Z's Control...

[RichHillIsABeast]

16 IP

 

11 BB

 

Yea, it's probably early season jitters in a contract year, but...who thinks that his BB/9 is going to be below 4 this year?

 

It was almost 5 last season and he doesn't look to have improved one bit.

[d_money]

Honestly, I've always thought and held onto the belief that Z for a package of young players from one of the LA teams would be the best thing long term for the Cubs.

Ervin Santana + blue chip prospect + mid level prospect?

 

That would kick ass.

 

So would Billingsley + Betemit + Elbert.

 

Not that I'm actually suggesting trading Z, but it wouldn't be the first time. I think I suggested it twice last season and once during the offseason on this board.

 

Its an option that the longer he goes w/o re-signing, becomes more of a reality. I'm for it.

[Keener98]

Honestly, I've always thought and held onto the belief that Z for a package of young players from one of the LA teams would be the best thing long term for the Cubs.

Ervin Santana + blue chip prospect + mid level prospect?

 

That would kick ass.

 

So would Billingsley + Betemit + Elbert.

 

Not that I'm actually suggesting trading Z, but it wouldn't be the first time. I think I suggested it twice last season and once during the offseason on this board.

 

Its an option that the longer he goes w/o re-signing, becomes more of a reality. I'm for it.

 

I agree. There is noway I would give Z 90-100 mill contract right now. An ace doesnt walk 4 batters per game, and blow 5 run leads. If the Cubs continue sucking, I would have no problem trading Z for one hell of a package.

[Derwood]

Honestly, I've always thought and held onto the belief that Z for a package of young players from one of the LA teams would be the best thing long term for the Cubs.

Ervin Santana + blue chip prospect + mid level prospect?

 

That would kick ass.

 

So would Billingsley + Betemit + Elbert.

 

Not that I'm actually suggesting trading Z, but it wouldn't be the first time. I think I suggested it twice last season and once during the offseason on this board.

 

Its an option that the longer he goes w/o re-signing, becomes more of a reality. I'm for it.

 

I agree. There is noway I would give Z 90-100 mill contract right now. An ace doesnt walk 4 batters per game, and blow 5 run leads. If the Cubs continue sucking, I would have no problem trading Z for one hell of a package.

 

because someone is going to offer a package of blue chip prospects for a pitcher who walks 4 batters per game and blows 5 run leads?

[Keener98]

Honestly, I've always thought and held onto the belief that Z for a package of young players from one of the LA teams would be the best thing long term for the Cubs.

Ervin Santana + blue chip prospect + mid level prospect?

 

That would kick ass.

 

So would Billingsley + Betemit + Elbert.

 

Not that I'm actually suggesting trading Z, but it wouldn't be the first time. I think I suggested it twice last season and once during the offseason on this board.

 

Its an option that the longer he goes w/o re-signing, becomes more of a reality. I'm for it.

 

I agree. There is noway I would give Z 90-100 mill contract right now. An ace doesnt walk 4 batters per game, and blow 5 run leads. If the Cubs continue sucking, I would have no problem trading Z for one hell of a package.

 

because someone is going to offer a package of blue chip prospects for a pitcher who walks 4 batters per game and blows 5 run leads?

 

Teams will pay the prospects thinking they can be the team to get Z to harness his control guaranteed. Z has the talent and teams know that, so somebody would be willing to think they can be that guy who fixed him

[Balsa]

Well at least it makes his contract less expensive?

[abuck1220]

where are all the threads questioning zambrano's mental toughness? there sure were plenty about prior's, wood's and hill's.

 

i guess because zambrano yells loud and hits homers everyone assumes he's a GAMER.

[Yeti]

where are all the threads questioning zambrano's mental toughness? there sure were plenty about prior's, wood's and hill's.

 

i guess because zambrano yells loud and hits homers everyone assumes he's a GAMER.

well just his fist pump says "gamer" all the rest is gravy ;)

[KingKongvs.Godzilla]

where are all the threads questioning zambrano's mental toughness? there sure were plenty about prior's, wood's and hill's.

 

i guess because zambrano yells loud and hits homers everyone assumes he's a GAMER.

 

I LOLed.

 

Too true. OMG Z HIT JIM EDMONDS AND THEN YELLED!!!! WHAT A GAMER!!!!

 

Oh man...the reminds me of my favorite Prior moment. Remember when he hit Bonds and Bonds was all "WTF was that?" Prior was like "Nothing, I just hit you b*tch." And Bonds was all "Ow," and Prior was all "Yea, I know, I'm Mark Prior."

 

What a kickass Mark Prior moment that has been completely forgotten because he got hurt...but would be talked about like every 2 minutes if he was healthy.

[A New Era]

where are all the threads questioning zambrano's mental toughness? there sure were plenty about prior's, wood's and hill's.

 

i guess because zambrano yells loud and hits homers everyone assumes he's a GAMER.

 

Well, not so much "mental toughness". But alot of his problems are deffinatly mental. Compare him to a guy like Greg Maddux, who does not have near the "stuff" of Carlos. Maddux is a very smart pitcher. I have to assume Zambrano is not. Maddux is very calm and follows his game plan. Zambrano when something, even a minor setback, before the game gets out of hand. He looses it mentally. Not so much "looses it", but he does not do the right things and let's his emmotions ruin his game. He needs to take a step back, slow his game down. Take a few breaths, and concentrate only on the next pitch. This is one of his big downfalls. And it can certainly be considered something like "mental instability" on the mound.

[Mephistopheles]

easy solution

 

sit down with Z. tell him if he walks 3 guys in a game, hes getting pulled on the spot. if he walks 2 guys in a row, hes getting pulled on the spot.

[Sammy Sofa]

Zambrano is a spaz.

[TB_11]

where are all the threads questioning zambrano's mental toughness? there sure were plenty about prior's, wood's and hill's.

 

i guess because zambrano yells loud and hits homers everyone assumes he's a GAMER.

 

I LOLed.

 

Too true. OMG Z HIT JIM EDMONDS AND THEN YELLED!!!! WHAT A GAMER!!!!

 

Oh man...the reminds me of my favorite Prior moment. Remember when he hit Bonds and Bonds was all "WTF was that?" Prior was like "Nothing, I just hit you b*tch." And Bonds was all "Ow," and Prior was all "Yea, I know, I'm Mark Prior."

 

What a kickass Mark Prior moment that has been completely forgotten because he got hurt...but would be talked about like every 2 minutes if he was healthy.

 

The moment that turned him into my favorite player until 2006.

[Illini Iceman]

easy solution

 

sit down with Z. tell him if he walks 3 guys in a game, hes getting pulled on the spot. if he walks 2 guys in a row, hes getting pulled on the spot.

 

Just what you want to do, give a guy that is already a borderline head case something else to have to think/worry about on the mound every time he goes to a 3 ball count.

[abuck1220]

where are all the threads questioning zambrano's mental toughness? there sure were plenty about prior's, wood's and hill's.

 

i guess because zambrano yells loud and hits homers everyone assumes he's a GAMER.

 

Well, not so much "mental toughness". But alot of his problems are deffinatly mental. Compare him to a guy like Greg Maddux, who does not have near the "stuff" of Carlos. Maddux is a very smart pitcher. I have to assume Zambrano is not. Maddux is very calm and follows his game plan. Zambrano when something, even a minor setback, before the game gets out of hand. He looses it mentally. Not so much "looses it", but he does not do the right things and let's his emmotions ruin his game. He needs to take a step back, slow his game down. Take a few breaths, and concentrate only on the next pitch. This is one of his big downfalls. And it can certainly be considered something like "mental instability" on the mound.

 

losing it mentally = not mentally tough

 

prior is more mentally tough than zambrano has ever been. when the pressure was on, prior dominated down the stretch in '03 and was great in the playoffs. zambrano was atrocious that postseason. but b/c prior is quiet and now injured, he's the guy who is a basketcase. go figure.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

It's amazing how smart Maddux is when blessed with pinpoint control.

 

For some reason, velocity pitchers are thought of as natural athletes, but control pitchers (which is just as much of a natural skill) is considered to be more cerebral.

 

This is why the thought of Maddux the pitching coach always cracked me up. What is he going to tell a kid like Juan Cruz? "In this situation, you should start your fastball 2.4 inches off the inside corner to the left-handed batter, precisely at knee height. Then, just short of the plate, have it break back to catch the inside corner with precisley 1/8ths the edge of the ball."