Abbatacola: Same Old Story, Z Homers And Cubs Win
By Matt Abbatacola--
CHICAGO (WSCR) -- He waited at the plate and watched the bomb he hit to left center field that gave his team a six-run lead. It was the 22nd home run of his career.
He did not wait when his manager came to the mound for a fifth inning pitching change. Carlos Zambrano walked towards the dugout and handed the ball off to Mike Quade somewhere between the dirt and bench he was about to occupy. No words were exchanged.
You can believe that he's a changed man. Quade can believe it if he wants, but I won't. Carlos Zambrano is and always will be, Carlos Zambrano - a fiery competitor who hates to lose, displays his emotions openly, acts like a brat when things don't go his way, gets mad at teammates for their errors, and is one hell of a baseball player. In fact, outside of Derrick Rose, Big Z is the most entertaining athlete in Chicago.
When Zambrano takes the mound, there's a chance to witness a no-hitter or an implosion on the field. He may destroy a water cooler or crush a ball deep into the bleachers. He may punch a catcher or pinch-hit for his team and come through with a single.
There's no doubt about the frustration level that he has created for Cubs fans. There's also no question that he is one of the best to wear a Cubs uniform.
Zambrano ranks second all-time in Cubs history with 1,441 strikeouts and is eighth in opponents batting average at .231. No other Cubs pitcher has more wins or innings pitched in the last decade. He's 118-74 as a pitcher for Chicago. In September of 2008, Zambrano threw the seventeenth no-hitter in Cubs history. He is a three-time Silver Slugger Award winner. Among pitchers who have won the SS, Zambrano's .337 average in 2008 ranks second and his six home runs hit in 2006 is just one behind former Colorado Rockies pitcher, Mike Hampton, for a season record. Zambrano has been a part of three Cubs post-season teams - 2003, 2007, and 2008. For those teams, he is 0-2 with a 4.34 ERA in 5 games started. If we're talking post-season success, not many Cubs pitchers look very successful...
He is currently on a ten game winning streak dating back to the start of last year's second half. As fans, we'll continue to wait and see if this is finally his year.
You can love him or hate him. You can despise him for his behavior or applaud him for his passion. One thing is for certain, he's been the best pitcher on the Cubs since 2003 both on the mound and in the batter's box.
Let's hope that doesn't change anytime soon.
