Big Z retiring? Don't bet your 401(k) on it
It’s always something with Big Z. After notching his 100th victory last night in Cincy, Z told Chicago reporters who made the trek there that he was going to retire after his $91.5 million contract runs out in 2012 or 2013 if the vesting option kicks in.
As my colleague Carrie Muskat pointed on at mlb.com, the conversation started with talk of Big Z making it to 300 wins someday.
"Three hundred? Me?" Zambrano said. "No, I'll be out of here in five years."
There was more, according to Carrie’s account:
"After this contract, I'm done," Z told reporters. "I'm serious. I don't want to play. I want to help this team, I want to do everything possible to win with this team, but after five years or four years, or whatever I have left on my contract, I just don't want to play. I want to stay home and see my daughters grow up and hang out with my family more. Do you know how many Mother's Days I spend with my mother? Do you know how many things I've lost in my life? It's good to be here, it's good to play baseball _ don't get me wrong, But five years, four years, whatever I have left in my contract, I will retire. That's it."
Let’s see, Big Z just turned 28. If his career keeps going on its current pace, he’ll have a chance for one or maybe even two more big contracts.
Retiring? Yeah, sure. And I’m going to be the Cubs’ next left-handed relief specialist.
From what I’ve read, Z has been in a goofy mood all week after the hubbub surrounding his blowing off of the team charter to Atlanta. He’s grabbed reporters’ notepads and directed them to other “controversies,” such as Lou calling Geo Soto into his office for “a nice chat” the other day. (Actually, Z can be a lot of fun to be around when he gets like this, and I kind of like the big goofball.)
So I’m not betting against Carlos Zambrano being the Cubs’ opening-day starter in April 2014 in the newly refurbished Wrigley Field (or whatever it will be called). Maybe they’ll even show the "Best of Big Z" on one of the new JumboTrons they're going to install.
I am not so sure that he would retire my guess would be Big Z would retire at 35 that would make more sense. As for this team these guys do not have the fundamentals to play ball Sorriano was horrible last night he acted like he didnt care another strikeout on a slider. Also can someone tell Len and Bob to quit making excuses for this team-why do we have to put up with these jokers-All game long they talked about the Reds-do we have to hear about how great the other teams players are-horrible announcing. At least Pat and Ron tell it like it is.
that makes 2, wow
I've said it before when a manager takes off on the road before the media comes in and says "i just wanted to walk to the hotel" and then comes home and takes off after a loss before the media comes in for the "game after interview" has lost interest....like a ball player who just goes through the motions...Lou is just going through the motions....he knows he has a bad team, his team with lefties.....i'm not a cub basher, i'm a big cub fan for many years, but Lou made a mistake by coming back, so did hendry.....i'll take any team with (righties) 97 wins and take my chances...and recently the sports talk shows and print media have asked "is he losing interest"......so it's just not me, and i seen this coming long ago.....
not 2nd guessing, i said this in the first inning, the game was lost in the first inning by bad management
of course....only cub fans think the game is over in the 1st inning.
it was over cuz of the lack of a 3B, yet again.
i've preached this since the offseason when all we heard about was how much "depth" this team had. they have none. the "depth" they were talking about was this stupid lefty/righty crap in the lineup like its more important than anything else.
they should have scored in the first so it wasn't cause of no 3rd baseman... but then most sox fans think alike...
sorry guys...Lee was hitting 3rd...what i meant was he is not a 3-4-or 5 hitter...if this was the 2008 cubs and in the first inning I'd say ok cause we led the league in scoring runs....Edmonds, Soto rookie of the year, A-ram hitting, DeRosa, etc...but this 2009 team is not a scoring machine so we should play the TEAM GAME..create runs and that means Lee advancing/bunting the runners to 2nd and 3rd...now you have Fox up with one out.....does that make sense?.....
Lee can't bunt. Pure and simple. Have you seen this team try these fundamentals? They must not preach them because outside of Fuk, this team is terrible at the little things. Can't do it, so why try?
sorry but i have to get this of my chest....2nd time in about a week soriano started an inning with a double...this time it's the first...
again theriot who is a good right field hitter tries to bunt him to 2nd, giving up and out...luckily he gets hit and we have runners on 2nd and 3rd...
Lee comes up, led the universe in dp's in 2008, and he hits away...seems now's the time to bunt...he is not a clean up hitter, you have fox next who is slow, bunt the runners along...we're not facing sandy kofax.....
he had a bad TWO MONTHS of his career with DP's last year. April and May. After that it was back to the normal, average amount.
We look way too much at the total figures instead of the fluky trends.
People still want to bench Lee even though his OPS was near 1.000 over the last month; only because his overall numbers look bad.
I'm glad to see someone else here understands that statistical outliers don't necessarily show any change in a player's skills and abilities.
now with a weaker team in 2009 what did we expect?
i think it's lack of good coaching basics all through the system.......and when you can't score runs you ain't going anywhere......even with A-ram, we don't have the fire power......check it out
no left fielder and we're stuck with soriano for 4 more yrs
no center fielder, Fukudome belongs in right..if Bradley was the real deal then we could deal with Fukudome in center...
no right fielder-Bradley is a bust...the guy is injury prone
no A-ram-gets hurt every year, Hendry/Lou did not have a back up plan
so-so short stop--none in the minors
no 2nd baseman--none in the minors
no 1st baseman--stuck with Lee for one more year, and hoff is not a kid and un proven.....
no catcher-let's hope Soto comes in shape next year
no bench-
only kid we have in the minors is Vitters, he's at least a year away and the way cubs bring up kids you have to make a stop at every level.....
I'm not buying it either, Bruce. I think we all go through those phases when we wish like hell we could quit our jobs, but they pass. After The Big Moose's tough two weeks in which he got ejected, suspended, disciplined, fined, and criticized, I can imagine how he might wish he could sit at home and relax with the kids for a while.
I believe in Z 's loyalty, but is he up to something?
Manny Ramirez threatened countless time of trade and retirement so he can "work" the Red Sox for a contract deal.
This is not part of Z's equation, but he makes me wonder... what if he's really insecure right now?
This ballclub is going south right now. A team who frequently generates 8L streak or something close is not a contending team. And I was checking the boys down Iowa. There's trouble with pitch efficiency and holding runners on base. The club lacks depth, pitching depth. No good hands into Chicago bullpen is not an internal option.
Will Z zip again in frustration of his team? I hope he does.