Ace's mild: 'Z' still king of Cubs' hill
Just ask that third person, and he'll tell you the pitcher wants to restart his season on top of the team's throne
MILWAUKEE -- It's possible Rich Hill or Sean Marshall could have provided the same result, but it wouldn't have carried as much weight. Carlos Zambrano needed to be an ace for the Cubs -- and for himself -- on Wednesday, and he was just that.
Possibly for the first time all season.
Possibly for the first time all season.
During a strong 6 2/3 innings, Zambrano held the Milwaukee Brewers to two runs and five hits, striking out nine and walking three. The Brewers didn't score until Prince Fielder's two-run homer with one out in the sixth represented the third hit off Zambrano, who termed it his best start in 13 outings.
During a strong 6 2/3 innings, Zambrano held the Milwaukee Brewers to two runs and five hits, striking out nine and walking three. The Brewers didn't score until Prince Fielder's two-run homer with one out in the sixth represented the third hit off Zambrano, who termed it his best start in 13 outings.
Welcome to the first day of the rest of Zambrano's 2007 season.
''Today was kind of the takeoff of Carlos Zambrano,'' Big Z said, proving things must be on the rebound if he is referring to himself in the third person again. ''I said yesterday in my mind, I was in the outfield shagging, and I said, 'Tomorrow is the season opener for you. Forget about anything else. Just start from tomorrow.'
''I'm 1-0 with 6 2/3 innings, and from now on, I will try to think like that.''
The official record will show that Zambrano is 6-5 with a 5.38 ERA and pummeled his own catcher in his previous outing. In Carlos Zambrano's world, that inflated ERA and embarrassing pair of bouts that sent Michael Barrett to a hospital for six stitches in his lip never happened.
Or at least it's ancient history.
''I'm still a friend of Michael Barrett,'' Zambrano said. ''He still calls me brother and I still call him brother, and we forgive each other and we are back on track. He will catch me the next time against the Houston Astros on Monday, and I don't have a problem with that.
''I still love him. I was embarrassed the next day that I came to the ballpark that I punched one of my teammates. It was a bad feeling the next day, believe me.
''I don't know if he told you, but the next day, he came to me, he apologized, I apologized to him, we both cry. Like he [said], it's like when you have a little brother, you fight with your little brother, but the next day, you get along with him. That's in the past, and now we have to move on.''
From the looks of things, the Cubs have moved on.
As silly as it sounds to place so much emphasis on one game in early June, this series finale against the first-place Brewers was huge. With bench coach Alan Trammell moving back to the shadows and manager Lou Piniella returning to the dugout, the Cubs can open a tough four-game series against the Braves tonight in Atlanta trailing the Brewers by 6½ games.
''Tell Lou he can take two weeks off,'' a laughing Alfonso Soriano yelled at Trammell after the game.
Moments earlier, Piniella stood in a clubhouse hallway for a long chat with Zambrano. The talk ended with a big smile and hearty handshake.
As Piniella continues to evaluate the hand he was dealt, the bet here is he would rather have Zambrano as part of the long-term future than Barrett, who has been a liability on the bases, looked erratic behind the plate and committed the ultimate sin of feuding with his own pitcher.
Rumors continue to circulate that if the Cubs keep spinning their wheels below .500, Zambrano will wind up on the trading block next month, with the New York Mets the strongest suitor. You can bet general manager Jim Hendry's phone will be on a steady ring, with callers from all over baseball inquiring about Big Z.
His critics in Chicago might have written off Zambrano as a lost cause, but chatter from scouts is consistent: He could help any team -- not only as a rental player for August, September and October, but as a long-term ace.
If Zambrano gets shipped off elsewhere, Hendry might as well follow up the transaction with his letter of resignation. After spending $300 million in the offseason to revamp this team, pulling the plug next month would be unacceptable in a division that remains winnable.
And dealing Zambrano would be the ultimate announcement that Hendry was giving up after blowing his $300 million bankroll.
Critics from across the country have speculated that Zambrano is damaged goods, pointing to his drop in velocity and his inconsistent arm slot.
''I told you guys in Chicago I would throw 98 [mph] today, but I threw 96,'' Zambrano said. ''That was good enough, don't you think?''
As for the arm-slot issues, pitching coach Larry Rothschild shrugged off such talk.
''Actually, most of the last four starts, mechanically, he has been pretty good,'' Rothschild said. ''He hadn't had a lot of luck, and he has lost a little concentration at times. When he does, the arm slot changes a little bit.
''If you follow the history of Carlos, since the day he got here and even in the minor leagues, that is what he has fought. And at times, he fights it a little bit more. Until he gets comfortable in that slot and repeats it and repeats it in a bunch of starts, he's really got to work at it and consciously make an effort.
''I could go into the technical part of it, but it's really staying back with the glove hand and not letting it take him out where he ends up cutting under balls, which is what people see. It's habits and concentration.''
Good thing this was Zambrano's first start of the season.
Not bad for an ace.
''I used to be the ace,'' Zambrano said in a quiet voice. ''Now, there is some good guys [Jason Marquis and Ted Lilly] that the Cubs signed, and Rich Hill coming from the farm. Everybody here is the ace.''
Who's he kidding? Zambrano is the ace -- and the Cubs need him to keep acting like one all season.