With all of their problems, the Cubs are still only 4 games out. I know everyone is preaching about how it’s still too early to make any trades, but, I wish the Cubs would/could go out and get somebody like Reed Johnson who knows how to play the game right. I think we need a little more fighting spirit to get us through this tough time. Even if its only a bench player… we need need a little more edge… (good edge, not fighting ump edge. lol)

…bumped Z’s tickets to first class, but that wasn’t what he wanted, so he refused to ride.

…he missed his flight because he is immature, not the other way around. I think we’ve been “bagging” on Z for while now….

it is becoming over the top. The longest standing member of the Cubs is now getting bashed for his attitude, and everything he does.

Z has become the whipping boy for a bad baseball team. Hendry deserves the whipping not Z.

I would think it’s getting harder and harder to defend this guy. It seems like it is always something with him. Rather than list chapter and verse all the crap he’s been involved with since we all know about it, this missed flight is just the latest in a long line of screw-ups. Why is it always him? If it were just about anyone else on the team, it wouldn’t be that big of a deal. But it’s him. Again. Normally, someone with his history who DOES have his head on straight would go the extra mile to ensure basic things like catching the team plane weren’t an issue.

As a fan since the 1960’s, I can relate as much as anyone to the desire of winning it all. For a long time, I felt Zambrano was key to that goal. Increasingly I don’t anymore. I’m getting tired of seeing him being enabled. I have no idea about no trade clauses and such, but if the right deal came along, it would no longer break my heart to see him go. He’s as talented as all get out, but at 28, he’s shown no evidence he’s ever going to harness it. He’s not a stopper, and we’ve been told by a myriad of people he’s not an “ace”. That’s sadly true. He should be, but he’s not. I watched Roy Halladay gut out a complete 14 strike out performance yesterday against the Angels. THAT’S an ace. Zambrano’s goal seems to be becoming a huge pain in the ass, and if it isn’t, he sure has a funny way of provng people wrong about that.

No player, not one, has ever said anything remotely near that about Zambrano.

Ironically keeps the lockerroom loose and relaxed.

Lucky…

injury experiement in RF.

Z is the fall guy now for a bad team.

And if it’s the least of the team’s problems, why did all 3 papers and WGN-AM cover it?

Oh, that’s right — they didn’t check with the apologists first.

…. for me, it’s his aggregate behavior. Why is something like this almost always him? For all his episodes where he’s plainly a hot head and a jerk, when something relatively minor like this arises, an incident that probably was avoidable, it isn’t unreasonable for people to start voicing some displeasure with his head. It’s the old cry wolf syndrome. He’s quickly running out of chances to legitimately mess up. When he does, like this episode maybe, it makes it a little harder to forgive.

he’s one of our starting pitchers. I don’t get all the angst.

Zambrano thinks he can act however he wants because he believes he is an ace? Thanks Carnac…

Carlos Zambrano is an ace, Carlos Zambrano is a horse. He has great stuff, he has a great record every year, throws a ton of innings, and is in the running for the Cy Young award. On top of that, he is a multiple winner of the silver slugger award. I, for one, am tired of people talking out of both sides of their mouth; one side saying that ERA is not an accurate measure of a pitcher, and the other side saying it is… You simply can’t have it both ways.

If you want a milquetoast pitcher, with no fire, who just gets it done, fine. Please though, stop with this incessant tripe that if he wasn’t getting paid what multiple teams were willing to pay him, that he would be shipped off to Baltimore. That is likely the most hyperbolic thing I have ever heard. It’s wrong, it’s silly, and it doesn’t make you sound as if you know what you are talking about. Rather, you sound like a person with an axe to grind, and a person to blame…

that’s not necessarily true. How long did it take for us to find out that Dempster’s baby was sick? We didn’t originally know why Marmol was in NY, either. When did we find out about Demp’s blister, which he’s had ALL SEASON?

You cannot draw conclusions from evidence you think we should know, or evidence you think doesn’t exist because it hasn’t been exposed.

If a reporter knows something “off the record,” you produce a first draft with that content and present it to the editor with names and quotes, but pointing out they were not meant to see the light of day. Then, the editor can contact the source and ask for confirmation and/or permission to use said quotes in the story. If permission is denied, the writer must re-write and only reflect what is of public domain.

Anything else is considered unethical and sources may pursue a libel lawsuit.

But athletes are, like celebrities, “better human beings” or something. /sarcasm?/

I guess it’s one of the myriad inequalities in this world. And it’s frustrating, just like the many others that come to my head right now.

and winning, it feels better than a lot of other things.

It’s just the way it is, I guess. Frankly, I think the ridiculous amount of money they get paid is a much more significant issue.

and who knwos if we ever know all of it.

now regarding his antics, and tantrums, it is funny that in other sports we welcome them and in baseball we do not. Am i saying that it is right or wrong, no, just pointing it out.

In football we love seeing a QB who gets on his blockers, we love to see a Center in hockey throw slam his helmet and stick in the penalty box, and have no complaints about chest bumping during a time out in basketball (not everyone agrees with each, but in general).

Nice to know

to draw conclusions. If his teammates are unhappy with him, they’ll let him know.

him? You’ve said this several times before. How about something new?

And you will be sayinh Go Braves Go tonight because Carlos is starting.

Thank you for making it clear as day you root for the other team 1 out of every 5 days.