Zambrano still Cray-Zee

Hat tip to Bleacher Nation for the find, but it appears that Carlos Zambrano has duped us all. Official rosters are set to be announced tomorrow but SI.com has the scoop on Team Venezuela.


Carlos Zambrano of the Chicago Cubs will stand in for Santana on the mound while sluggers Magglio Ordonez and Miguel Cabrera of the Detroit Tigers will lead Venezuela's offense, according to the line-up released on Monday by Edwin Zerpa, president of the Venezuelan Baseball Federation.

In addition to Santana, Anibal Sanchez, Angel Guzman, Maicer Izturis and Renyel Pinto will not be participating, mostly because their respective Major League teams would not clear them. Others did not want to risk injuries.

Zambrano was not originally expected to join the line-up, but the Cubs decided to clear him.

No good will come of this.

Tags: 
Carlos Zambrano
World Baseball Classic
Submitted by Rob G. on Tue, 02/24/2009 - 12:00am
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Comments

Submitted by SJS
on Tue, 02/24/2009 - 12:24am

1st! ...but sad. First we have all of these questions about Z's health, now this? Oh boy, no good will come of this.

Submitted by Jace
on Tue, 02/24/2009 - 9:18am

Congratulations! You have now qualified yourself for dipshit of the week...

Submitted by The E-Man
on Tue, 02/24/2009 - 11:11am

I second this. You can pull that shit at Al's site if you wish.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Tue, 02/24/2009 - 12:14pm

I think SJS was joking around...I hope.

But yes, claiming "first" in the comments is lame

so is calling anyone dipshit

Submitted by Jace
on Tue, 02/24/2009 - 12:56pm

yeah, I agree that it was a little harsh... maybe douchebag?

Submitted by Doug Dascenzo
on Tue, 02/24/2009 - 1:02pm

I believe the following is the correct order of lameness:

html end tag followed by clever line > using "greater than" sign > calling someone a dipshit > claiming "first" in the comments > anything at Al's site

/internet stupidity

Submitted by Andrew
on Tue, 02/24/2009 - 12:37am

I'm hoping, seriously hoping, that if the questions about his health were real, the Cubs wouldn't have cleared him. It has been an interesting progression of events for Z: turning down the WBC to have eye surgery, not having eye surgery, delaying throwing regimen, now rejoining the WBC.

Maybe he just changed his mind about wanting to play for his country, and this is all pretty benign. Oh wait, that's right, this is the Cubs.

Submitted by crunch
on Tue, 02/24/2009 - 12:45am

i'll take this. we'll get to see how ready he is and see him in games where there will be a gun on his arm.

been a weird news-stream spring for Z...

Submitted by SJS
on Tue, 02/24/2009 - 1:01am

Let me be the first to throw this out there....Z goes down, or something looks Prior-esque about him during the WBC: how soon does Hendry get on the phone with the Padres?

Submitted by Chifan
on Tue, 02/24/2009 - 1:35am

If they thought Z was hurt, he would not be in the WBC as they can block injured guys from playing. So I will take this as good news that he suiting up for Sean Penn's favorite team.

Submitted by SJS
on Tue, 02/24/2009 - 1:49am

I thought that Penn was protesting the WBC because Iran didn't have a team. The 2013 WBC should have a Penn Pool (Iran, North Korea, Venezuela, and China). Time to expand the field anyway.

Submitted by WISCGRAD
on Tue, 02/24/2009 - 8:00am

But I don't think it's as easy as saying "you are injured you are not playing." I believe if there is a disagreement the player has the right for some sort of MLB board to decide on the issue. Z did not have off-season surgery or anything, he ended the season healthy, so there is no real argument the Cubs could make and win about Z not being able to pitch. Unless there was some sort of public injury already in spring training, it would be hard to keep him out if he wanted to play, even if he doesn't feel 100%.

Submitted by John Beasley
on Tue, 02/24/2009 - 7:05am

The alien on his upper lip is cutting off the blood supply to his cabeza loca.

Submitted by Ryno
on Tue, 02/24/2009 - 9:25am

Do we need one more for the fantasy league or do you have someone on the way? I ask because I know a guy who would be interested. A Met's fan, but other than that, he's alright.

Submitted by CPH2133
on Tue, 02/24/2009 - 9:27am

No Mets allowed!

Submitted by Ryno
on Tue, 02/24/2009 - 10:02am

lol... look at it this way, while he's drafting Endy Chavez, you can be drafting real players.

Submitted by CPH2133
on Tue, 02/24/2009 - 11:40am

"while he's drafting Endy Chavez"

That's exactly why I don't want him in there. I build my OF around Chavez, Juan Pierre and Willy Tavares with Michael Bourne, Carlos Gomez and Fred Lewis/Joey Gathright coming off the bench.

I feel the need...for speed.

And Chavez is in Seattle this season, so he'll be drafting Ryan Church and Fernando Tatis (who hit 2 grand slams in one inning ya know Why the Dodgers left in Chan HoHoKam Park after the first slam I'll never understand.)

Submitted by John Beasley
on Tue, 02/24/2009 - 12:03pm

I'll check when I get home tonight, but I think we're at 9 signed up, 2 outstanding invitations and one more inquiry in my inbox. Will update this in about 6-8 hours.

Submitted by CPH2133
on Tue, 02/24/2009 - 12:18pm

I think we have 11 in there, but I don't know how to count and I can't check my fantasy sports while at school.

Submitted by Ryno
on Tue, 02/24/2009 - 12:35pm

Yes, 11 currently. I think there needs to be an even number? (Not sure) So if we need one more, I gotz one.

Submitted by CPH2133
on Tue, 02/24/2009 - 1:46pm

You don't need an even number in Roto, i have no clue why we're going with stupid head to head in a baseball league

Submitted by Rob G.
on Tue, 02/24/2009 - 1:48pm

should have used our point scoring system that I sent John...

Submitted by John Beasley
on Tue, 02/24/2009 - 1:51pm

Nothing is set in stone, that's why I asked everyone for some feedback. I had to choose something to set up the league, but everything is negotiable, including stupid head-to-head.

Submitted by CPH2133
on Tue, 02/24/2009 - 2:03pm

head to head makes my brain explode in baseball. It promotes streaming, constant changes and daily activity, something I prefer not to do.

Submitted by SJS
on Tue, 02/24/2009 - 2:05pm

can we get a time for maybe 30 minutes to an hour to go over some of these league discussions? Get all of this straightened out.

Submitted by kmokeefe
on Tue, 02/24/2009 - 2:08pm

I'm one of the outstanding

and have the ID/password

just not sure how to join the league...

pointing/laughter ensues.

Submitted by SJS
on Tue, 02/24/2009 - 2:14pm

Go to the Yahoo fantasy home page, click on Baseball 09...click join league and enter the ID/pass, and then it's simple set up from there.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Tue, 02/24/2009 - 2:09pm

you're welcome to use parachat, link in the menu bar above...

Submitted by Rob G.
on Tue, 02/24/2009 - 2:06pm

then you won't like the pt system we use either, although it would still work with weekly lineup changes..

and sorry to JohnBeasly and all of you involved in that league, my previous comment came off as rather pretentious...set-up the league as you see fit.

I do agree that H2H fantasy baseball is quite lame...I also think roto league is quite lame.

Submitted by Ryno
on Tue, 02/24/2009 - 3:12pm

I like the idea of keeping the same scoring system. That way, who knows, we might want to compare teams from both leagues down the road or some crazy shit like that.

On the other hand, I'm a "yes man", so whatever is cool with me.

Submitted by Ryno
on Tue, 02/24/2009 - 3:18pm

Scoring OPS rather than AVG would be worth consideration.

Submitted by John Beasley
on Tue, 02/24/2009 - 5:53pm

Everyone: Check out the league, I altered it to match TCR #1 rules.

We cool?

Submitted by Rob G.
on Tue, 02/24/2009 - 6:01pm

fyi, if you did change your league to match those settings, everyone can go under "player" and change the settings to see how players scored in past seasons and see if they like what is going on...

Submitted by Ryno
on Tue, 02/24/2009 - 7:33am

I joked yesterday, but the fact is Z isn't Prior. The dude is a horse and it would take a lot to keep him down. Some guys are just built tough.

Submitted by Cubster
on Tue, 02/24/2009 - 7:47am

off topic but... with ARod now being questioned about his association with Dominican "trainer" Angel Presinal and a Sun Times article about Soriano not being associated with this guy (also a mention that ARam hasn't worked with him either)
---------
Soriano said Presinal -- who runs what Soriano called an offseason ''minicamp'' in Santo Domingo for pro ballplayers -- is well-known and respected among Dominican major-leaguers. He estimated that about 80 percent of them use Presinal to prepare for spring training.

Presinal first came under Major League Baseball scrutiny in 2001 for his link to Juan Gonzalez and a checked bag containing steroids that was seized by officials at the Toronto airport. He has been banned from MLB clubhouses for several years.

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/baseball/cubs/14443...
---------
I wonder if anyone has tried to link Sosa to this guy? He seems to be the obvious rock to look under.

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/blogentries/index.h...

According to a former baseball scout, who worked with players who trained with [Angel] Presinal in the Dominican, Presinal provided some players with steroids. The former scout declined to be named in this story but says that players refer to Presinal as “The Cleaner,” someone who can rid traces of steroids from the players’ urine before a drug test.

“He puts them through a cycle and then they flush the body out,” the former scout said. “If you’re afraid of testing positive, this is the guy to go to.” He said players are afraid to discuss Presinal because they depend on his expertise as a trainer. It is also expensive to work with Presinal, according to the former scout, who says the trainer charges as much as $10,000 for an offseason session.

Submitted by navigator
on Tue, 02/24/2009 - 9:14am

All about Presinal and the players he, ahem, enhances in the New York Times three days ago....

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/22/sports/baseball/...

Submitted by Rob G.
on Tue, 02/24/2009 - 8:56am

http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=274352

Carlos Zambrano is showing no signs of the problems that hampered him last season, although the team is taking a conservative approach with its ace this spring.

"Physically, I feel the best I've ever felt in spring training," Zambrano said Monday after a free-and-easy throwing session against hitters. "I'm not a rookie. I know what to do and I know my job here is to get ready."

Zambrano spent the off-season strengthening his shoulder, and the Cubs sent a trainer to his native Venezuela to work with him.

official WBC rosters come out at 5pm CST today

Submitted by CPH2133
on Tue, 02/24/2009 - 9:46am

http://zachls.blogspot.com/2009/02/mowwagemowwage-...

Banks is looking to get certified to perform weddings so he can do ceremonies at Wrigley Field. Awesome.

Submitted by The E-Man
on Tue, 02/24/2009 - 11:20am

I was going to make an argument that in essence, by choosing to pitch in the WBC, Z will perform shitier when he comes back, and he will wear worse as the season goes on.

However, looking at his 2006 MLB stats, there is no evidence to support this.

His worst month was indeed the opening one, but after that, he performed well, although, his era in Aug/Sept were over 4.00 - but by then, nothing mattered to the Cubs that year - except we got to see a "promising prospect" (Ronny Cedeno), and Neifi too much.

April/March 6 6 0 0 2 0 0 0 33.2 5.35 33 23 20 6 25 2 38 3
May 6 6 0 3 1 0 0 0 42.2 1.90 23 9 9 4 22 0 47 2
June 5 5 0 3 0 0 0 0 36.2 1.96 22 8 8 2 15 0 27 1

Regardless of all of the Zee Press, he's my favorite player.

Submitted by Charlie
on Tue, 02/24/2009 - 11:37am

I'm with you, E-Man. Part of the reason I love having good starting pitchers is that going into a game day I can feel like I have a pretty good chance of seeing the Cubs win. Z gives me that feeling--so he's among my favorites.

I think most of the Z press comes out reporters needing stories and Z not making much effort to not give them a story.

Submitted by The E-Man
on Tue, 02/24/2009 - 11:57am

Agreed. For me, its the whole package - both the good and the bad. A badass, big guy that switch hits with power. As a pitcher! And, he has nice speed, as well. Also, he was one of the few to bring his A game to the playoffs two years in a row.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Tue, 02/24/2009 - 12:17pm

#51 and #79 in BA's Top 100 major league prospects

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/ran...

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/ran...

Submitted by Andrew
on Tue, 02/24/2009 - 12:33pm

Vitters' ETA is 2010. Unless he's getting traded, I don't see how that's going to happen.

Submitted by The Real Neal
on Tue, 02/24/2009 - 4:39pm

September 2010 is still 2010.

Submitted by Andrew
on Wed, 02/25/2009 - 12:18pm

I know. But still. He's a year and a half away? I thought he was at least two years away still. Even if he's not, where's he gonna play in September 2010?

Calling AZ Phil....

Submitted by CPH2133
on Wed, 02/25/2009 - 12:27pm

He's gonna play when the cubs have the Central locked up on Sept 1 and giving Aramis a rest for the deep (3 game) post season run.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Tue, 02/24/2009 - 12:24pm

and no, not the effect on your penis...

http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/shysterball/arti...

Submitted by Rob G.
on Tue, 02/24/2009 - 12:28pm

http://www.desipio.com/?p=1877

the best Cub to wear each uniform number...the free version of Al's book.

Submitted by Jace
on Tue, 02/24/2009 - 12:56pm

If Z is really participating in the WBC, wouldn't at least one of the guys covering the Cubs for the trib, suntimes, daily herald, or cubs.com know about it? I have read several articles listing Z as one of the many that have decided to skip the WBC... Perhaps SI.com is wrong?

Submitted by Rob G.
on Tue, 02/24/2009 - 1:07pm

perhaps, but the articles seems to quote the president of Team Venezuela...

Submitted by SJS
on Tue, 02/24/2009 - 1:45pm

As of early this morning, even the WBC website had it that Z wasn't going to play. I guess we'll see in a few hours.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Tue, 02/24/2009 - 1:08pm

http://blogs.dailyherald.com/node/1504

sabermetric stuff on BABIP and batted ball types...

Submitted by The Real Neal
on Tue, 02/24/2009 - 4:47pm

Haven't researhed it, but I doubt the expected BABIP's they've got there include speed to first. The old 'high grass' at Wrigley thing may play to certain guys' advantages, though I don't recall this being mentioned really at all last year.

Weird how Miles replies to people who ask questions and have comments. It's like he doesn't understand that he's a professional or something.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Tue, 02/24/2009 - 5:51pm

the THT link in the Miles post uses xBABIP and it accounts for speed and a bunch of other stuff...

http://www.mlb.com/wbc/2009/rosters/index.jsp?team...

just skimmed through it myself...

Submitted by big_lowitzki
on Wed, 02/25/2009 - 1:50am

It's like he doesn't understand that he's a professional or something.

A professional shouldn't reply to people who ask questions?

Submitted by Rob G.
on Wed, 02/25/2009 - 9:31am

pretty sure that was sarcasm there by Neal...

Submitted by Rob G.
on Tue, 02/24/2009 - 1:26pm

http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/shysterball/arti...

Submitted by Rob G.
on Tue, 02/24/2009 - 1:28pm

no, seriously

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/p...

Submitted by John Beasley
on Tue, 02/24/2009 - 2:04pm

D-I-V-E-R-S-I-F-Y

Submitted by Dr. aaron b
on Tue, 02/24/2009 - 2:18pm

Doubt that Scottie Iyer has the attention span to read much investment prospectus.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Tue, 02/24/2009 - 2:31pm

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/p...

good Cubs jokes...

Submitted by Tito
on Tue, 02/24/2009 - 2:58pm

Rob, can you e-mail me through the board? I'm curious about your scoring system.

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