Len & Bob's baseball blog

I've just got to comment on this and give Carlos the clarification he so sorely needs: You were NOT being booed for a bad pitching performance; anyone can have an off day. You WERE being booed because, once again, you let your emotions be in charge. If you want to be a complete ballplayer you have to understand that it's your JOB to pick up the signals from the third base coach. You should have stopped at third period. What was truly inexcusable was that you let what happened on the bases affect your emotions, once again, when you came back out to pitch. You, at that point, let down your teammates and the fans. So make no mistake about it, THAT's why you were booed.

Real fans don't boo!!!

We've all known Carlos is a head case, but he seems to be worse since signing his big contract. Is he injured? Or, worse yet, is he fat, dumb and happy and we're stuck with the $92 million bill?

hey carlos---we ARE the greatest fans anywhere!!!! you need to get your head back into the game..this is pennant time, and the way you are pitching lately--STINKS!! cub fans know baseball, and we voice our opinion when we think someone isnt giving it there all...and from you running through your coaches stop sign to the way you have been pitching as of late--its time for you to step up and pitch the way we know that you can..i have been a loyal cub fan for more than 30 plus years--get over it, you are not the first player to be booed!!! get your head back into the game..

What in the world is Carlos Zambrano thinking. Of course he should have been booed. He, single handily caused the Cubs to lose. His failure to stop at third which subsequently caused his to exert too much energy impacted his ability to pitch. He is a loose cannon, and it is sad the Cubs invested in this "head case".

The Cubs should not have given Zambrano this contract during the season. He joins a long line of players who fail to perform after getting the big contract. I generally don't approve of booing the Cubs, but sometimes it's your only way to voice your feelings. I think Carlos was realy being booed for running through the stop sign. He put himself before the team. As a life long Cub fan, I can say that I've seen this so many times before. The Cubs don't need a reason to choke, but the black cat and Bartman helped them out in the past. I hope Zambrano's selfishness doesn't do the trick this time. For him to say that we only care about ourselves is so insulting that I can't envision ever caring what he does again.

Carlos- If you don't want to get booed, then go to Kansas City or Tampa Bay where the fans don't care.

Well Carlos, maybe, just maybe, the fans that are paying you the $91,500,000.00 are just a little fed up with your immaturity. I’ve been a Cub fan for more that twice your lifetime, and I will have to say that you are among the most immature players I have ever watched. You say “But they showed today, they just care about them, and that's not fair”. Neither is a $91.5 Million dollar salary, and your performance. Give any fan that amount of money and I think you could boo them every day not just every five days.

After 98 years of loosing the fans have a right to get a little testy and your poor performances, thin skin and immaturity makes you a target.

It must be tough on you not to have Barrett to blame your problems on anymore. Did you fight with yourself in the locker room after this outing?

Grow up and live, at least part way, up to your potential. With your attitude in real life – outside of sports – you would be out pounding the pavement looking for a job.

Although it has been a tradition at Wrigly Field to let the players know when we are not pleased with their performance, I don't know that this tradition has served us well over the past 98 years. As a paying customer it is our right to boo, heckle, and show our displeasure, but as a fan who wants his team to win; I choose to sit silently and hope Z performs better in his next outing. His mistakes were a result of trying too hard. If a player is clearly being lazy and not giving 100%, I think the booing might possibly serve as a wake up call. However, if a player is giving it their all and making mistakes, I can't see how booing can result in a positive outcome. Although Billy Goats, black cats, and Bartman are easy targets for our history of loosing; I think it is time we looked at ourselves, the loyal Cubs fans, for a possible resolution to this 98 year drought.

Carlos, you show your emotions on the mound when you are pitching and I see you in the dugout rooting on the team on your non-pitching days. You see the fans at Wrigley Field and all over the country in visiting ball parks supporting you and the rest of the team. There are also the thousands of people around the country (I am in South Carolina)that never make it to Wrigley Field in person (like me) that love you and the rest of the team unconditionally. Can you imagine pitching again without showing any emotion? You wouldn't be the same without your personality and emotions coming through. I can't speak for the fans that booed you. However, I feel that it translates as an emotional response due to their disappointment from the turn of events yesterday. Hang in there Big Z, you are loved, no matter what!!!

I think that the fans have a right to do what they did. It is coming down the home stretch and we can't afford to lose any more crucial games!!! Ever since he (Zambrano) got his big paycheck, he hasn't won a game yet. It is kind of telling me that he just wants the money and doesn't want to show anything for it. Hell, even Roger Clemens won some games after his big payoff!!!! It is time to start turning things around. Now, let's get some runs and show some freakin' defense!!!!

I live in Detroit and was watching on MLB.com. From my view, I booed Carlos as much for boneheaded baserunning as for pitching performance. You cannot run through Quade. And Carlos, just because you did not carry the offense, you can still concentrate pitching with a full toolbox. We love you - we just did not like the day.

Hey Carlos... NO Cub player has been given more "LOVE" the past 4 years than YOU. And once again, you acted like a 10 year old EMOTIONALLY after you made a BOO BOO!! Which has been PAR FOR THE COURSE the last few years. Instead of pitching like an ACE does, you've been nothing better than a FIFTH STARTER lately. And as for "not forgetting"???
You'll get the opportunity to hear MORE boos if you keep CRYING AND WHINING like a little girl every time things don't go your way. You keep SAYING that you're more mature and "professional", well CARLOS, it's time to start ACTING and PITCHING like you are. This team NEEDS you, this CITY needs you.. and yes CARLOS, these FANS NEED YOU!!!

Maybe just maye big Z is trying too hard to earn his money.Wish I knew.Hope he gets it screwed on soon before the Cubs pennant hopes fade away.Go Cubs!!

GROW UP,YOU PUNK. YOU'RE AN IMMATURE MORON WHO IS QUITE LUCKY TO BE WHERE YOU ARE. YOU'RE A LOSER.HOPEFULLY THE NO TRADE CLAUSE COULD BE REWORKED

Oh, here we go again, jumping on someone for having a bad outing/bad stretch. Apparently people feel as though every player should play perfectly, every single game. Come on, people, grow up -- as I've said MANY times before, a player's season has ebbs and flows....ups and downs....highs and lows -- is any of this sounding familiar?? Good, because I'm SICK of saying the same thing over and over to calm folks down and try to bring a voice of reason into the mix. Settle down, people -- even multi-millionaires aren't perfect. Stop using his big contract as an excuse to trash him. Tim, you've GOTTA be kidding me....his new contract means he "just wants the money and doesn't want to show anything for it??" GOOD GRIEF....yeah, I'm sure now he's just done, he just flat out doesn't care anymore. Please, people, use the brain the good Lord gave you!! Do you even know which player you're talking about??

Z made a mistake running through the stop sign, yes. Plain and simple. A hustle mistake -- not a selfish one (COME ON, Laura, you don't really think that, do you??), but a bad, ill-advised one, period. If Theriot had made the same mistake, people would be giving him credit for "trying to make something happen," rather than trashing him....and if Z had scored, you'd all be talking about how awesome he is for having that hustle. Man, I'm sick of people shooting off their mouths without thinking first. Z knows he screwed up trying to score....and yes, he shouldn't have let that wreck his performance on the mound. That's where he really messed up -- if we wanna have a calm, intelligent discussion about that, fine. But let's put things in perspective here. I get upset when Z lets his emotions ruin his pitching -- but I also love it when his emotions fire him up and propel him to incredible feats on the mound and at the plate. Like Len and BB have said, with Z, you take the good with the bad. Sometimes his emotions are good for him, sometimes not-so-good....but some of you people who are destroying him now for being "too emotional" will be the first ones to cheer him when he pumps his fist after a big strikeout or turns a single into a double. Talk about being fair-weathered.

I've said it a hundred times, I'll say it yet again....REAL FANS DON'T BOO. Z has every right to say what he said, because he's right -- real fans support their players through good and bad, not just the good. Len and BB said fans have the right to boo, and I guess that's true....but I always thought we were above that crap, jumping all over our players when they have a rough outing. I mean, have we become Yankees fans?? WTF???

I'll ask again for the boo-ers to stay at home and free up some Wrigley tickets to those of us who will support the team, through thick AND thin. We're not all that way, Z -- please try not to get too frustrated with the big mouths. There's a silent (I'm hoping) majority who still supports you, and knows you'll rebound from this.

Bill, well said....just because we CAN boo doesn't mean we SHOULD. Otherwise, we may as well believe everything Lee Elia said about us back in the day, calling us a bunch of bums who come to the ballpark to boo because we have nothing better to do. Let's please try to make that "passion" everyone keeps talking about having be smart and well-placed, rather than destructive.

SHEESH!!!

Yes, Carrie, I do think Zambrano is selfish. He has that Sammy talk about how this is his house... This isn't his house. It's our house. We'll be here being Cubs fans long after he has faded into the sunset. I don't find it humorous when Carlos raises his hand to God or any of that stuff. Get your head in the game, that's what I ask. Don't call him the Ace when he can't win on opening day or when his selfishness hurts the team. He wants to be the big winner, then let him be the big winner. Another thing, Carrie, don't tell me how to be a Cub fan. I've been doing it for a lot of years and I've been disappointed for a lot of years.

Did you ever think that maybe we've had crappy teams all these years becasue we've never booed? Maybe because we keep paying the big prices for tickets and we keep coming to the park that they see no reason to fix things for us? I've never booed the Cubs, but maybe a little booing might be motivation for some of them.

There's certainly plenty of passion and pressure to go around here...we've got Zambrano with all his emotions and pressures to show he's worth the money paid; fans are passionate and are stressing too, for different reasons. It's been a long, hard 99 years (well, I'm a "40-something" so it's been about 40 years for me)...and this year we're leading our division going into September.

The fans aren't just there, Carlos, to "see a good show" as you put it. Please. Don't trivialize our interest--we're much more than spectators.

Carlos will have to work out his relationship with the fans one way or another. I've never been a fan of boo'ing our team, but if ever a player gave fans a reason to boo, it was Carlos yesterday. Our opinions aren't heard much by the team at blogs like this...but at Wrigley Field, fans have a direct line to the team, so voices will be heard. Some people have crossed the line by saying hateful things, some have even done such class-less things as throwing trash out onto Wrigley Field. That's just way wrong. But that's not the majority of Cubs fans, who have a lot of class.

Carlos, everyone screws up now and then, we can handle that. You're very competitive and passionate and all that...which is GREAT. But don't forget that the team consists of not only you, but at least 8 other players plus the coaches who are there to do their jobs too, and to help you. And you need to hold on to the reins, and pull back on them!

GO
CUBS
GO
!

I've been going to Cubs games since I was old enough to sneak out of the house, get on the el, and buy a bleacher seat for $1.50 as the gates opened at 10 am. Now I take my own two kids (ages 2 and 6) to Wrigley Field. And while some things have changed (like the ticket price), some things haven't (like the Cubs not having won a pennant.) I'm not going to suggest that it's never appropriate to boo a player, a manager, or an umpire's call (although it's a pretty sorry example for all the kids in the stands). But, here we are the day after Labor Day and the Cubs are in first place. For those of us who've supported the club for more years than most of the boo birds have been on the planet, that fact is worth celebrating. It's not that we should be satisfied with that, but there's a bunch of guys out there that have been scratching and clawing out enough wins to be on top in their division. If the Cubs are going to actually win the division, a pennant, and a World Series, we're going to need Carlos Zambrano--with all his talents and all his flaws. I saw Sunday's victory with my family and told my wife that out of the hundreds of Cubs games I've attended, that was one of the two or three best I'd ever seen. I watched yesterday's debacle on TV and winced when Zambrano turned the corner at third and galloped through the stop sign like a pissed off bull in Pamplona. It was a mistake. It was a dumb mistake. But how about giving him at least some benefit of the doubt that he wanted to score, he wanted to win. And he blew it. So how about we give him a little support. Alternatively, we can all gather in October around a television set and whine about having to watch the Cardinals in another post-season game. And one more thing, Bob and Len. I heard Len say yesterday that he essentially believes that booing is acceptable behavior. Well, maybe you can explain that to my kids and the thousands of others that are in the stands every home game. Maybe I'm just old-fashioned. Maybe my view of the game went out of style the day Ernie Banks walked off the field for the last time. Fans have always booed, regardless of the size of the player's paychecks. But, maybe, just maybe we could suggest a better example.

Both parties have that penant fever. The fans were mad because at the time, the Brewers winning and Zambrano hasn't been Zambrano lately. Zambrano was mad because he thinks that his mess-ups are going to cost us the division. Everyone is at fault because everyone is letting the emotions get to them. We need to play one game at a time and shut our eyes for the other teams. Good things will happen.

On the otherside, I think if you pay the prices we pay for Cubs tickets, you have the right to boo if you're displeasured. However, if you're dealing the insults. you better be able to reel them in too.

I'm glad Zambrano dissed on the fans. I think it's really cool because the way the fans booed him yesterday was pathetic. TRUE fans don't boo a player, even if it wasn't about their performance. If it was about his emotions, then whatever. Like Lou said, it seems like Big Z. is fighting against himself lately. Hopefully this angered him and he shows a GREAT start next time he's out on the mound. Cubs fans should be able to expect a bad game every now and then. The Cubs aren't going to win every game. Big Z. is supposed to be the Number 1 pitcher, and even if he hasn't been showing it lately, I have a feeling there will be a time where he'll show it within this month. I think the Cubs will need him in the end. I can see the fan's frustration in his performance, but up to 40,000 fans booing him isn't going to help him out any. I think the fans should show some support every once in a while. It's funny because two days ago, the person singing the 7th inning stretch just mentioned that these are the "greatest fans" out there. Yesterday didn't show that at all. Hearing the booing from the fans made the Cubs fans look like the WORST fans in baseball. It's just a good thing the Brewers and Cardinals lost too. There was supposedly booing for both of their games too, which is PATHETIC. It's not like the Cubs players are TRYING to do badly. They want to do WELL. It's their job to play baseball, but they're not going to be PERFECT everytime they go out there or step on the mound. Maybe Big Z. feels pressure now since they are in first place and are in a race. The fans should just wait. Zambrano will show his stuff soon. Yesterday just wasn't his game & I'm glad he didn't apologize to the fans. I loved when he pointed to his ear as in saying he could hear the fans and stuff. That was GREAT.

GO CUBS! Big Z. is AWESOME.

Carrie C is pretty much the only one out of any of you that actually makes some SENSE. please don't let us be like yankees fans and expect the cubs to be PERFECT every game. THANKS.

Many of support you Z. I didnt like the booing but a little upset about the baserunning blunder, letting your emotions get to you on the mound and that you didnt back up home after the Loiaza single.

I really hope everyone cheers our ace next time out.

I happen to agree with Carlos on this one. As a die-hard Cubs fan, I was embarrassed by the booing. He is obviously struggling right now. We should be supporting him not booing him. I can see booing for lack of effort, but Carlos always gives 100 percent. Come on Cub fans, we are better than this.

Carlos let me get this straight. You make $91 million a year, are susceptible to having an occasional nervous breakdown on the mound and get mad at the fans when they boo you. So what you are telling us, the paying fans, who by the way is helping to pay your salary that we are NOT allowed to have a nervous breakdown when our “star” pitcher is playing like crap? I have one word for you… BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

Hmmm... it seems like Zambrano pitches poorly when he's angry and frustrated. So, let's boo the crap out of him and crucify him on blogs so that we can ensure that he will be angry and frustrated for the next game, and then let's do it again for the game after that! Yeah! That way we can make sure that we don't despoil our potential record of 62 years without a World Series and 98 years without a World Series win.

Let's show that the venom we spewed onto the innocent Steve Bartman wasn't a fluke, but that the city of Chicago really is composed of a bunch of heartless unforgiving hypocritical jerks who are best at creating an atmosphere conducive to losing.

Maybe it's time to bring in a catcher who is good at handling Zambrano's emotions as well as his pitches - can you say "Koyie Hill"?

WE LOVE YOU Z! The boos were like the tears of a lover who has been betrayed, and the fans felt betrayed because you seemed to give up after that baserunning error. Show some heart, and they will too.

Big Z can still throw 96 mph and the Cub still need him. Let it go... it's only one game get over it and lets move on. The fans think that everything is easy. Lets go Cubs!

Zambrano's contract:
5 yrs. = 91.5 million
per yr. = 18.3 million
per game pitched = 554,545.46 (33 games per season)
per game = 112,962.96 (162 games)
per inning pitched = 61,616.16 (based on 33 games)
per day = 50,136.99 (365 days)
per hr. = 2089.04 (24 hrs. per day x 365 days x 5 yrs.)
per min. = 34.82 (each minute for 5 yrs.)

The result:
Ticket prices go up every year.
Concession prices are way too high.
Beer is way overpriced.
Parking fees are ridiculous.
The average family cannot afford a day at the ball park.

No doubt, other players will expect similar contracts.
When will this spending mentality end?

No human is worth that kind of money unless they can walk on water!

I have to say I agree with Lauren And Carrie C.

I DO NOT believe in booing your own players.

I am tired of hearing that we Cubs fans are not nice anymore because we boo a player sometimes. When you love a team for this long, and go through a lot to get tickets, and fight traffic, Then you pay to park and buy your shirts and beer and hotdog. It is upsetting for the end resault to be a game like this one was. You can feel almost cheated and so you might boo. It doesnt mean you dont still love the team and you will still go through all the trouble again when you can.

I'm not a boo-bird, I'm a coach. Unfortunately, I can't bench a CUB! Pine has a way of changing attitudes. No one is indespensable. Play the game! Third base coaches are there as part of the game. Mo follows every move.

I just got home from work and decided to check out my favorite blog. There's just one word that immediately came to mind, and that word is...

WOW!

It's definitely evidence of why we have the rep of being 'passionate' fans, LOL.

I think most of us can understand the emotions being expressed, on both sides. Heck, in a single game I can grumble about a player one second, and then defend him the very next. Fans run the gamut of emotions. We all know the bottom line is that we get past this and rally behind our team and support them.

It's an exciting time right now, and we're all so keyed up about it. Let's just expect that the players are going to take turns being hot and cold; that there's going to be some downright UGLY games and UGLY perfomances and heartbreakers, just like there's going to be some SWEET games with the great plays and come-from-behind thrillers...we've had some experience with both kinds in the past few days. Let's not forget that the players want the same ending to this story that we do.

GO CUBS!

Sorry, I guess I didn't realize....those of you who boo are actually BETTER fans than I am because you've clearly suffered more than I have through all these years of futility. Right.

Go ahead and tell yourself whatever you want to justify your actions -- REAL FANS DON'T BOO. Period. No one will ever make me believe that's okay, EVER. Not jumping on Z for his big contract, bitching about out-of-control ticket prices (by the way, my family is one of those who can't afford to go to the games anymore....should I boo the PLAYERS for that?), or crying about decades of the Cubs coming up short. In case you didn't smell the sarcasm before, lemme spell it out for you....I've suffered just as much as any other fan, okay? (I defer to those who are older than me, since they've suffered longer -- but I ain't buying the argument that years of suffering justify crapping out on your players when they struggle.)

Help me out here: What's the definition of a "fair-weathered fan" again? Exactly. Just stay home until the team starts winning again, if all you're gonna do is dog them when they have ONE ROUGH OUTING.

Just a note to comment on the Zambrano situation. He has to realize that most of the fans that were present at the game yesterday are just fair weathered fans there on the holiday. True Cub fans know that our stars are going to struggle sometimes. If anybody thinks that Big Z doesn't want his team to win and go to the playoffs they're off their rocker. He is one of the biggest competitors I've ever seen and he loves his team. Why else would he sign the contract to stay in Chicago when he could've gotten much more in free agency. I remember a few starts in the 1989 when our Aces Rick Sutcliffe or Greg Maddux had rough outings they NEVER got Booed. Did anybody ever boo Kerry Wood or Mark Prior?? Could they Boo Mark Prior for going 1-6 last year with an ERA over 7? Lest we forget we wouldn't be in the position we are in if Big Z hadn't been as good as he has been for the majority of the year. I don't believe if you really support your team you should boo them that's just not right. You boo the opposing team, you boo the Cardinals, You boo the Sox, But you don't Boo your CUBBIES!!!! And if you don't like the ticket prices or how much the players are paid too bad, face reality and start watching the FIRE!!

Sincerely A true Cub fan that bleeds Cubbie Blue,

Deb-Big Z has been good ALL year? What game have you been watching? Carrie C.-get a grip. Since Zambrano has now apologized I guess we can see who was right and who was not. I've been a Cubs fan for 58 years now. Zambrano seems to think he has to carry the team single-handedly and he was NOT right to disregard his coach and run through the sign and then to compound the error by bringing his negative emotions out to the mound and blowing the game. While booing is something new in recent years, and distasteful to me, I might add, I can surely understand why it happened and so should Carlos. There are a lot of players out there; he is not the only one. Carlos should concentrate on being a better pitcher period. Carrie, this had nothing to do with one rough outing and everything to do with Carlos' immature attitude.

BBBBBBBBBBBOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

I'd like to think the fans booing had nothing to do with his pitching ... rather the fact that he ignored the 3rd base coach's "stop sign".
Infact, they don't even boo Kerry Wood, and he gives up many runs every time he comes into a game. No, we love Carlos ... just not the fact that he didn't act like a team played with that particular move.

I neglected to mention that I would not have booed had I been there. I didn't like it either; it made me uncomfortable when I was watching on TV; but I thought the ear tug meant Carlos heard them and understood why they were booing. I'm sure it isn't the first time he's heard Cubs' fans booing someone. Booing isn't something that most of us do. Laugh it off and obey the coach the next time. ;-)