Baseball Musings
Baseball Musings
July 21, 2006
The Winning Cub

Carlos Zambrano won his first game of the season May 10th. From that day on, he's 10-1. The rest of the Cubs staff is 13-38. That's 43% of the team wins from Zambrano in that time. So why is Dusty Baker abusing his arm?

In the eighth inning, with the Cubs ahead 4-1, the Astros had a man on first base with two outs. Baker decided to pay a visit to the mound. By then, Zambrano's pitch count was above 120 and No. 3 hitter Lance Berkman was up.

So what did Baker say?

Well, it was in Spanish, but roughly translated the meaning was "relax and pitch calmly."

Spanish?

"He speaks good Spanish," Zambrano said. "He said to calm down and make your pitches and get out of the situation."

Zambrano did, getting Berkman to foul out.

Let's leave in a tired pitcher in a big situation. Mark Prior Game 6 anyone? Baker was lucky this time. If Berkman gets a hit and the Cubs lose, the fire Dusty bandwagon would roll even faster.


Posted by David Pinto at 08:53 AM | Pitchers | TrackBack (0)
Comments

I read a while back that a dramatic increase in IP from one year to another (usually about 50+ IP difference) will ruin a pitchers career. It'll never be the same again. You just made me think about that again.

Posted by: Devon at July 21, 2006 09:23 AM

I wonder why Zambrano wasn't taken out even earlier. The Cubs are going nowhere; why is their best pitcher getting anywhere near 120 pitches? Why wasn't he removed at the end of the seventh inning? Can't you save the guy's arm and trust your bullpen to hold a 3-run lead with two innings to go?

This is exactly how the Cubs wound up with two perpetually injured aces -- overtaxing gifted young arms.

Posted by: johnw at July 21, 2006 09:24 AM

Does anybody else see Zambrano as the second-coming of Livan? At this rate he'll be pedestrian in 4 years...if not sooner.

Posted by: Nate at July 21, 2006 12:29 PM

we saw this same thing with Prior and Wood...

Posted by: Adrian at July 21, 2006 01:34 PM

- sigh

what is it with yall guys?


dusty left Z in because unlike modern guys, Z is a MAN. don't no MAN have no pitch counts. don't no MAN get tired. don't no MAN not finish what he start. because dusty know MEN.

besides, who care if Z frag his arm? dusty gonna be gone by then

Posted by: lisa gray at July 21, 2006 10:37 PM
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