When he became a full-time starter in 2003, many thought that 22-year-old Carlos Zambrano would be the staff ace that could ultimately lead the Chicago Cubs back to the playoffs and into the World Series. It is now 2011 and while Zambrano has contributed to a few trips to the playoffs, the Cubs still have not won a Fall Classic. In fact, in recent years, Zambrano has been known more for his bad attitude than his talent.
There is a laundry list of incidents involving Zambrano during his time in the Windy City.
The first occurred in 2007, when he got into an altercation with his catcher, Michael Barrett, over a passed ball.
In 2009, he was ejected from a game for arguing balls and strikes and just went ballistic. He threw a ball into the stands, tossed his glove and even smacked a water cooler with a bat. He was suspended for six games.
Last season, he got into a shouting match in the dugout with Derrek Lee over a mistake in the field.
Most recently, on August 12, after being ejected from a game during which he pitched horribly, Zambrano just seemed to finally snap. He cleaned out his locker and threatened to retire. For this, he was placed on the 30-day disqualified list. Definition: he cannot participate in any team activities and is suspended for 30 days without pay.
Given how great Zambrano once was, it's just sad to watch him now. His fan base has become less "Hey, what will Big Z do tonight" and more "OK...how is Zambrano going to mess up this year."
This is a wasted talent that is definitley one for the books, and hopefully Zambrano can find a way to turn it around.
