlos Zambrano? He had reportedly told people he was to hang it up and see what tomorrow brings. 

Being my favorite player for a long time, Zambrano’s actions that night somehow put that song in my head. Assuming this is the last straw I began thinking about Zambrano’s career. What I wrote here are my thoughts on Zambrano’s career, the highlights and the low points while being saddened by his actions and listening to the Grateful Dead that night.


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  4. mb21

    [quote name=josh]Awesome post. Hopefully Z wasn’t living on reds, vitamin C and cocaine.[/quote]If he was, all a friend can say is ain’t it a shame.

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  5. Aisle424

    From past thread:

    [quote name=mb22]
    I’ll take a wait and see approach before I start blowing Tim Wilken. He’s fucked up 5 drafts before this one. Let’s not forget that.[/quote]

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  6. AndCounting

    Awesome, mb. Great post. This feels like a funeral, and it’s sad to see his career with the Cubs end like this. His personality is a lot like his stuff. Crazy. (dying laughing)

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  8. bubblesdachimp

    [quote name=dylanj]wow
    http://sports.yahoo.com/investigations/news?slug=cr-renegade_miami_booster_details_illicit_benefits_081611%5B/quote%5D
    Miami is straight fucked…

    424, MB, and B

    I understand the lets see what happens with these kids before annointing it a great day.

    However it was a great day. The cubs spent a shit ton of money on high end talent and locked up a lot of high end talent. They also recently have been spending more in latin america.

    yea the hayden Simpson pick sucked. But is a saeson full of suckitude yetserday felt good.

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  9. Berselius

    Hey, I was happy. I did post this in the signing article (dying laughing)

    Pretty much how I feel. Cookie Monster has no idea if that cookie tastes like utter shit though (dying laughing).

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  10. bubblesdachimp

    [quote name=Berselius]Hey, I was happy. I did post this in the signing article (dying laughing)

    Pretty much how I feel. Cookie Monster has no idea if that cookie tastes like utter shit though (dying laughing).[/quote]
    No i know you were happy. I love that GIF

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  11. bubblesdachimp

    Do the astros have a shot at losing most games ever? They arent even trying.

    I know two players in their lineup.

    Carlos Lee who sucks

    and Clint Barmes who injured himself killing deer

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  12. Berselius

    [quote name=bubblesdachimp]Do the astros have a shot at losing most games ever? They arent even trying.

    I know two players in their lineup.

    Carlos Lee who sucks

    and Clint Barmes who injured himself carrying venison up the stairs[/quote]
    fixed

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  17. bubblesdachimp

    [quote name=Berselius]A long time ago. Tasty stuff.[/quote]
    Hmmmm.. I had bear once.. Shit was gross..

    I always assumed venison was very gamy like bear

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  24. mb21

    How many times do i have to say that I was glad to see the Cubs spend money? Was I happy? Sure, after all, glad and happy have similar meanings. Do I think it was a great day? No and I don’t know why that matters to anyone. As I’ve said, I’m glad they spent money and stuck to their word, but one draft doesn’t erase the last 5. One draft does’t erase the last 3 shitty seasons. One draft doesn’t guarantee success in the future. It doesn’t even guarantee a better minor league system. It was, as I’ve said many times, a step in the right direction. Nothing more.

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  25. mb21

    [quote name=bubblesdachimp]Anyone have any thoughts about if the NCAA would ever give out the death penalty to Miami?[/quote]If the stuff in that article is true, yes. Theyr’e done.

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  26. mb21

    [quote name=AndCounting]Awesome, mb. Great post. This feels like a funeral, and it’s sad to see his career with the Cubs end like this. His personality is a lot like his stuff. Crazy. (dying laughing)[/quote]Thanks. What’s funny is that even though i started writing this on Friday and worked a bit here and there since, the tone never changed. I could start it tonight and the tone would be the same because that’s just how I feel about the whole thing. it sucks.

    But in 6 months I’m only going to remember Zambrano for the great moments he had just as we remember past players for the sum of their careers and not their worst moments.

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  27. mb21

    it’s a good thing KG didn’t write that little blurb about Brett jackson now. He’s 1 for his last 13. (dying laughing)

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  29. Rice Cube

    [quote name=mb21]Josh Vitters has 4 stolen bases. He’s been caught 9 times. What the fuck?[/quote]
    The Cubs are coaching him on proper TOOTBLAN technique.

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  30. bubblesdachimp

    [quote name=mb21]How many times do i have to say that I was glad to see the Cubs spend money? Was I happy? Sure, after all, glad and happy have similar meanings. Do I think it was a great day? No and I don’t know why that matters to anyone. As I’ve said, I’m glad they spent money and stuck to their word, but one draft doesn’t erase the last 5. One draft does’t erase the last 3 shitty seasons. One draft doesn’t guarantee success in the future. It doesn’t even guarantee a better minor league system. It was, as I’ve said many times, a step in the right direction. Nothing more.[/quote]
    LoL,

    You mad?

    BTW why do you sometimes post as MB22?

    Also i cant figure out the vitters running thing..

    You also think they could cancel a full season?

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  34. bubblesdachimp

    [quote name=Rice Cube]Pena has 40 games to get 30 walks to become the first Cub in for-fucking-ever to get 100 walks in a season.[/quote]
    There is one of them

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  37. GBTS

    [quote name=Rice Cube]Pena has 40 games to get 30 walks to become the first Cub in for-fucking-ever to get 100 walks in a season.[/quote]There’s forty fucking more of these??

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  38. Rice Cube

    [quote name=GBTS]There’s forty fucking more of these??[/quote]
    Could always watch the Rays vs. Sawx, which I’d rather do (dying laughing)

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  39. mb21

    [quote name=bubblesdachimp](dying laughing),

    You mad?

    BTW why do you sometimes post as MB22?

    Also i cant figure out the vitters running thing..

    You also think they could cancel a full season?[/quote]I’m not mad. It’s just frustrating that I have to believe a certain something or get questioned.

    I post as mb22 when I get logged out and am too lazy to scroll to the top and login. (dying laughing)

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  40. mb21

    [quote name=melissa]Really glad you posted this MB because your cards aren’t worth a damn if you don’t lay ’em down.[/quote](dying laughing) I was trying to figure out a way to work that line into it. I also had some other ideas, but it would have started to sound ridiculous so I just added a few at the end and then used the sub-headings.

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  42. bubblesdachimp

    [quote name=mb21]I’m not mad. It’s just frustrating that I have to believe a certain something or get questioned.

    I post as mb22 when I get logged out and am too lazy to scroll to the top and login. (dying laughing)[/quote]
    (dying laughing) (dying laughing)

    I guess i was just confused because i was under the impression that you were pretty happy at about 4 PM yesterday and then all of a sudden you werent so happy. So bubbles was just confused is all

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  43. melissa

    [quote name=mb21](dying laughing) I was trying to figure out a way to work that line into it. I also had some other ideas, but it would have started to sound ridiculous so I just added a few at the end and then used the sub-headings.[/quote]
    Well done. I imagine that if a Cubs beat writer had penned it the title would have been Friend of the Devil as that’s how they love to portray z.

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  51. ACT

    [quote name=Rice Cube]Q trying to squeeze Demp for one more inning.[/quote]It really annoys me how he’s batting with no outs. Quade gives pitchers way too many opportunities to make fools of themselves with the bat. Do all managers do this?

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  57. Berselius

    [quote name=dylanj]http://blogs.dailyherald.com/node/6148

    great read[/quote]
    one of the comments

    Did any of you guys hear Kaplan’s story about the drafting of Maples? He said Ricketts was in the draft room and in the 14th round asked why Maples was still around w a 1st Rd grade. Wilken & Co said he was was going to UNC to play football and wanted big $. At that point , Ricketts asked how much and they told him a couple mil; he responded that they should draft him and he’d pay up. It could be BS but a great sign , if even remotely true. Posted by MMurton on Tue, 08/16/2011 – 21:20

    .

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  62. binky

    [quote name=bubblesdachimp]Colvin has some insane power. Never thought he would have that much[/quote]If he could take a walk half as good as Pena . . .

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  64. Berselius

    [quote name=bubblesdachimp](dying laughing) (dying laughing)

    I guess i was just confused because i was under the impression that you were pretty happy at about 4 PM yesterday and then all of a sudden you werent so happy. So bubbles was just confused is all[/quote]
    Looks like no one took up my suggestion of praising The Olive Garden to distract MB from pissing on our parade (dying laughing)

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  66. bubblesdachimp

    What does Tom do for TD ameritrade?

    I assume he ahs to be pretty smart business wise. I can totally see him figuring out that the best way to make the biggest profit is have cheap fucking kids that play at a low salary. I mean he has to be a smart business man

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  67. binky

    [quote name=bubblesdachimp]What does Tom do for TD ameritrade?

    I assume he ahs to be pretty smart business wise. I can totally see him figuring out that the best way to make the biggest profit is have cheap fucking kids that play at a low salary. I mean he has to be a smart business man[/quote]Like how the Royals are going all the way this year? It’s not a foolproof plan.

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  68. bubblesdachimp

    No you obviously have to have veterans too. but i think Tom wants us to be like the red sox becuase thats who we most reemble in terms of market and money available. But i think the rays do a great job of evaluating youngsters.

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  73. binky

    I don’t know about the Red Sox. You look at the roster that one the 2004 World Series, and i’m not sure there’s a homegrown name on the roster.

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  76. GW

    [quote name=ACT]I hope the Cubs score, because if they don’t, Marmol’s going to come in for the ridiculously easy save[/quote]
    (dying laughing)

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  79. ACT

    [quote name=GW](dying laughing)[/quote]I was thinking of adding in that Marm might make it more difficult, and I didn’t want to see that, either.

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  81. binky

    [quote name=Rice Cube]It’s Carlos Zambrano’s fault.[/quote]Wait, I thought what happened with Z was Marmol’s fault? EVERYONE KNOWS THERIOT CAN’T HIT A FASTBALL!

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  82. Rice Cube

    [quote name=josh]Wait, I thought what happened with Z was Marmol’s fault? EVERYONE KNOWS THERIOT CAN’T HIT A FASTBALL![/quote]
    I lost track of who to blame.

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  88. binky

    The Cubs should really take a cue here and teach their young players to hit walk-off grand slams as much as possible.

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  89. Berselius

    (dying laughing), Cubs.

    I was listening to the Houston radio broadcast. By Derosa’s Beard their announcers are awful. That was that worst walkoff grand slam call ever.

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  92. Rice Cube

    [quote name=bubblesdachimp]Who makes the most on that team?[/quote]
    If I had to take a guess before going to Google and checking Cots contracts, I’d say Hafner or Choo.

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  93. binky

    [quote name=Rice Cube]If I had to take a guess before going to Google and checking Cots contracts, I’d say Hafner or Choo.[/quote]Kosuke Fukudome! HAHAHAHAH!

    But seriously, he has technically the biggest contract this year, but Hafner overall.

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  95. GW

    [quote name=Berselius](dying laughing), Cubs.

    I was listening to the Houston radio broadcast. By Derosa’s Beard their announcers are awful. That was that worst walkoff grand slam call ever.[/quote]
    (dying laughing) I like those guys. (unless it was milo, he’s borderline senile)

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  96. Berselius

    [quote name=GW](dying laughing) I like those guys. (unless it was milo, he’s borderline senile)[/quote]
    Yeah, Milo is pretty terrible, but it wasn’t him.

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  97. bubblesdachimp

    After i posted that i assumed it was carmona. Forgot about the black hole that is Travis Hafners contract

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  99. Berselius

    [quote name=bubblesdachimp]After i posted that i assumed it was carmona. Forgot about the black hole that is Travis Hafners contract[/quote] Some of that money is paying Carlos Silva’s contract.

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