Carlos Zambrano has always had the stuff needed to make him one of the best pitchers in the National League. The problem lies between Big Z’s ears. He has won 18 games once and 16 twice in his career. In 2004, Zambrano started 31 games and finished the season with a 2.75 ERA. He started at least 30 games each season from 2003-2008. You get the point. Big Z has been an effective pitcher before and is only 30 years old. He should still be in his prime, and now that he has been traded to the Marlins Matt Garza is predicted huge things from Zambrano.
“I’d love to get compared with Zambrano on the field, the way his numbers were, the way he threw the ball,” Garza said according to CSNChicago.com. “He’s one hell of a pitcher. But that guy – I tell you what – he’s going to have one hell of a year. I kid you not – he’s going to go out there and go down to Miami and surprise a lot of people. His stuff is still electric. It still bottoms out.
“I wouldn’t be surprised to see him in the Cy Young race (this) year. I kid you not. He’s got (good enough) stuff and I think just playing with Ozzie, getting his own comfort zone, he’s going to have one hell of a season. I wish nothing but the best for that guy.”
Cy Young race may be a little far fetched, but Ozzie Guillen does have a way of getting the most out of certain players. Zambrano claimed he was committed to the Cubs and training hard before he was dealt, so maybe that alleged work ethic will carry over to Miami.
The problem is as soon as things start to go poorly, Big Z flies off the reservation. We saw it last season when he left the ballpark and claimed to be retiring. Over the past several seasons, Zambrano has done nothing to make us believe he is capable of keeping his emotions in check.
