$100,000,000 Arm

[Backtobanks]

Zambrano has a $100,000,000 arm and a $.50 brain. I'm starting to think that the fight between Zambrano and Barrett was a battle of mental midgets. Maybe Trachsel should replace Zambrano for a start to send him a message about getting his head out of his arse.

[RyneSandberg]

His antics are costing us game after game, how old is this guy? I mean I can understand emotion in a game but this is getting ridiculous, he is a baby.

[Sarcastic]

His antics are costing us game after game, how old is this guy?

 

I wouldn't call walking a ton of batters antics. I'd call it bad control. I'm more concerned with that.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Hes given up at least 6 runs in every start since the one where he was pulled early with heat crmping. Either theres something wong with him or he just plain sucks.

[Keener98]

His antics are costing us game after game, how old is this guy? I mean I can understand emotion in a game but this is getting ridiculous, he is a baby.

 

His pitching is costing us games, really has nothing to do with his "antics".

[soccer10k]

His antics are costing us game after game, how old is this guy?

 

I wouldn't call walking a ton of batters antics. I'd call it bad control. I'm more concerned with that.

 

I think it's more being a complete headcase which leads to many of the walks. The guy just can't control his emotions.

[kente777]

His antics are costing us game after game, how old is this guy?

 

I wouldn't call walking a ton of batters antics. I'd call it bad control. I'm more concerned with that.

 

I think it's more being a complete headcase which leads to many of the walks. The guy just can't control his emotions.

 

This a phase, and I believe it will pass.

 

That being said, I was against the 91 million dollar contract from the get go. He is not worth that. He may be considered our "Ace," but he certainly is not. I think he has the worst ERA of all our starters now.

 

Personally, I don't think we will ever see "Z" put together a great season from beginning to end. You may never see him win 19 or 20 games in his career.

[jaydee]

His antics are costing us game after game, how old is this guy?

 

I wouldn't call walking a ton of batters antics. I'd call it bad control. I'm more concerned with that.

 

I think it's more being a complete headcase which leads to many of the walks. The guy just can't control his emotions.

 

This a phase, and I believe it will pass.

 

That being said, I was against the 91 million dollar contract from the get go. He is not worth that. He may be considered our "Ace," but he certainly is not. I think he has the worst ERA of all our starters now.

 

Personally, I don't think we will ever see "Z" put together a great season from beginning to end. You may never see him win 19 or 20 games in his career.

 

im fairly certain on the FA market he would get more than he got with the cubs, so id say hes worth it

[Brian]

At least he's going through this now, so hopefully he can man up and go on another run that he had in the middle of the season. That Z would be huge the last 2-3 weeks... and into October (hopefully).

[kente777]

At least he's going through this now, so hopefully he can man up and go on another run that he had in the middle of the season. That Z would be huge the last 2-3 weeks... and into October (hopefully).

 

I do believe he'll get through this. Though I really think Lou needs to have a heart to heart talk with "Z" and let him know he has to start earning his money.

 

thankfully, we are in a division that sucks, but I want more than a Central Division title....I want a World Series appearance, and for that, we are going to need a dominant "Z." We won't make it without him.

[Backtobanks]

His antics are costing us game after game, how old is this guy?

 

I wouldn't call walking a ton of batters antics. I'd call it bad control. I'm more concerned with that.

 

I think it's more being a complete headcase which leads to many of the walks. The guy just can't control his emotions.

 

It is a case of not being able to control his emotions. Look at how many walks, hits, and runs come immediately after a bad call, an error, a botched play, or a mental mistake. It throws off everything for at least an inning while he tries to get his emotions back under control.

[RyneSandberg]

Are you all missing something his antics, emotions, whatever the hell you want to call them cause him to make bad pitches....

[TruffleShuffle]

i guess he must be hurt again

[SouthSideRyan]

Yay for amateur psychology.

 

I've still yet to have anyone explain to me why Zambrano doesn't allow an exorbitant amount of unearned runs since he supposedly curls up in a fetal position and starts weeping whenever somebody makes an error.

 

Maybe he should see the same psychiatrist Rich Hill saw. Cause ya know, he was pitching bad, so that meant he wasn't mentally tough. But now he's pitching well, so he must've got over his anxiety.

 

My favorite part of it all is the same people who rode Corey Patterson into the ground for not caring because he didn't throw his bat at the screen everytime he struck out, are the same damn people that say Zambrano being emotional is what causes him to do poorly. Nobody calls him a headcase when he's doing well, he must be off his meds right now or something. Stupid cheap Tribune ownership won't give him good enough insurance to get his prescription filled.

[Keener98]

Are you all missing something his antics, emotions, whatever the hell you want to call them cause him to make bad pitches....

 

No its not its his arm that is causing him to make bad pitches. Why does there always have to be an excuse for Z when he sucks? His antics, or hes hurt, whatever how about its because hes sucked, nothing else to say but hes sucked, and cant throw strikes consistently just like the rest of his career.

[NCCubFan]

I think Lou should either skip his next start or else tell him in no uncertain terms that in his next start he's pitching to keep his spot in the rotation. Aces don't disappear like this in the heat of the pennant race. This is the second year in a row he's started slow, been on fire in the middle of the season, and then slumped in the latter part of the season. Right now a start from him is close to an automatic loss.

[synergy]

This is just another wasted contract that Hendry signed. 0-5 since his he signed his contract and giving up 5 or 6 runs a game. Now, with his long-term contract, we're stuck with this garbage of a pitcher.

[Soul]

I've seen enough of Z to know he's great when he's on. I think there's something wrong. Most of the time his velocity has been down from the usual 96-98 to 91-93 this year. Sure he reaches back and gets it up there, but only occassionally now. His breaking stuff isn't targeted very well, his release angle is all over the place.

 

He's never looked like this ever that I recall. I wouldn't rule out a physical injury.

[Keener98]

I've seen enough of Z to know he's great when he's on. I think there's something wrong. Most of the time his velocity has been down from the usual 96-98 to 91-93 this year. Sure he reaches back and gets it up there, but only occassionally now. His breaking stuff isn't targeted very well, his release angle is all over the place.

 

He's never looked like this ever that I recall. I wouldn't rule out a physical injury.

 

He was consistently at 94-96 today.

[rawaction]

Zambrano's early struggles were do to poor mechanics. Today, I didn't see anything physically wrong with him. If somebody is seeing something I don't please let me know. His velocity is not down. He doesn't have a tired arm. Everybody wants to look at his abuse pattern and say he's hurt, but there's absolutely no reason to assume that. Do people honestly think the Cubs, who have seen 2 similarly talented pitchers get destroyed by pitching injured/tired, would let the same thing happen to Carlos?

 

Zambrano was cruising and on the verge of domination til he made that boneheaded baserunning play. He was visably upset with himself, and his team obviously wasn't too happy with him either. Zambrano took that to the mound with him and could not concentrate. His pitches still had great movement. He was still able to put the ball where he wanted to....when he decided he wanted to.

 

I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt that his poor August was him just not having it or being distracted by the contract talks and subsequent pressure to live up to that contract. But today was a flat out loss of concentration by a mental midget who completely let his team down. I believe you will see Carlos dominate next time out vs. Pittsburgh.

[NCCubFan]

I believe you will see Carlos dominate next time out vs. Pittsburgh.

That's exactly what he needs, both for the team's sake and his. If he pitches well both in Pittsburgh and Houston (regardless of the outcome of the games) I think all will be forgotten and he'll be cheered his next start in Wrigley. He overcame the incident with Barrett; hopefully he'll overcome this as well.

[rawaction]

Personally, I don't think we will ever see "Z" put together a great season from beginning to end. You may never see him win 19 or 20 games in his career.

 

I've seen this argument a few times on this board and I don't get it. What's considered a great season from beginning to end? Is he supposed to have no disaster starts? Heck, everybody has those. IF it's not that extreme....what was wrong with his 2003 (sub 3 ERA before tiring down the stretch as a 22 year old in his first full season as a ML starter) or 2004 (highest ERA in a month was 3.60) or 2005 (6 times w/ 5 or more ERs)?

 

Also, wins? He had a 2.75 ERA in 2003 and only won 16 games, Colon won 18 that year with a 5 ERA. Heck, Zambrano was leading the NL in wins with a 4 ERA a few weeks ago.

[RynoRules]

Personally, I don't think we will ever see "Z" put together a great season from beginning to end. You may never see him win 19 or 20 games in his career.

 

I've seen this argument a few times on this board and I don't get it. What's considered a great season from beginning to end? Is he supposed to have no disaster starts? Heck, everybody has those. IF it's not that extreme....what was wrong with his 2003 (sub 3 ERA before tiring down the stretch as a 22 year old in his first full season as a ML starter) or 2004 (highest ERA in a month was 3.60) or 2005 (6 times w/ 5 or more ERs)?

 

Also, wins? He had a 2.75 ERA in 2003 and only won 16 games, Colon won 18 that year with a 5 ERA. Heck, Zambrano was leading the NL in wins with a 4 ERA a few weeks ago.

 

Cy Young seasons are built on consitency. Sure, everyone has a disaster start now and again, but Carlos has been the equivalent of a streaky hitter this year. Actually he sort of personifies the team as a whole in that respect.

[Shilzzz]

'mental midgets' has to be one of the dumbest, and corniest sounding phrases i've ever heard.

[Soul]

Well I hope you are all correct. We just paid this guy a fortune to be our Ace for the next several years. Spending a couple of them rehabbing an arm injury would not be my idea of a good time.