Carlos Zambrano facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Carlos Zambrano |
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Zambrano with the Chicago Cubs in 2010
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| Pitcher | |||
| Born: June 1, 1981 Puerto Cabello, Venezuela |
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| debut | |||
| August 20, 2001, for the Chicago Cubs | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| September 21, 2012, for the Miami Marlins | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Win–loss record | 132–91 | ||
| Earned run average | 3.66 | ||
| Strikeouts | 1,637 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Carlos Alberto Zambrano Matos (born June 1, 1981) is a former professional baseball pitcher from Venezuela. People often called him "Big Z" or "El Toro" (which means "The Bull"). He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 2001 to 2012. He spent most of his career with the Chicago Cubs and also played for the Miami Marlins.
Carlos Zambrano was signed by the Cubs in 1997. He made his big league debut in 2001. He was known for being a strong pitcher who could also hit very well. He won the Silver Slugger Award three times for his hitting. This award goes to the best offensive players at each position. He hit 24 home runs in his career, which is the most by any Cubs pitcher ever! He was also the only pitcher in the National League to win at least 13 games every year from 2003 to 2008. In 2006, he was the first player from Venezuela to lead the National League in wins. One of his biggest achievements was pitching a no-hitter on September 14, 2008.
Contents
Carlos Zambrano's Baseball Journey
Playing for the Chicago Cubs (2001–2011)
Early Years with the Cubs (2001–2002)
Carlos Zambrano first joined the Cubs on August 20, 2001. He started his first game against the Milwaukee Brewers. He pitched well at first, but then ran into trouble. He was only 20 years old when he got his first big-league win on September 20, 2001. He played 6 games that year.
In 2002, Zambrano started the season in the minor leagues. But he was quickly called up to the Cubs. He pitched in 32 games, starting 16 of them. He showed great potential, like pitching eight innings without giving up any runs against the Brewers. He finished the season with 4 wins and 8 losses.
Becoming a Star in 2003–2004
In 2003, Zambrano became a regular starter for the Cubs. He won 13 games with a good ERA of 3.11. The Cubs won their division that year and almost made it to the World Series.
On August 22, 2003, Zambrano almost pitched a no-hitter against the Arizona Diamondbacks. He got the first two batters out in the eighth inning before a hit broke up his no-hitter. The Cubs had not had a no-hitter since 1972.
Zambrano pitched in the playoffs for the first time in 2003. He started two games in the National League Championship Series (NLCS). The Cubs lost the series to the Florida Marlins.
In 2004, Zambrano continued to improve. He lowered his ERA to 2.75 and had 188 strikeouts. He won 16 games, which was the best on the Cubs team. He was also chosen for his first All-Star team.
He had some memorable games against the rival St. Louis Cardinals. In one game, he struck out Jim Edmonds and showed his emotion. He was later ejected from the game after hitting Edmonds with a pitch. Zambrano said it was not on purpose. He was named the National League Pitcher of the Month for September.
Strong Seasons in 2005–2006
In 2005, Zambrano was named the Cubs' opening day starter. He continued to pitch well against the Cardinals, winning three games against them. He also had a great year hitting, with a .300 batting average. He finished the season with 14 wins and 202 strikeouts.
In 2006, Zambrano was again the opening day starter. He almost pitched another no-hitter on June 5 against the Houston Astros. He had a perfect game going into the eighth inning before giving up a hit. He also hit a three-run home run in that game.
Zambrano went to his second All-Star Game in 2006. He had a fantastic July, winning all six of his starts. He was named the National League Pitcher of the Month for July. He finished the 2006 season with 16 wins and 210 strikeouts. He also led the league with 115 walks. Even though the Cubs had a tough year, Zambrano became their top pitcher.
Contract and Challenges in 2007
Before the 2007 season, Zambrano signed a big five-year contract worth $91.5 million. He had hoped to win the Cy Young Award and for the Cubs to win the World Series.
His start to the 2007 season was difficult. He struggled with his control and gave up many runs. He worked with his pitching coach to improve. On June 1, 2007, he had a disagreement with his catcher, Michael Barrett, in the dugout. He later apologized.
Zambrano almost pitched a no-hitter again on June 16. A hit in the eighth inning stopped it. He finished July with a great 5–1 record and was named Pitcher of the Month. He became the first pitcher to win 14 games in 2007.
In August, he struggled again. After a tough game in September, he was booed by fans at Wrigley Field. He reacted by saying fans only cared about themselves, but he apologized the next day. He finished the season with 18 wins, a career high. He also pitched over 200 innings for the fifth year in a row.
No-Hitter and Hitting Records in 2008
Zambrano had a strong start to 2008, with 12 wins by late July. He was also an amazing hitter, with a .354 batting average. On May 23, he had four hits in a game, which was very rare for a pitcher. He also set a club record for home runs by a pitcher.
On September 14, 2008, Carlos Zambrano made history. He pitched a no-hitter against the Houston Astros. The game was played in Milwaukee because of Hurricane Ike. He only allowed two batters to reach base. This was the first no-hitter by a Cubs pitcher since 1972. It was his 14th win of the season and 95th overall.
Emotional Moments in 2009–2011
On May 27, 2009, Zambrano was ejected from a game after disagreeing with the umpire. He showed his frustration by throwing his glove and hitting a cooler in the dugout. Major League Baseball suspended him for six games. He later said he wanted to retire after his contract with the Cubs ended.
In 2010, Zambrano started the season with a tough outing. He was later moved to the bullpen, then back to the starting rotation. On June 25, he had a disagreement with a teammate in the dugout. The Cubs suspended him for his actions. He worked on controlling his emotions and returned to pitch well. He finished the season with 11 wins.
In 2011, Zambrano continued to hit home runs, reaching 23 in his career. On August 12, 2011, after giving up five home runs, he threw two pitches inside to a batter and was ejected. After this, Zambrano left the team and said he was retiring. The Cubs suspended him for 30 days. He later apologized, but the team decided he would not play for the rest of the season. Some teammates were not supportive of his actions. He finished the year with 9 wins.
Playing for the Miami Marlins (2012)
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On January 5, 2012, the Cubs traded Zambrano to the Miami Marlins. He got his first win as a Marlin by pitching a complete game shutout against the Houston Astros. He started the season well, but then struggled later in the year. He finished the season with 7 wins and 10 losses. After the 2012 season, Zambrano became a free agent.
Later Career and Retirement
In 2013, Zambrano signed a minor league contract with the Philadelphia Phillies. He pitched well in the minor leagues but was released in July. On September 5, 2014, he officially announced his retirement from baseball.
He briefly came out of retirement in 2018 to pitch for the Leones de Yucatán in the Mexican League. In 2019, he played for the Chicago Dogs, an independent baseball team. He announced his retirement again on January 17, 2020.
Pitching Style
Carlos Zambrano used several different pitches. His main pitch was a heavy sinker, which made batters hit ground balls. He also threw a cutter and a splitter. He also had a four-seam fastball, slider, and curveball.
Zambrano was known for showing a lot of emotion on the field. He sometimes had disagreements with opponents and even teammates. He was suspended a few times for his actions, including throwing a ball into the outfield after arguing with an umpire. He also had disagreements that sometimes became physical with teammates if he felt they were not playing hard enough.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball players from Venezuela
- List of Major League Baseball annual wins leaders
- List of Major League Baseball all-time leaders in home runs by pitchers
