Is Zambrano Back?

[javy knows my name]

i actually believe him when he says he's done after this contract. he's been talking about that for a long time now.

 

With as unstable as he is I would not be at all shocked to see him up and quit sometime next year if something doesn't go his way.

 

I will bet you 100 million dollars this doesn't happen.

Hahahahah

[Brian]

3.36 ERA now. Quite impressive.

[davell]

3.36 ERA now. Quite impressive.

 

Z IS WHO WE THOUGHT HE WAS!!!!!!!!!AND THEN WE PUT HIM IN THE PEN!!!!!!!

 

 

(If Denny Green is a Cub fan, this had to have been said by him at some point this year)

[NCCubFan]

Hopefully next year they'll leave him alone in the rotation instead of messing with him. If he gets off to a slow start, let him work through it. He's shown this year that he can still be a very effective major league starter.

[Outshined_One]

There's a heck of a lot of luck underlying Zambrano's numbers since his return. While his BABIP in August was a relatively normal .306, his BABIP in September has been an unsustainable .206. His FIP in August was 3.68, while it was 3.28 in September, in contract with ERAs of 2.23 in August and 0.93 in September. For those of you less statistically inclined, his BB/9 in August was 6.40 and 4.23 in September.

 

I'm glad Zambrano is doing well, but I'm skeptical about whether he's turned it around.

[TruffleShuffle]

There's a heck of a lot of luck underlying Zambrano's numbers since his return. While his BABIP in August was a relatively normal .306, his BABIP in September has been an unsustainable .206. His FIP in August was 3.68, while it was 3.28 in September, in contract with ERAs of 2.23 in August and 0.93 in September. For those of you less statistically inclined, his BB/9 in August was 6.40 and 4.23 in September.

 

I'm glad Zambrano is doing well, but I'm skeptical about whether he's turned it around.

 

ok so his FIP in august was 3.68 and september was 3.28. isn't that "turning it around" from how he pitched earlier in the year? i don't think anyone believes that he's going to start posting christy mathewson ERAs every year. we'd just like him to pitch like he has for most of his cub career, that will be fine.

[hardcorecubfan]

There's a heck of a lot of luck underlying Zambrano's numbers since his return. While his BABIP in August was a relatively normal .306, his BABIP in September has been an unsustainable .206. His FIP in August was 3.68, while it was 3.28 in September, in contract with ERAs of 2.23 in August and 0.93 in September. For those of you less statistically inclined, his BB/9 in August was 6.40 and 4.23 in September.

 

I'm glad Zambrano is doing well, but I'm skeptical about whether he's turned it around.

 

7-0 since he is back and a great performance last night in front of his mom. Maybe we should have his mom show up every game.

[champaignchris]

There's a heck of a lot of luck underlying Zambrano's numbers since his return. While his BABIP in August was a relatively normal .306, his BABIP in September has been an unsustainable .206. His FIP in August was 3.68, while it was 3.28 in September, in contract with ERAs of 2.23 in August and 0.93 in September. For those of you less statistically inclined, his BB/9 in August was 6.40 and 4.23 in September.

 

I'm glad Zambrano is doing well, but I'm skeptical about whether he's turned it around.

 

ok so his FIP in august was 3.68 and september was 3.28. isn't that "turning it around" from how he pitched earlier in the year? i don't think anyone believes that he's going to start posting christy mathewson ERAs every year. we'd just like him to pitch like he has for most of his cub career, that will be fine.

 

Yup. The sub-2 ERA since his return isn't sustainable, but this recent run certainly would lead one to believe that he can be the pitcher who's been posting an ERA in the mid-3s for most of his career.

[SouthSideRyan]

There's a heck of a lot of luck underlying Zambrano's numbers since his return. While his BABIP in August was a relatively normal .306, his BABIP in September has been an unsustainable .206. His FIP in August was 3.68, while it was 3.28 in September, in contract with ERAs of 2.23 in August and 0.93 in September. For those of you less statistically inclined, his BB/9 in August was 6.40 and 4.23 in September.

 

I'm glad Zambrano is doing well, but I'm skeptical about whether he's turned it around.

 

Turned it around from what? The point is Zambrano was never the High 4 ERA guy he was superficially earlier in the year.

[illiniguy]

There's a heck of a lot of luck underlying Zambrano's numbers since his return. While his BABIP in August was a relatively normal .306, his BABIP in September has been an unsustainable .206. His FIP in August was 3.68, while it was 3.28 in September, in contract with ERAs of 2.23 in August and 0.93 in September. For those of you less statistically inclined, his BB/9 in August was 6.40 and 4.23 in September.

 

I'm glad Zambrano is doing well, but I'm skeptical about whether he's turned it around.

 

Turned it around from what? The point is Zambrano was never the High 4 ERA guy he was superficially earlier in the year.

So you are saying that even though this team wasn't good enough to win anwyays, Lou actually sanbagged it even further by the way he handled its best pitcher?

[chopsx9]

There's a heck of a lot of luck underlying Zambrano's numbers since his return. While his BABIP in August was a relatively normal .306, his BABIP in September has been an unsustainable .206. His FIP in August was 3.68, while it was 3.28 in September, in contract with ERAs of 2.23 in August and 0.93 in September. For those of you less statistically inclined, his BB/9 in August was 6.40 and 4.23 in September.

 

I'm glad Zambrano is doing well, but I'm skeptical about whether he's turned it around.

 

Turned it around from what? The point is Zambrano was never the High 4 ERA guy he was superficially earlier in the year.

 

Well this is true as his ERA was never in the high 4's earlier in the year it was in the mid 6's and was over 7 as late as the middle of May and didn't drop below 5 until the end of August. I think it's fair to call it a turn around. Whether he was pitching to his true ability is immaterial - he was pitching poorly. I also think there was more going on at the begining of the year than we have heard - in regards to the moving to the bullpen.

[Abe Frohman]

This is the BEST thing that could happen for the Cubs. Zambrano's recent success is only utilized IF they have the sense to SELL HIGH and dump this head case.

 

Lose his immense contract and sign some real baseball players.

[Northside Blues]

Carlos Zambrano is one of the most "complete" baseball players of his generation.

[UMFan83]

There's a heck of a lot of luck underlying Zambrano's numbers since his return. While his BABIP in August was a relatively normal .306, his BABIP in September has been an unsustainable .206. His FIP in August was 3.68, while it was 3.28 in September, in contract with ERAs of 2.23 in August and 0.93 in September. For those of you less statistically inclined, his BB/9 in August was 6.40 and 4.23 in September.

 

I'm glad Zambrano is doing well, but I'm skeptical about whether he's turned it around.

 

Turned it around from what? The point is Zambrano was never the High 4 ERA guy he was superficially earlier in the year.

 

Well this is true as his ERA was never in the high 4's earlier in the year it was in the mid 6's and was over 7 as late as the middle of May and didn't drop below 5 until the end of August. I think it's fair to call it a turn around. Whether he was pitching to his true ability is immaterial - he was pitching poorly. I also think there was more going on at the begining of the year than we have heard - in regards to the moving to the bullpen.

 

Part of the reason that his ERA didn't drop below 5 until late is because he wasn't given the chance to work through his early season struggles. He was thrown in the pen for a month and then got himself suspended for 3 weeks. He really hasn't started games consistently all year until late July.

[Keener98]

This is the BEST thing that could happen for the Cubs. Zambrano's recent success is only utilized IF they have the sense to SELL HIGH and dump this head case.

 

Lose his immense contract and sign some real baseball players.

 

Sarcasm right?

[Sammy Sofa]

Trading Zambrano is [expletive]. His rebound is meaningless if they want to trade him; with the way the Cubs dealt with him and talked about him during the season they'd still be getting pennies on the dollar for him. All he's done is show, yet again, is that his upside still far outweighs any perceived downside. This idea that if he's not an ace then he's useless is beyond stupid.

[jersey cubs fan]

Trading Zambrano is [expletive]. His rebound is meaningless if they want to trade him; with the way the Cubs dealt with him and talked about him during the season they'd still be getting pennies on the dollar for him. All he's done is show, yet again, is that his upside still far outweighs any perceived downside. This idea that if he's not an ace then he's useless is beyond stupid.

 

Well, if you are able to get more like 95 cents on the dollar, it's not a bad idea at all. The cost savings and avoiding the downside risk that he obviously carries justify at least exploring options. Trading him Milton Bradley style is all kinds of wrong though.

[Guest]

Trading Zambrano is [expletive]. His rebound is meaningless if they want to trade him; with the way the Cubs dealt with him and talked about him during the season they'd still be getting pennies on the dollar for him. All he's done is show, yet again, is that his upside still far outweighs any perceived downside. This idea that if he's not an ace then he's useless is beyond stupid.

You're treating an awful lot of assumptions as fact in that argument.

[davell]

While I think Z has moderately decent trade value right now(no, I don't think we'd get someone to pay his entire salary, but I do think we'd get a fairly decent return at this point) I don't think he'd waive his NTC and I also don't think Hendry has any intention of moving him this offseason. If we're going to have any shot ay competing for a playoff spot, he's not really replaceable right now, with what's available this offseason. Because I don't see any chance whatsoever we will go after Cliff Lee and I think KC will wait and try to build up trade value in Greinke(who's iffy, in the Chicago media market to me anyway) before they deal him.

[Sammy Sofa]

Trading Zambrano is [expletive]. His rebound is meaningless if they want to trade him; with the way the Cubs dealt with him and talked about him during the season they'd still be getting pennies on the dollar for him. All he's done is show, yet again, is that his upside still far outweighs any perceived downside. This idea that if he's not an ace then he's useless is beyond stupid.

You're treating an awful lot of assumptions as fact in that argument.

 

None of it is "fact." Do you need me to hold your hand and specifically state "I think..." or "my opinion is..." whenever something is posted that is obviously someone's opinion?

[jersey cubs fan]

Trading Zambrano is [expletive]. His rebound is meaningless if they want to trade him; with the way the Cubs dealt with him and talked about him during the season they'd still be getting pennies on the dollar for him. All he's done is show, yet again, is that his upside still far outweighs any perceived downside. This idea that if he's not an ace then he's useless is beyond stupid.

You're treating an awful lot of assumptions as fact in that argument.

 

None of it is "fact." Do you need me to hold your hand and specifically state "I think..." or "my opinion is..." whenever something is posted that is obviously someone's opinion?

 

I still don't get how he's show yet again that his upside far outweighs any perceived downside. Opinion or not, I really don't see how that can be considered true at all. His upside isn't all that high. His downside is deep.

[Sammy Sofa]

Trading Zambrano is [expletive]. His rebound is meaningless if they want to trade him; with the way the Cubs dealt with him and talked about him during the season they'd still be getting pennies on the dollar for him. All he's done is show, yet again, is that his upside still far outweighs any perceived downside. This idea that if he's not an ace then he's useless is beyond stupid.

 

Well, if you are able to get more like 95 cents on the dollar, it's not a bad idea at all. The cost savings and avoiding the downside risk that he obviously carries justify at least exploring options. Trading him Milton Bradley style is all kinds of wrong though.

 

Right, and I have zero faith in the Cubs not doing that. Once they openly trash a player, if they end up moving them they almost always get nothing (relatively speaking) in return. Obviously, if a team is willing to trade someone of value for Zambrano and the Cubs are off the hook for most or all of his salary it's definitely something to look into, but even then I'd still be inclined to hold onto him (mainly because I think that's very unlikely). It seems like trading him now would more likely do more harm than good, similar to the idea of wanting Aramis to opt out. It's not like there's a good FA class for the Cubs to go after, and there's a damn good chance that the Cubs without Zambrano will be a much worse team next season, and it's sounding more and more like they need to be competitive to draw the money they need to keep the payroll up. I'd rather take the chance and see if he can look good next season. You get enough distance between the crappy way the Cubs treated him this season and couple that with his rebound this year and ideally a bounce back season in 2011 and he's a MUCH more valuable and in demand player in terms of of a trade. Right now I think the Cubs M.O. is way too obvious and teams would simply be expecting to give up next to nothing for him or for the Cubs to pay most of his salary if they want anything of value in return.

[SouthSideRyan]

I still don't get how he's show yet again that his upside far outweighs any perceived downside. Opinion or not, I really don't see how that can be considered true at all. His upside isn't all that high. His downside is deep.

 

His upside is a mid 3 ERA pitcher with plus batting and baserunning. How that not all that high?? His downside is season lost to injury, like every other pitcher.

[jersey cubs fan]

I still don't get how he's show yet again that his upside far outweighs any perceived downside. Opinion or not, I really don't see how that can be considered true at all. His upside isn't all that high. His downside is deep.

 

His upside is a mid 3 ERA pitcher with plus batting and baserunning. How that not all that high?? His downside is season lost to injury, like every other pitcher.

 

He's already there, so it's not an upside. It's what he's been. And that downside is huge.

[Sammy Sofa]

I still don't get how he's show yet again that his upside far outweighs any perceived downside. Opinion or not, I really don't see how that can be considered true at all. His upside isn't all that high. His downside is deep.

 

His upside is a mid 3 ERA pitcher with plus batting and baserunning. How that not all that high?? His downside is season lost to injury, like every other pitcher.

 

Yeah, I don't get what Jersey is saying at all. Unless people think he's going to snap and actually murder someone on the field, I don't know what crazy bad downsides he has that other pitchers don't.