Personally, I know that if I had reporters shouting questions at me every day, including days were I just failed miserably on national television, that I’d probably say some stupid things too. Actually, I’m sure I would.

However I think it’s a big stretch to go from his statement that he wants “to stay home and see my daughters grow up and hang out with my family more” and turn that into your statement that he’s “planning on living it up with all his money”.

Finally, Carlos has always seemed like an intense competitor and I assume he’s as hungry to get to a WS as anyone else on the team…

You’re right he doesn’t care he just wants to live it up in 5 years.

If this man fulfills the terms of his contract which he intends to do, why isn’t he entitled to spend his money any way he sees fit? It’s interesting that people would begrudge a man who says he would like to see his children grow up. I don’t know if it occurred to you but maybe all the recent criticism he’s been given has made him think that he doesn’t need it once his contract is up. I don’t blame the guy. He gives the game all he has when he’s on the field and he’s still one of the most criticized players in this organization. He’s just put together 100 wins in a Cubs uniform but fans still want to bash the guy.

No the anti Zambrano therefore anti Cubs once every 5 games crowd is showing what kind of people they are by the reaction they have to this story.

Every person who bashes him here has made it clear that they want him to not win when he pitches.

Not necessarily for the Cubs to lose but you don’t want Zambrano to win.

You’re saying I’m part of a Zambrano cult. Show me a single instance where I’ve demonstrated my worship of the Great and Powerful Carlos.

This is becoming typical behavior around here: Rather than responding to the individual poster and the ideas expressed in the post you’re replying to, just place a derisive label on them and respond to your conception of what that label means. Saves time and thought, right?

And yeah, I used the same kind of label in my original post (i.e., “the Zambrano Bashers Club”) but the difference is that I wasn’t applying that label to any particular person — in fact, I was explicit that I wasn’t applying it to gizmo.

Zambrano has a talent not not one man in a thousand has. I wonder, Worf, if you could take the heat of being the focus of so many people. I’ve been in much smaller situations where I was the focus of a lot of people, and it wasn’t easy.

he was a US citizen. Hmm.

From what I understand he is becoming a citizen the week of the 4th of July possibly as part of a pregame ceremony at Wrigley.

Maybe he wants to bring more of his family here.

And when he retires even if they are back in Venezuela he will have more time with him. As of now Chavez hasn’t cutt off travel.

do we know for sure they weren’t adopted though? lol

I’ve often thought that one of the things that would really destroy baseball is if Pujols tested positive for PEP’s. He is absolutely the epitome of a great player and a great person, and my jab at him was just that. That fact that he’s a Cardinal and I can say without a flinch how great he is really says how good he is.

I’m OK with it

The other link leads there eventually.

http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090605&content_id=5163534&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=chc

Ryno retired mid season to “be with his family”. Actually he retired because his wife was suing him for divorce and he wanted to help deal with his kids,

Michael Jordan retired to “be with his family” suddenly before a season started but it was to deal with his father’s death and have more time with bimbos.

… if he does pitch till he’s 40, he has the chance to be remembered as the greatest pitcher in Cubs history, not to mention putting up a Hall of Fame career. Not saying he WILL do that, only that if he retires at 32, neither of those will happen.

All he said was he right now will retire when his contract is up. He is not threatening to retire right now or anything.

Lee and Dempster’s families are here as well. Z’s wife and kids are with him but the rest of his family is a 16 hour plane ride away.

It really takes a lowlife to bash someone who misses his family. There is nothing lower than that..

He is NOT derrek lee or dempster. He is his own person. If something was wrong with his family and he couldn’t deal with being away from it, and had the money to be there full time, that is what he has the right to do. You do not have the right to tell him what he should do outside of baseball.

I think it would be very refreshing to see someone be so stand-up about his personal life, and family. Especially professional atheletes.

Don’t compare him to other players when it comes to personal lives, everyones different. Btw, lee and dempsters’ family live here in the USA don’t they? Does Z’s? Also, while I’m on a role, demp and lee’s under a contract. Z would not be if his contract was to expire. He wouldn’t be obligated anything to the team. Even if I was in favor of comparisons like this, it wouldn’t be fair!

Don’t criticize people if they are doing something like this, your not them!

He’s talking about honoring his contract, honoring his employer by playing hard, and then retiring when it’s done because there are things in this world more important than playing baseball.

I said “shooting”. Zambrano likes to talk about many things, and in this instance, I believe hes just talking for the sake of talking; he knows he has a chance to go down as one of the best of his era, so I find it hard to believe he’d walk away from that.

so why dont you read a bit closer before you try to denigrate me

And people making nasty comments about someone expressing his missing his family.

Ssaying its a non story is not bad. Anyone calling him pissy is bad.

Where did I react to people calling it a non story?

I reacted to those bashing him for missing his family.

And it would be different if he was saying he was going to retire now and walked out of the clubhouse.

It’s sad that people criticize him for missing his family and talking about how it affects him.

No decent person would.

Or just, “Damn, I was hoping for cereal but the milk is expired” sad?

It’s not here in fact if anything 99 percent of the time this place is not like other places.

It’s the fan behavior at the park and other things.

sounds like frustration.

that I’m a lot farther away from most of my friends and family than 99.99% of all those people.

And guess what, we all complain about it now and then. It’s not a crime.

But I am mystified that you think “no one believes him”. He doesn’t miss his family? Or am I misunderstanding you?

Maybe he’s struggling with his commitment to his family and his commitment to baseball.

Also the nurses and such people refer to most of their families aren’t a 16 hour plane ride away living in a country where people disappear rather frequently under Chavez. (I work with a woman from Venezuela who fears for her family’s safety every day because they are against the government).

He got his wife and kids out now he wants to get his other family out from what I’ve heard.

Again I worry something is happening to trigger this suddenly coming out that may be related to the missed flight.

… but you don’t KNOW that. Sorry, had to do it.

Much evidence is available to suggest that Scales sacrificed much more than Zambrano to get to the majors. The difference between Scales and Zambrano, and what would go to support your answer, is that Scales,by all accounts, has his head screwed on much better, is humble, and wouldn’t think it proper to mention it. Zambrano, obviously, has no such thought processes.

Living here in Long Beach, CalifornI-yay, I’ve followed Vlad Guererro’s career. He solved any homesick issues by bringing his mother and the rest of his brood to live with him here. His mother is well-known for cooking much food for both the Angels, and whatever road team is in town. No one hears nary a peep from Guerrero about anything. He just plays. AND, he’s been hurt a lot lately too, but he never broods about, at least not to where anyone would ever know. I’d suggest Zambrano could easily afford to bring whoever he misses to wherever he is.

Baseball now is heavily populated with players that share a background just like Zambrano’s. Most are not nearly as talented nor as sucessful. Why does it seem it is only ever Zambrano we read about, with these myriad of issues?

Money doesn’t solve everything, but there had to be tremendous pressure on Scales to get a “real job”. Carlos has been set financially for a long time.

I have a 240 game schedule every year. That’s 48 weeks at 5 days per and I have to travel.

I’m positive – absolutely positive – that MLB players have more time and more resources than I do towards a family. I don’t personally know people in major league baseball, but I do know people in the NFL and NHL and yes they do have more time (and more resources) with their family than “9 to 5”ers.

Zambrano is an incredibly talented player, but what I’m saying is that if he’s this conflicted about playing MLB baseball, then go now. The Cubs could use him, sure, but they can get by without him.

I’m sure that his kids are better off financially and from the perspective of time they get to spend with their parents than most everyone. Most US parents have to work, both the mother and father. It’s not the kids that are suffering here.

What would happen if Zambrano actually had a job like the rest of us have? He’s so money and he doesn’t even know it.

Hugo Chavez is a dangerous menace to his people and an enemy of the United States. That’s a pretty apparent fact. Which also apparently doesn’t bother this guy.

I don’t think Carlos is a bad guy. I’m sure this will go over well, but I do think he’s immature. Of course, at leasat one person (not Drew) will read that and claim that I’m rooting for him to not win.

I hope Carlos figures it out and stays with the Cubs for 10 more seasons or longer. And I think this is a non-story.

that is a good thing, means he is in good form after the media ripped him apart.

Dempster has no reason to mistrust the media in this city. Carlos does.

dealing with an issue that is the worst nightmare of every parent

Zambrano is whining about missing Mother’s Day.