Carlos Zambrano
Game #64 Preview: A's @ Cubs
The A's make their second-ever visit to Wrigley Field—the Cubs are the only National League never to have played in Oakland—having been swept this past weekend in San Francisco.
The weather forecast is not promising, with Weather.com saying there is a 100% chance of precipitation through the shank of the evening. Is there a rainout-forced doubleheader in these teams' immediate future? If there's anything better than interleague play, it's an interleague doubleheader made necessary by the screwy MLB schedule...which became infinitely screwier when MLB adopted interleague play.
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The Return of Z: Cubs (24-29) @ Pirates (22-31)
UPDATE: Wednesday night's game was rained out and will be made up this coming Monday at 11:35am, Chicago time. According to the Tribune's Paul Sullivan, Lou Piniella has yet to determine if Carlos Zambrano will start on Friday, when the Cubs open a three-game series in Houston.
From starter to set-up guy to long relief man to who-knows-what and finally, back to starter, Carlos Zambrano's strange season takes its next turn tonight at PNC Park. Zambrano will be making his first start since April 20th, when he threw 119 pitches and gave up two runs over six innings in a 4-0 loss to the Mets. Lou Piniella said he will limit Zambrano's workload tonight to 70 pitches or so. Can't help but wonder if that will get us through the second or third inning...
Z will be in, Cashner will be up, plus Cardinals vs. Cubs
The long-awaited announcements have been announced:
Carlos Zambrano will make his return to the starting rotation on Wednesday in Pittsburgh and Tom Gorzelanny be moved from the rotation to the bullpen, where he will joined by a new teammate...
Andrew Casher, who will be summoned from Iowa on Monday, according to Carrie Muskat. Cashner has given up four hits and a run in two innings pitched since the I-Cubs moved him into the pen. Overall, his numbers at Triple-A this year have been stunning. 0.86 ERA and 17/2 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 17 IP.
PCL Honors to Cashner; Dodgers to Wrigley
-- The I-Cubs' Andrew Cashner was named PCL Pitcher of the Week. That's what winning two starts while allowing one run and just eight hits over 13 innings will do for you. And let's not forget: he won the second of those games while dealing with the pressure of having TCR's very own Mike Wellman in the stands.
-- The Giants fan site, 22gigantes, pointed me to an mlb.com article in which the 30 MLB clubs were ranked for drafting success, based on All-Star appearances, Cy Young Awards, etc., won by their draftees in recent years. Cub draftees earned six such awards—four All-Star appearances plus ROY Awards for Kerry Wood and Geovany Soto—which tied the team for 11th place with the Giants, Marlins, and Cardinals.
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Cubs Beat Rockies in 11; Zambrano Getting Recast
Aramis Ramirez blasted a one-out, two-run homer in the bottom of the 11th to lead the Cubs to a 4-2 win over the Rockies Monday night at Wrigley. Lou Piniella's post-game press conference, the main topic of which was a player who never even appeared in the game, was at least as newsworthy as the main event.
First about the game:
The Cubs had leads of 1-0 and 2-1 courtesy of run-scoring singles by Aramis Ramirez and Koyie Hill, before the Rockies tied the game in the 8th inning on a single and three walks, two by John Grabow and one by Carlos Marmol. Marmol redeemed himself by inducing an inning-ending double play, nicely initiated by Starlin Castro, to preserve the tie.
Bold Move Cotton: Z to the Bullpen Starting Friday
Zambrano to bullpen starting Friday. "Because of his stuff" Lou sez. Z is cool with move.
We'll see if the bullpen gets better, but it's certainly gonna be a lot more expensive. How many bad starts by Gorzelanny or Silva before this gets reversed?
Redemption
Carlos Zambrano got the opportunity to redeem his baseball soul thanks to the grace of Touchdown Jesus and the Cubs bullpen works this time in a 4-3 win at Cincinnati.
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You Can't Catch It If You Can't See It
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Buck Stops Here
Travis Buck homered to key a three-run 9th, as an Oakland A's split squad defeated the Chicago Cubs 5-2 in Cactus League action at Dwight Patterson Field at HoHoKam Park in sunny & breezy Mesa, Arizona, this afternoon.
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Zambrano Throws Five Shutout Innings at HoHoKam
Carlos Zambrano threw five innings of three-hit shutout ball and Ryan Theriot drove in three runs with a bases-clearing double, leading a Cubs "split squad" to a 4-0 whitewashing of the Kansas City Royals in front of 11,842 fans at Dwight Patterson Field at HoHoKam Park in sunny & warm Mesa, AZ this afternoon.
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Recent comments
CubbyBlue (view)
Incredible moment. Huge part of the fun of working there is when something magic like that happens, and you get to interact with baseball fans.
TarzanJoeWallis (view)
That bear hug was indeed awesome. Word is that Dansby has become an outstanding clubhouse leader and that moment really demonstrated it. That reaction was one of a proud coach/mentor who’s student just excelled. I’m not even sure who was more overjoyed, Dansby or PCA. A veteran expressing that kind of unabashed support and enthusiasm for a struggling rookie is beyond fantastic to see.
CubbyBlue (view)
BAHAHA! I've actually not seen a single fight, but can't wait to see 70 degrees for sure!
crunch (view)
next time i roll up into wrigley i'll try to start a fist fight and maybe we'll meet.
be prepared. i'm gonna make you earn your money.
seriously, though...that's a cool as hell "retirement" assignment. i imagine it will be better with warmer nights.
Cubster (view)
I was there for the PCA homer as well. 50 degree baseball is no longer fun when sitting in the shade (knit hats, scarves and gloves are football gear) but I agree it’s one of those really cool moments. I loved the bear hug given by Swanson at home plate and of course the added impact that the PCA homer became a game winner.
Cubster (view)
Holy Screaming Bananas
CubbyBlue (view)
In honor of dispatching with the Astros, this painting is titled “The Sweep”.
I retired a couple years ago, and took a job at Wrigley as a security guy. SO cool having Wrigley as your office. SO cool being there when PCA got his first hit.
“The Sweep” happens at the end of every game - the security staff sweeps through the ballpark making sure it’s empty.
(Hopefully I’ll be putting this painting up often this year.)
Lastly, because working for the Cubs, they understandably don’t want you voicing opinions on social, which is why I’m only painting the banners here.
First.Pitch.120 (view)
Honorable mention to Jim Bullinger via BleedCubbieBlue:
Bullinger, a converted shortstop, had pitched in three games before he came to the plate. He had entered the game to relieve starter Shawn Boskie after four innings, and came to the plate to lead off the fifth, and hit Rheal Cormier's first pitch over the left-field wall to give the Cubs a 1-0 lead; they eventually won the game 5-2 in 14 innings. Of the 129players to homer in their first MLB at-bat, Bullinger is one of just 32 to hit that blast on the first big-league pitch he saw (including Contreras) and one of just six pitchers to do so.
TarzanJoeWallis (view)
Most of this activity will lead nowhere, of course, but it is fantastic that they’re looking for talent in every nook and cranny. You never know where that can lead, and virtually nothing is lost if if leads nowhere, as long as no one of superior talent and potential is losing an opportunity.
First.Pitch.120 (view)
Fun 1st Hit / HR Fact…
Recent Cubs players to have HR as 1st MLB hit:
PCA
Morel
Happ
Contreras
Baez
Soler
Castro