Zambrano’s End?

Looks like Victor Zambrano’s injury could be career-threatening, as his surgery ended up being more extensive than anticipated. I wish Zambrano well, and far from New York and the memories of the Kazmir deal. Still, if this is curtains for Zambrano, let’s remember the good stuff: leaving Tampa Bay as the Devil Rays’ winningest pitcher, posting a 3.55 ERA in his first 20 starts as a Met, including a 10-start string as one of the most effective starters in the game, and his status as one of baseball’s toughest starters to take deep. Zambrano never did have the consistency he needed to be successful, and in retrospect maybe his arm was hurting him much of last year. But it was never his fault who he was traded for.

17 thoughts on “Zambrano’s End?”

  3. Mike, I don’t forgive or forget the decision to deal Kazmir. I’m just trying to look at Zambrano on his own merits on his way out the door.

  5. Zambrano may pitch effectively again. But most likely not for the Mets. In retrospect, the Mets were wrong about virtually everything you can be wrong about in making a trade. Maybe Zambrano was good but hurt, or maybe he was not good, and also hurt. Either way, they were wrong to see him as a property worth acquiring. They obviously had doubts about either Kazmir’s character, his mechanics, or both, and so far, those have not been an issue. And even if they knew something about Kazmir that no one else did, they seemingly could have gotten more value in trading him.
    At any rate, as you said, the deal was not Zambrano’s doing. I hope he can get healthy, and that whatever success he does or does not have willk be his own doing.

  6. WooHoo!
    If you guys didn’t watch the Astros – Giants game last night you missed a good show. In the 5th Bonds comes to the plate, Springer in relief, Giants already ahead 11-3. First pitch so far inside Bonds has to jump towards the plate and let it pass behind him. Springer gets warned. Next 3 pitches high and tight, so close if Bonds’ nipples had been hard he would have been hit by pitch. 5th pitch SMACKO right on the shoulder.
    Springer ejected, gets a standing ovation from the crowd.
    That Barry. People just love him.
    With the Astros in a now 3 week old tailspin at least there was something fun to watch, and at least Bonds hasn’t tied Ruth here. Yet.
    (I guess if Crank wants me to stop crapping his threads with Astros reports he’ll tell me to STFU)

  7. Dwil-
    I’m not sure about the relationship between steroid use and nipple health, but I’d guess Bonds hasn’t had a hard nipple in 8 years. And that may not be only “vascular” problem, if you get my drift. Which may explain why Bonds is so surly.
    Why do you think *Rafael Palmeiro* was pitching Viagra? Huh?
    Speaking of Raffy, anyone catch him on the Mets Classic during last night’s rain delay? Pre-injection, based on his lean look. For anyone who gives a darn, I mentioned him and that ’86 game in this morning’s post.

  8. Shame on Zambrano for not be totally honest with the Mets from the very beginning when he was hurting all along!! Think of what this team could have been if he was honestly 100%. Goodbye, good luck and good-riddens!!!

  9. Crank, Kazmir has had a horrible WHIP, the stat that’s been central to my first- and second-place finishes the past two years in my fantasy league. (It’s been improving in the past month, but still….) So, thank you, but I’ll take a pass on him.

  10. “Speaking of Raffy, anyone catch him on the Mets Classic during last night’s rain delay? ”
    Tangentially, one would think that SNY has, maybe, more than one “Mets Classic” to screen during rain delays.

  11. I definitely agree with The Crank that we can’t hate Zambrano for a trade he didn’t make. I’m also sure he didn’t want to get hurt either, even if he was foolishly trying to suck up the pain in order to please the Mets fans.
    I don’t even think it was such a bad thing for the Mets to trade for Zambrano. The one truly unforgivable sin remains the same. If you wanted to trade Kazmir, you could have, and should have gotten more in return. And along those lines, the one question that has never been answered is, “Why would a rational, intelligent, professional GM even consider trading Kazmir?

  12. Greg-
    These are the questions that have driven philosophers and kings.
    How many angels can dance on the head of a pin pales in comparison to “”Why would a rational, intelligent, professional GM even consider trading Kazmir?”

  13. I was at Shea for Game 4 of the 2000 World Series. Seeing Jeter hit the HR on the first pitch of the game is the only thing more painful than seeing Kazmir traded for Zambrano.

  14. Off Bobby Jones. Remember it well.
    Much though I hate to admit it, that was one of those moments that describes “Jeter.”
    Yankee though he is, the dude’s a gamer extraordinaire.

  15. Barry Zito, now in 4 starts for the month of May, has a .65 ERA. Only slighly higher than Scott Kazmir’s .41 ERA.

  16. Gee, thanks Jim! Always nice to hear the good news from a fellow in Beantown.
    How’s Calvin Shiraldi doing?

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