During a visit to Wrigley Field for today’s Pirates/Cubs game, veteran right-hander Carlos Zambrano told reporters (including MLB.com’s Carrie Muskat) that he has retired. He had been pitching in his native Venezuela last winter in the hopes of catching on with another Major League club, but it appears as though Zambrano has instead called it a career.
The “Big Z” retires with a 132-91 record, 3.66 ERA, 7.5 K/9 and 38.2 rWAR over 1959 innings in the bigs, with 11 of his 12 seasons spent with the Cubs and his final year (2012) spent with the Marlins. (Zambrano also made four starts in the Phillies’ minor league system in 2013.) He threw a no-hitter against the Astros in 2008 and his career achievements include three top-five finishes in NL Cy Young Award voting, three All-Star appearances and three Silver Slugger Awards. That last honor was particularly well-deserved since Zambrano was one of the better-hitting pitchers in recent memory, posting a .238/.248/.388 slash line and 24 homers over 744 PA.
While slightly leaving the door open for a possible comeback attempt, Zambrano’s recent attempts at throwing didn’t work out. “I was telling one of the [Cubs] scouts that I was playing catch the other day after five months, and I felt like I was throwing a rock,” Zambrano said. “I think I’m going to stay home, see what happens next year. God has the last word.”
Zambrano, 33, was no stranger to controversy over his career, known for several confrontations with umpires and twice getting into dugout altercations with teammates (Michael Barrett and Derrek Lee). The Cubs put him on the restricted list in August 2011, effectively ending his career in Chicago.
According to Baseball Reference, Zambrano made just under $114MM over his career. We at MLBTR wish Zambrano a happy time in retirement.
He wasn’t already retired? Huh. Okay then.
Yea, it definitely feels more like an announcement that he still exists more than anything else.
Best of luck in retirement Z. Keep lettin’ God have the last word and you’ll do fine.
What might have been…..
He had a very good career.
He’s only 33?!
Starters who throw a lot splitters get old really quick.
Yeah, like John Smoltz, Roger Clemens, David Cone 😉
A lot of guys (like Clemens and Smoltz) went to it later in their careers when they had little to lose. Almost every organization does not allow their young starters to throw the splitter, it’s just a brutal pitch if you come up throwing it. Zambrano’s was an incredible pitch, he came up through the minors throwing it. Rich Harden (another guy done by age 30) had a great one too. Carl Pavano, (known as “The American Idle” because he was hurt so much lol) Ubaldo Jiminez, Ryan Dempster, so many guys that were throwing that pitch as youngsters had really had short primes/careers. There are few starters left that throw it any more, mostly the guys coming over from Japan. Simon on the Reds throws one, so does Dan Haren. Tim Hudson is another veteran who has started to throw it more as he’s gotten older.
So, if that is a pitch that guys develop when they are old, how come they are successful if that pitch “get people old” ? There have been a lot of pitchers with successful careers until their late 30s that threw splitters. The splitfinger is used even as a replacement of a changeup and does not involve wrist or elbow movement. You just named injury-prone pitchers that happened to throw splitters
I named those guys because they are some of the only recent starting pitchers that featured a splitter as their out pitch, and they all got hurt and were done at a young age. Again, almost every single team will not allow their young starting pitchers to throw it when they are developing. If you want to know the reason, put a baseball between your fingers and feel what happens in your forearm, where the UCL is. It’s not good. You can come up with exceptions to the rule, (Kuroda) but a vast majority of starting pitchers that work off the split and throw it a lot see tons of injuries and a decrease in velocity at a young age. Relievers they will let throw it all day long. Not young starters though. You might disagree with that notion but 30 MLB teams think otherwise which is why you don’t see any young starters featuring a splitter.
In the history of his career, I don’t think anyone called him ‘the’ Big Z. Just Big Z. Or as the Gatorade race calls him, Z the Terrible.
I wondered what happened to his claim that if his right arm ever gave out he’d try being a LHP, and if that didn’t pan out, he’d move to right field. His bat would certainly play there.
“I think I’m going to stay home, see what happens next year.”
Doesn’t sound like a retirement, sounds like he’s acknowledging that he’s done for this year and will see how he feels next spring.
Gatorade coolers everywhere breathe a sigh of relief.
Bullpen phones eagerly await David Ortiz’s announcement.
He had arguably the best stuff of he, Prior, and Wood in 2003. Just wish he would have taken the step from (mostly) good to great starter. As frustrating as he was to watch, he did provide a fairly great deal of excitement, whether celebrating a strikeout or clubbing a homer from either the left or right side. Enjoy civilian life as best you can, Z.
I wonder what Carlos Zambrano is like outside of baseball.
Like, if a neighbor expresses excitement for getting a check from a mail-in rebate, does Carlos begin barking angrily at the neighbor for showboating, then throw a newspaper at him (but claim it to be unintentional) and pick up his garden sprinkler and angrily throw it on the ground?
Probably. He got in some brawls here in Venezuelan Winter League. He IS freaking crazy. But at least he doesn’t respond to fan insults; thank god because he would tear everybody up
I always liked Zambrano. He had a few outbursts that hurt him, but I always thought the one with Derrek Lee, “Z” was in the right. I remember reading how Derrek Lee asked Hunter Pence, “why he ran so hard, even when he knew it was an out”. Of course, that’s how Hunter plays the game, and most should. Despite being a million dollar game, Lee wouldn’t dive for as many balls as other guys, or hustle that much either.
I was wondering why he was at the cubs game today. Good thing I saw him and got his autograph today.
Thanks for signing and thanks for making being a cubs fan so entertaining!
I remember going to a Dodgers vs Cubs game in 2007 and watching him throw some gatorade coolers around in the dugout… good stuff.