but the reason I’m commenting is b/c you are TOTALLY RIGHT ON about the umps. Something needs to be done. Before we know it, I’m afraid it’ll be NBA umps.

I still believe Zambrano will be suspended for—at least—twice over his pitching turn. The outburst of telling the ump that he “was outta here” and the tossing of the baseball to the outfield aren’t going to be taken lightly by the powers-that-be.

Otherwise, you’re spot on.

but I think the Cubs need Zambrano, and they need his fire.

And I’d be perfectly happy if every ump was fired, and they had three year old school children call the games. I can’t imagine they’d be any worse at it.

1- The Bradley/Lilly/Z blowups inspire not only those individuals, but the entire team. The Cubs carry a grudge on their shoulders and begin to tear up the league.

2- The blowups do nothing but reveal the mental weakness of those players and the constant moaning and complaining drags down the entire team. The umpires come to resent the Cubs, and the team falters under the mental strain these blowups create.

Unfortunately, I think scenario 2 is often the course after a team reveals too much emotion. There are certain things players cannot control and these thoughtless outbursts often drag down the entire team.

read the comments

http://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2009/4/16/840524/when-did-the-cubs-get-a-gatorade

Perhaps there was too much collateral damage

Is bad… but if something is gonna change, I think it’s going to take a unified effort of owners to make the change. Nothing personal, but I believe MB has a bad reputation, and I doubt any team with him on it… getting in continual fights with umpires… is going to make the change.

Still…. Something needs to be done. I just don’t think the Cubs are going to be the ones who can change it.

C’mon guys light that fire. Even if Z misses a start hten it might be just the thing this team needs.

I’m with Worf on this one, I’m afraid. If I am facing a must-win game, I’d rather hand the ball to Sean Marshall than Zambrano any day of the week, and I wouldn’t even think twice about it. It’s getting harder to like Z with every passing start.

…as several of you have speculated above. Because it happened between innings, I guess that WGN didn’t show the argument on TV. I looked at the game threads after I got back from the ballpark on Monday and there was barely any mention of it, just a few puzzled comments along the lines of, “huh, Len just said Lilly was ejected?”

Anyway, Bob Davidson tossed Lilly before Ted came onto the field. After he was ejected, Lilly raced onto the field and started berating the umpire. Lilly was very angry and very animated – Lou had to restrain Ted and lead him back to the dugout, while Rothschild stepped in front of Davidson. From that sequence of events, I’m guessing that Lilly was frustrated (weren’t we all?) and had thrown a few obscenities at Davidson but the fact that the on-field temper tantrum came after the ejection leads me to believe that Ted hadn’t planned anything.

Two seasons ago when Lou exploded and got suspended, the team started scoring runs and winning games. You never know how certain things can affect players in this game.

I agree 100% regarding the umpires! Some of these guys act like the fans show up to see them. If MLB wanted to send the proper message to EVERYONE at the same time, they’d announce they’re reviewing the actions of the umpire as well.

Incidentally, you never heard a peep out of MLB after an umpire recently made hand contact with Magglio Ordonez. The umpire DID release a statement of apology; however, had MLB taken action on the matter, it would have sent a message to all the umpires around MLB.

As I said elsewhere, Z’s reaction was perfectly within limits right up until the poor ejection on Carlson’s part. Once that happened, Z rather lost composure.

The glove and ball toss, sure. The much despised Gatorade machine seems to be carrying things too far; it was like a ‘hey, why not?’ moment. He was already ejected.

this would not have happened, right?

Poor machine.

I think the fact that Bradley is starting to hit better is a lot more important.

Z was ready to snap. Someone probably should have went out after THAT play to talk to him… Soto, Lou, Rothschild, ANYONE…Maybe the outcome would have been different. Carlson clearly initiates the contact but Z probably shouldn’t have been in that situation in the first place. I am sure he is going to get 10 days for the contact, the glove throw and the ball throw… MLB is out of control like that.

Many of us (including me) tolerate an outburst by Z, if it will help motivate the team and it comes at the end of his day, as it did yesterday—it seems this team really needed a kick in the butt. Maybe this outburst will be remembered like Lou’s on June 2, 2007 as the one that started the long turnaround to the season (typed with fingers crossed).

I for one will take occasional outburst and child-like emotions, when this team is lethargic, over the “keep to yourself, adult-like behavior” of a guy like DLee.

From a style stand-point, I do think Z has matured at keeping his emotions together on the mound, compared to past seasons. In his second start since his DL stint, do any of us think Lou would let him throw much past 110 pitches? I also agree that it was the Soriano mis-play earlier that was his initial motivation for boiling over.

I hope ESPN, CSN, FOX and everyone else in the media will point to May 27, 2009 as a day that the Cubs “got on fire” from a win/loss standpoint.

But Zambrano tossing the umpire was one of the best things I’ve seen from a baseball game in a long time. At least someone has the gall to challenge this group of over-privileged game-deciders.

Worf, you seem to know Zambrano quite well. Does he confide in you his every thought after every start? Maybe he writes you letters on the road, saying how put-out he was after that one missed strike call, or how he’s looking forward to his class this winter on addition/subtraction. Because obviously coming to a foreign country and learning it’s language isn’t quite enough for you to consider someone intelligent.

Well, it’s all crap, but the win streak is at 2. Will this latest Zincident ignite ZCubs? It should be eggZiting in Wrigley tonight as the Dodgers come in with lefthanded pitching. Hey for what it’s worth Cubs are 3 out of the wildcard and 4 out of first with ONLY 117 games left….

Watching Zambrano tirade I couldent help but laugh. Especially when Z tried to throw the ump out of the game. And i do think the team could turn that into something positive. 2 years back pinella went out and argued a call and got tossed out of the game. Then the cubs started rolling.