The Cubs lost to the Atlanta Braves 10-4 tonight. In the game, Carlos Zambrano surrendered 8 runs on 8 hits and 5 homers in 4.1 innings. Big Z was ejected in the 5th after throwing at Chipper Jones and reportedly went into the clubhouse, cleaned out his locker, and told Cubs locker room personnel he was retiring. Here we go again. The Cubs have got to be sick of Zambrano’s histrionics at this point and if he’s not about to, it’s high time they walk away.
The Cubs signed Zambrano to a 5 year, $91.5 million deal in 2007. Since then, he’s been nothing but dugout fights and anger management classes sprinkled with the occasional home run. Zambrano’s been the man they wanted him to be on the hill, 2011 is his first year under the contract with an ERA over 4, but Chicago hasn’t surrounded him with a club talented enough to compete in the cut-throat NL Central. The Cubs lost in the NLDS in both 2007 and 2008 but haven’t been back to the playoffs since and at this point, the franchise is in a complete state of disrepair. The Cubs are terrible and if the Astros weren’t a AAA team masquerading as big league, they would be at the bottom of National League. Thus, there is reason for Zambrano to be frustrated. However, his childish antics and anti-team behavior have gone on too long. If the Cubs want to change their fortunes the first thing they’ll need to do is get better players. But the second thing they’ll need to do is change the environment in the clubhouse. Zambrano is a firecracker waiting to go off again and again. There was no reason for Carlos to throw at Chipper Jones tonight (his teammate Aramis Ramirez (who also really should go by the way) said as much) and the umpire made the right call by immediately ejecting him. As a professional baseball player, Zambrano should carry himself with way more composure than he displayed tonight.
And retiring mid game? Not even being there to support your teammates after a tough loss that you were more than partially responsible for? If Zambrano’s not done with them, the Cubs should be done with him.
As for now, Zambrano has vanished. His stuff is gone from the stadium and the Cubs don’t know where he his. For all they know he could be wandering the streets of Atlanta doing whatever newly retired disgruntled pitchers do on a Friday night in Atlanta. His teammates are understandably confused, some have said that they would welcome him back tomorrow if he decided to return but you can tell they’re only saying that because they have too. Manager Mike Quade, who always seems confused and often resembles that red guy from Captain America, clearly doesn’t know what to do or tell the media. Only time will tell where Carlos is and what he’s going to do. Maybe he’s out buying “I’m Sorry” flowers for Chipper.
-Max Frankel
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