Yardbarker: Carlos Zambrano

Cubs Make Deal for Harden

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 23:22:10 -0500

Cubs GM Jim Hendry wasted no time in answering the Brewers move for Sabathia the other day. He landed RH starter Rich Harden from the A's. Hendry said the deal was in the works for the last couple of weeks, but heated up over the holiday weekend. Harden is only 26 and has an option for '09. He has a 5-3 record with a 2.34 ERA in 13 starts and 92 SO in 77 innings. While his numbers are good and he is young, he also has a tendency to get injured, having gone to the DL six times since '05. The Cubs also got 25-year old reliever Chad Gaudin. He is 5-3 with a 3.59 ERA in 26 appearances. Guadin will be used out of the bullpen, but could also start if necessary. In exchange, the Cubs traded starter Sean Gallagher, OF Matt Murton, minor leaguers OF Eric Patterson and catcher Josh Donaldson. The move provides the Chicago with a second (potential) ace at the top of their rotation to pair with Carlos Zambrano, although Harden's health problems will obviously remain a concern. Oakland acquires an assortment of minor leaguers that appear to be ready for the big show. Gallagher has shown flashes of brilliance early this season and Murton has already proved that he can hit for average in the big leagues. Once again, Billy Beane seems to have pulled off a great deal for the future.

2008 All-Star Snubs and Flubs: NL Edition

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 13:44:12 -0500

Yesterday, Major League Baseball announced its rosters for the 2008 All-Star Game to be played on July 15 at Yankee Stadium. Now, we take a look at the National League roster, to see who doesn't deserve to go and who got shafted. We don't have quite as many problems with the NL Roster as we did with the AL roster; that likely has something - if not everything - to do with the fact that the Yankees and Red Sox aren't in the NL. But the biggest question is, where are all the New York Mets?!?!?.......

Cubs at Cardinals open game thread

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 12:44:24 -0500

B-REF PREVIEW | GAMEDAY | WEATHER | ACB CHAT ROOM Braden Looper vs. Cubs hitters: The Cubs cannot hit this guy. May as well be Tim Lincecum. Carlos Zambrano vs. Cardinals hitters: .211/.267/.327 in 199 at-bats When and Where: 7:15 on WGN The Cubs have a collective .493 OPS against Braden Looper. Derrek Lee's .779 OPS against Looper is the highest on the team unless you count Geovany Soto who is 1-3 with a double (1.000 OPS). 3 of the 4 Cubs hitters who have 10 or more at-bats against Looper have an OPS below .610 (Lee's .779 the other one). Looper would win the Cy Young every year and go into the Hall of Fame as perhaps the greatest pitcher in history if he could face no other team than the Cubs. Zambrano's been great in his career against the Cardinals and he may have to be, in his first start off the DL, for the Cubs to win tonight.

Happy 232nd!

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 12:44:24 -0500

At least the Sun-Times isn't putting any pressure on Zambrano's return on Friday. Sometime around 8 or 9 tonight, the Cubs can make the call on whether to print playoff tickets this year. That's how important Carlos Zambrano's start is against the St. Louis Cardinals. Win or lose, that's how important his shoulder is to the Cubs' chances of doing any damage in October—and possibly of even getting there. Considering how close St. Louis is, they probably aren't far off.

Red Sox and Cubs Each to Send 7 Players to All-Star Game

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 11:46:07 -0500

The Red Sox and Cubs are the only two teams to send 7 players to the All-Star game. Cubs catcher Geovany Soto is the first rookie catcher ever in the NL and Kosuke Fukodome is the first rookie outfielder since Frank Robinson in 1956. The other NL teams each have two players named to the team. Other Cubs named are Alfonso Soriano, who is soon to come off the DL after a hand injury, Aramis Ramirez and pitchers, Carlos Zambrano, Ryan Dempster and Kerry Wood. Wood is in rare company, along with Rich Goassage, Dennis Eckersley and John Smoltz to be named to the squad as a starter and a closer.
The Red Sox had four starters voted in by fans: Kevin Youkilis, Dustin Pedroia, David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez. Added reserves are Jonathan Papelbon, Jason Varitek and J.D. Drew.

Chicago Cubs: Seventh Heaven

Sun, 06 Jul 2008 17:58:28 -0500

The Cubs are very well represented at the MLB All-Star Game this year, sending seven players to the game that could decide whether or not they will have home field advantage in the World Series.They send three players who will start, three pitchers, and one reserve. So what is the scouting report on each player that is reppen Cubbie blue? www.rawsportsblog.com

Record 7 Cubs Make NL All-Star Squad

Sun, 06 Jul 2008 17:01:25 -0500

As a Cubs fan, I am actually looking forward to the MLB All-Star game. After years and years of caring less and less about this game, I have never been so optimistic about the game. Alfonso Soriano, Kosuke Fukudome, and Geovany Soto were all voted onto the starting team while Ryan Dempster, Carlos Zambrano, Kerry Wood, and Aramis Ramirez will begin the game on the bench. It's hard to argue that any of the players shouldn't have made the team. Soriano is probably the most unworthy of playing due to a slow start and injury. Fukudome has cooled off dramatically since his monster start but it's not far-fetched for him to be on the team. And for once, the Cubs could be playing for home field advantage in the World Series. Things are looking up for the Cubs.

Pujols Hits 300th Homer; Cards Lose to Cubs 2-1

Sat, 05 Jul 2008 08:41:06 -0500

Albert Pujols hit his 300th career home run Friday night, becoming the fifth-youngest player to reach the milestone. Pujols lined his 18th homer of the season on a 2-2 pitch from the Cubs' Bob Howry in the eighth inning. He beat Hall of Famer Mel Ott for the fifth-fastest by one day.

Big Z Gives Nickname a Whole New Meaning

Sat, 05 Jul 2008 01:31:46 -0500

Carlos Zambrano allowed zero runs in his first start back after a stint on the 15-day DL today against the rival St. Louis Cardinals. What's even better is that the Cubs were able to pull off the win 2-1, which is different than the way they outscored teams earlier this season. Zambrano allowed zero runs, four hits, two walks, and five strikeouts in six innings of work. The only run for the Cardinals came on a two-out eighth inning home run by Albert Pujols, his 18th on the year. The Cubs scored on a first inning home run by Kosuke... Read the rest at TheDailyCub.com

Pujols milestone 300th not enough to beat Cubs

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 23:50:35 -0500

The problem with Albert Pujols' 300th homer was there were no Cards on base at the time. Geovany Soto has multi-hit night, joining Kosuke Fukudome in htting a home run. Carlos Zambrano took care of the first six innings, Kerry Wood took care of the last inning. (photo by Barbara Moore)

Biggest Cards series yet, Cubs in town for July 4th weekend

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 11:44:31 -0500

The Cards/Cubs rivalry rivals any rivarlry in baseball. And it starts tonight!

Dream Day For A Bears Fan

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 10:02:26 -0500

The bloggers of http://Fansided.com are doing a fantasy blog of your ideal doubleheader. I didn't participate in the original post, which you can read here: Doubleheader but I decided to do one now. It really isn't much of a stretch for me really. The day starts with an afternoon game at the friendly confines of Wrigley Field. It's a warm, beautiful day, the sun is shining, the bleacher bunnies are in full bloom, and the Cubs are playing the White Sox. I sit back and relax until some drunk Sox fan tells me how they know how to win the World Series like they have the magic formula in a can. I ignore him cause obviously he doesn't understand the joy of watching baseball in one the best stadiums in the country. Of course, Carlos Zambrano throws a perfect game and I catch a home run ball from Geovany Soto. I quickly leave Wrigley and hop on the red line straight south to the Roosevelt stop and go see my Chicago Bears play Monday Night Football against the Green Bay Packers. The entire nation watches as Matt Forte muscles his way to 100 yards rushing….in the first half! Grossman throws a beautiful bomb to Devin Hester who takes it to the house. The Bears destroy the Packers 39-0 with five touchdowns and two safeties. For me, that would be my perfect doubleheader. Now let's hear yours! There are a few rules, the doubleheader has to be possible, although its ok if it's highly improbable like sports played at different times of the year.

Chicago Cubs: Who Cares If the White Sox Win

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 20:35:03 -0500

The Chicago Cubs have just lost their second straight game against their crosstown rivals, the Chicago White Sox.But I'm still not scared (besides the fact that if the Cubs lose tomorrow, I will have to do 30 sit-ups every time I go to my friend's house) about the Cubs season, despite losing four of the last five games and their last three overall. www.rawsportsblog.com

MLB Buy 'n Sell (6/29)

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 08:23:07 -0500

Screaming Sports' Billy Smith break out MLB Buy 'n Sell and runs down a short list of players you should be buying or selling. Matt Garza? Believe it or not, it's time to sell. Robinson Cano? Grab him while he's hot!

White Sox Return the Favor

Sun, 29 Jun 2008 22:34:20 -0500

The White Sox gave the Cubs a taste of their own medicine and pulled off an impressive 3 game sweep of their Chicago counterparts this weekend, complete with stellar starting pitching, power throughout the lineup, and a lights out bullpen. Like the Sox the previous weekend, the Cubs simply could not get anything going all weekend. It appears that injuries, as well as tougher competition courtesy of the American League, has driven the Cubs to their first mini-slump of the season entering a 4 game series in San Francisco. The only good news from this weekend may be the improving health of stars Alfonso Soriano and Carlos Zambrano. Soriano is apparently healing very well and may return sooner than expected. Zambrano completed a bullpen session this evening and is slated to start next friday versus division rival St. Louis. All in all, this weekend series between two first place teams supported the statistical evidence that showed that regardless of the personnel or the year, these teams will always be very evenly matched.