My Least Favorite Cub | Whiskey Tango Foxtrot

The award goes to Carlos Zambrano. Here's a guy who has as much talent as any pitcher in the majors. He is off to a Cy Young caliber start to the season, and is starting against a team he should be able to dominate (The Pirates). He's going along at a good pace for 4 innings, then comes to bat in the bottom of the 4th. He's mad that he grounds out, does his little show of breaking a bat on his leg, and all of a sudden, he throws 6 straight balls, walks a pitcher, loads the bases and turns a 4-2 lead into a 5-4 deficit. You just see his body language change as he pitches during the 5th, and eventually Piniella does what he has to do -- pulls his "ace" for a reliever.

Zambrano is easily one of the biggest reasons I find it hard to cheer for the Cubs. He's as unlikeable a player as there is in the majors, and he's starting to work his way into a class that I typically reserve for guys like Gary Sheffield. He's a "Me First" player, always has been, and probably always will be. That's not too big a deal except you watch him when he's "Good Carlos", and you can't help but notice that he could be the best pitcher in the game if it weren't for his 10 cent head. Cubs fans have started the season wondering if this is the year he fulfills that promise of winning a Cy Young, but I would bet most secretly have been waiting for his inevitable slide, and an outing like the one he had today might be the start.

I seriously wonder if the Cubs will ever really win with him, and might go so far as to say that they will probably lose because of him.

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May 17, 2008 05:57 PM ET

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I have to disagree. Although I admit he's childish at times and it gets him off his game occasionally, he's still been the most consistant pitcher not named Brandon Webb in the NL for the last four years. He goes through his up and down streaks like everyone else. They are just more noticeable with Big Z because he wears his emotions (both good and bad) on his sleeve.

Also, a "me first" player doesn't go out of his way to greet new teammates like Fukudome and Edmonds. He knows these guys will help his team win.