I've been saying all season and have written it here: Carlos Zambrano has the best combination of skill and personality of any athlete in this city.
The guy is as competitive as any athlete, from hitting to fighting to pitching. He's what Chicagoans love in an athlete: passionate, tough and mostly dominant.
You can have Devin Hester, especially this season, and Brian Urlacher, but no athlete in this city matches the Q Rating of Big Z.
The guy emerges from doubts (including by me in this blog) about how his sore shoulder will hold up to firing a no-hitter. And it was against a very good and hot team in the Houston Astros.
He's amazing.
Roman, you are the man.(It takes talent to recognize talent)
I have always been a fan of reality. The reality of Big Z being the most consistent -To be consistent you have to be on the field- pitcher in a Cubs rotation that had both Wood and Prior.
I, being a Wrigleyville resident that stood out in a crowd, noticed the intoxicated euphoria for pitchers with faces that looked more like the surrounding neighborhood.
While even on talk radio all one had to say of the Big Z was his fire of emotions on the mound......huh?
I see bowlers express more emotion after a strike, and the Big Zs winning percentage speaks of the reality of his game much more than the perception of someone out of control, or they should all be that crazy.
I find it more than fitting that the Big Z gets a No Hitter against the very team Kid K recorded his 20 strike effort against.
We are still hailing the moment and now we can cap that moment with the consistency of a Cub pitcher that has stood for what Chicago means as a city, "Blue Collar" and "Hard Work" with no days off and no instant glory followed by fading dreams.
Big Z earned our respect over and over again, from the number 3 pitcher in the rotation, to #1, on a Cubs team headed for the playoffs for a second time in a row.
Many may not know what it takes to be the best in their profession, so why ask them to act like us when they are? As Cubs fans, we get excited, so why try and put panties on the Bull that leads the charge?
Congratulations Big Z.
Jon.
What does personality have to do with pitching?
Personality has to do with marketing and fan support. Obviously Sonicasm doesn't have a clue about the context of the blog topic. Plus, personality has everything to do about having passion in playing the game. Some pitchers have a tendency to be too mechanical and too robotic. Look at Mark Prior, heck even our very own Rich Harden. Z would be nowhere near as successful as he is now without his personality.
However, that being said, I would have benched Zambrano early last night even with flirting with that no-hitter. The Cubs had a nice lease and the bullpen had plenty of rest going into that game. With Z currently having those tendinitis issues, we need him 100% healthy for the playoffs. The no-hitter milestone is not as rare an occurrence anymore in baseball and I think most of the die hard fans would have understood if Z was pulled earlier. Just my opinion.
All the fanatics of Chicago Cubs love Big Z. and that is because Big Z exactly interprets the qualities of the faithful and persistent fanatic one but of the majors: authentic fanatics, of but the pure ones of the sport anywhere of the world, fighter, persistent, inexhaustible in its eagerness to win. That it has waited for with faith his day of glory, of joy, his day of the encounter with the final victory. And that victory is going to arrive from the hand of Big Z, because the infinite will incarnate in the game land desire of its fanatics and when being placed the uniform for the battle
to defend it with bravery and concerted effort, surpassing to the pain and the adversity, that has not exhausted to the great one fanatics of Chicago that blows in the wind of the city fire of its passion by the game that it made but great as it deports the day in which it began to gamble in the Wrigley Field. The Cubs was the first White Stockings, the Cubs was the first soldiers of the baseball, and first in being the equipment of the orphans, of the destitutes, of whom they make of his character his but great strength. Of that this fact Big Z, and this Lou. fact For that reason is wanted so much to them and we know that they fought fiercely until I complete of his force and talent. By all this, the fanatics one must go to Wrigley Field. Because the day of its coronation has arrived
It's sure nice to see Carlos Zambrano finally calm and cool. He is like a different person now. He actually controlled himself and the entire game. I really enjoyed watching that. I hope he keeps his calm and cool vibe when the Cubs get into the playoffs, the World Series and beyond. Way to go, Carlos! Thanks for the terrific no-hitter.
As Z goes, the Cubs go. And he is going quite well right now. Attitude is everything, from the field/court, to the office, to the bedroom. Big Z has talent, but a huge set of basketballs. When he is hot or cold its because what is between his ears, behind his ribcage and in his shorts. Zambrano-hitter! You have to tip your hat.