Carlos is being hit hard in the WBC.

[Blueheart05]

I'm glad. Hopefully Venezuela bows out early and he can return to camp.

[dalgreen]

I have no idea why he's even pitched into the fifth inning. He wouldn't be going that deep in Arizona right now.

[goonys evil twin]

I have no idea why he's even pitched into the fifth inning. He wouldn't be going that deep in Arizona right now.

 

He came in during the 4th I believe.

[dalgreen]

I have no idea why he's even pitched into the fifth inning. He wouldn't be going that deep in Arizona right now.

 

He came in during the 4th I believe.

 

Oops. Thanks. As soon as I finished typing it occured to me that maybe he didn't start.

[Blueheart05]

I have no idea why he's even pitched into the fifth inning. He wouldn't be going that deep in Arizona right now.

 

Santana went 3 1/3 (?) and gave up 2 runs. Zambrano's mistake was a 3 run homer to Adrian Beltre. He's given up 4 runs, so far, but he's still pitching.

 

I think Carlos got frustrated when he didn't get some close calls. The walks to Pujols and Ortiz (with 2 outs) in front of Alou set up the big inning.

Edited March 7, 2006 by Blueheart05

[TheDude]

Ortiz hit a 400+ foot HR to dead center of Santana. For a left-handed hitter to inside-out a left-handed pitcher's ball that far is simply incredible. Pure power.

[Blueheart05]

In other news, Tejada looks lost at the plate. I think he has 3 strike outs.

[Laura]

There's a game thread in the game thread forum for general discussion of the game (vs the WBC in general or Z's schedule).

[TheDude]

There's a game thread in the game thread forum for general discussion of the game (vs the WBC in general or Z's schedule).

 

Nice. I hadn't even considered the possibility.

[MeatampPotatoesMan]

Z was sloppy mechanically and overthrowing. It doesn't look like the Venezuelan coaches are concerned about that or pitch counts judging by how Santana's outting unfolded. The sooner he comes back to the Cubs, the better.

[RyCubsFan]

Carlos had filthy stuff today. His ball moved a lot. He also hit 97 on the gun. He just struggled with his control. As indicated by his velocity, he was probably overthrowing some...a case of being too pumped up. Only one batter "hit him hard," and that was the Beltre homer. Problem was that he walked a few batters before the home run.

 

Still, his outing was encouraging for me as a whole. Z is going to have a great year.

[TB_11]

Carlos had filthy stuff today. His ball moved a lot. He also hit 97 on the gun. He just struggled with his control. As indicated by his velocity, he was probably overthrowing some...a case of being too pumped up. Only one batter "hit him hard," and that was the Beltre homer. Problem was that he walked a few batters before the home run.

 

Still, his outing was encouraging for me as a whole. Z is going to have a great year.

 

Hitting 97 is usually a bad thing for Carlos - his fastball doesn't sink as much and tends to hover for hitters (I remember this happening a lot during the 2003 playoffs). On the bright side - does Z not get pumped up for any game?

[Abe Frohman]

Hall of Fame pitcher Juan Marichal, a native of the Dominican Republic, threw out the ceremonial first pitch. ... Daniel Cabrera and Odalis Perez, two pitchers on the 30-man roster for the Dominican Republic, were declared ineligible for Tuesday's game. The team permitted Cabrera and Perez to throw in exhibition games for their major league clubs last weekend, and WBCI determined they had thrown the equivalent of 30-49 pitches one day before their tournament opener. Both will be eligible to pitch Thursday against Italy. ... Zambrano's first pitch to Pujols in the fifth inning was clocked at 99 mph.

 

Gas.

[Jon]

Z wasn't overthrowing like he can. His fastballs were about what you want (93-97) and for the most part, his 2-seamer had pretty decent movement. There weren't that many 98+ fastballs. The problem is that because of the strike zone, he couldn't throw his 2-seamer for strikes and had to rely on the the heat and slider. His slider just wasn't that consistent and Alou and Beltre took each took advantage of hangers. But you wouldn't expect his breaking stuff to be there at this point in the spring. The results sucked, but I think he pitched just fine. I look forward to seeing what he does when he starts instead of coming out of the 'pen.

[anemic offense]

he was also in a much more diffeicult situation than Santana was. For a starter who is accustomed to establishing a routine and starting the game, coming out of the pen has to be extremely tough. Not trying to make excuses for Carlos, but one would think that would factor into his performance (especially the first time out).

[MeatampPotatoesMan]

Rothschild's take on Z's WBC performance:

 

Rothschild watched film of Carlos Zambrano's outing on Tuesday for the Venezuelan team in the first round of the World Baseball Classic. Zambrano gave up four runs on three hits and three walks over 2 2/3 innings in Venezuela's 11-5 loss to the Dominican Republic in Orlando, Fla.

 

"He was overthrowing a little bit," Rothschild said of Zambrano. "He was trying to do a lot of things that he does during the season, but it's the second time out and the conditions are a lot different. As long as he comes out of it healthy, that's the primary thing."

 

Rothschild did not know what Venezuela's plans were for Zambrano, but he expected him to follow Johan Santana again. For now, the Cubs can only watch.

 

"He knows that he does sides in between and the days he does them," Rothschild said. "I'll talk to him in the next day or two but the scheduling, as far as pitching, is not in our hands."

 

link

[CubinNY]

I'm glad. Hopefully Venezuela bows out early and he can return to camp.

 

I'll second that and say the same thing for Barrett and Lee.

 

Go Mexico and the Dutch Antelees!

 

Watching the USA get beat by Canada proved what a farse this WBC is.

[SouthSideRyan]

I'm glad. Hopefully Venezuela bows out early and he can return to camp.

 

I'll second that and say the same thing for Barrett and Lee.

 

Go Mexico and the Dutch Antelees!

 

Watching the USA get beat by Canada proved what a farse this WBC is.

 

Upsets make competition a farce?

[CubinNY]

I'm glad. Hopefully Venezuela bows out early and he can return to camp.

 

I'll second that and say the same thing for Barrett and Lee.

 

Go Mexico and the Dutch Antelees!

 

Watching the USA get beat by Canada proved what a farse this WBC is.

 

Upsets make competition a farce?

 

No, Canada playing the USA in an "exhibition" game is not competition, it is a farce.

 

Hopefully the USA will lose to one of the other teams in their pool next and Lee and Barrett don't get hurt.

[Laura]

Z will be starting for Venezuala vs Puerto Rico tomorrow night.

 

MLB.com[/url]"] Zambrano, who has pitched -- and delivered in -- plenty of big games for the Cubs the last few years, knows exactly what his job is.

 

"What I have to do is simply to concentrate hard on what I have to do," Zambrano said. "I have to clearly think and set my mind on what I have to do. I've been playing in the Major Leagues for four years now. I'll do what I have to do when I play Houston and St. Louis in the National League Central."

 

As for the plight of his team, Zambrano doesn't think it's productive to dwell on the pressure that is suddenly mounting.

 

"What I always believe in is let bygones be bygones, leave the past behind and set the eyes on the future and leave the past behind," Zambrano said. "One has to set the eyes on the future, and that's exactly what I'm going to do."

[BobRoss139]

 

Hopefully the USA will lose to one of the other teams in their pool next and Lee and Barrett don't get hurt.

 

Can't they get hurt in ST, too?

[Monco]

I have no idea why he's even pitched into the fifth inning. He wouldn't be going that deep in Arizona right now.

 

 

For the 2nd round games,pitchers are allowed up to 80 pitches.

 

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/worldclassic2006/news/story?id=2307629

[Stu]

Ha ha. Completely off topic, but I just saw Moises get nailed bad at 2nd, while stupidly trying to stretch a long single into a double against Puerto Rico. The DR is down 6 in the 7th inning and Beltre was on deck.

 

Not a brilliant base-running move by Moises. Deja Vu.

[Mark Priors Calves]

Ha ha. Completely off topic, but I just saw Moises get nailed bad at 2nd, while stupidly trying to stretch a long single into a double against Puerto Rico. The DR is down 6 in the 7th inning and Beltre was on deck.

 

Not a brilliant base-running move by Moises. Deja Vu.

 

I saw that too. It brought back some great memories. It was clearly a long single and Moises took his usual terrible route as he hit first base. He turned to too wide and was throw out on a bad throw. He hopped up, popped his shin guard off, and took his sweet time getting off the field.

[Stu]

Z's a bit wild tonight against Puerrto Rico and threw a fair amount of pitches in the first inning. But in the 2nd, his stuff was absolutely illegal.

He had some sick movement on his pitches.