Cubs suffer an ace-kicking
For 3rd year in row, Zambrano struggles on Opening Day
CINCINNATI -- Carlos Zambrano's future with the Cubs might be in doubt. And as of Monday, his present didn't look so hot, either.
''It's not how you start, it's how you finish,'' the Cubs ace said after Adam Dunn and the Cincinnati Reds rapped him in a 5-1 Opening Day loss at Great American Ball Park.
''It's not how you start, it's how you finish,'' the Cubs ace said after Adam Dunn and the Cincinnati Reds rapped him in a 5-1 Opening Day loss at Great American Ball Park.
On a day when players learned the team's parent company was sold in a multibillion-dollar deal, they said they shrugged off the news but responded to one of their more anticipated openers in recent years with a mostly flat performance.
(AP)
On a day when players learned the team's parent company was sold in a multibillion-dollar deal, they said they shrugged off the news but responded to one of their more anticipated openers in recent years with a mostly flat performance.
''It had no bearing on the game,'' Derrek Lee said. ''It was just a news flash before the game we probably thought about for 30 seconds.''
But there was no mistaking the $300 million stumble out of the gate after a record-setting winter spending spree and a six-week run of optimism in spring training.
A lineup that ravaged Cactus League pitching in March mustered eight singles and an unearned run against Reds starter Aaron Harang, while the fiery Zambrano raged against the strike zone throughout his five innings and left with his third straight Opening Day clunker.
In his three season-opening starts, Zambrano is 0-1 with an 8.16 ERA and five home runs allowed -- including two by Dunn on Monday.
Dunn's first homer came on Zambrano's eighth pitch, after he'd walked leadoff hitter Ryan Freel on four pitches.
''I didn't feel butterflies,'' Zambrano said, then joked, ''I think I'll talk to Lou [Piniella] next year and say that I want to be the second starter, not the Opening Day starter.''
The fact he's talking about next year after the ownership change put his contract extension talks in limbo might be a sign he's right when he said none of Monday's news -- or his contract issues -- distracted him.
''Same thing happened last year,'' Zambrano said of a poor showing in the opener. ''And I still won 16 games. I don't worry too much about that.''
In fact, he didn't win a game in April last year but was mentioned in the Cy Young Award conversations by season's end.
Zambrano clearly was frustrated with Randy Marsh's strike zone on a day he threw fewer strikes (45) than balls (47) and walked five batters in five innings. After leaving the game, he gestured and yelled from the dugout toward Marsh and threw his hat and glove against the bench.
But he's moving on, he said.
''I was feeling great today,'' Zambrano said. ''I wish I could feel all year long like I felt today and just make my pitches and get more command, and hopefully there is not the same umpire every day.''
Moving on -- Big Z and his big-money team with the big expectations.
''This by no means is the end of the season,'' said left fielder Matt Murton, who made a diving catch of a sinking liner in the eighth inning.<
In fact, the outfield play was solid, and the bullpen pitched well in the first game of the Lou Piniella-Alfonso Soriano era.
''I've waited a long time for this day,'' said Soriano, the leadoff-hitting center fielder with the fresh eight-year, $136 million contract. ''We are better [than this], no doubt about it. It's Opening Day, and everybody was excited. I'm not worried because I believe in all my teammates.
''Today was very emotional. Wednesday will be different.''