Matt Garza predicts an impressive year for Carlos Zambrano – MLB News
Although Carlos Zambrano is no longer a part of the Chicago Cubs, he still has a lot of admirers and fans who miss him. On Sunday, February 19, the Cubs’ pitcher Matt Garza confidently predicted the inclusion of Carlos Zambrano in the Cy Young race in 2012.
"I wouldn't be surprised to see him in the Cy Young race this year, I kid you not. He's got that good of stuff. Just playing with Ozzie [Guillen] and being in his own comfort zone, I think he'll have a h**l of a season. I wish nothing but the best for that
guy."
Having tremendous power, technique and strength, Zambrano was traded to the Miami Marlins earlier this year. This was one of the potentially consequential decisions that the Chicago Cubs made after the pitcher found himself in a host of controversy.
The trade will see the Cubs pay $15 million to Zambrano out of $18 million that the club was supposed to give the pitcher for 2012.
The past season, he had announced his retirement after he had a thoroughly unsatisfactory performance against the Atlanta Braves. The pitcher was ejected after he threw consecutive inside pitches to Chipper Jones.
Zambrano had given up five homers in the game; something that overly complicated the problems for an already struggling team.
Garza voiced his confidence in Zambrano, saying he will love to be compared with the pitcher.
"I'd love to be compared to Zambrano on the field," Garza said of him. "That guy, I'll tell you what, he's going to have one h**l of a year."
The Cubs decision to trade the pitcher to the Miami Marlins was a bit unexpected given the developments in December 2011 and earlier this year. The club’s president baseball operation Theo Epstein had a one-on-one meeting with the pitcher to see if there
was any possibility of his returning in the team.
All said and done, how Zambrano performs is anybody’s guess. While he has the potential to stun anyone with his amazing pitching display, it is his characteristic anger on the field that will need to be contained if he is to have any success with his new
team for the upcoming 2012 Major League Baseball regular season.
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