The Cubs Chronicle

After his gem Tuesday night against the first-place Astros, a 5-hit shutout, Carlos Zambrano has now pitched 158.1 innings this year and only allowed 5 home runs. According to his ESPN.com page, he’s on pace to pitch 219 innings and allow 7 home runs. According to my research, the last Cubs pitcher to pitch at least 200 innings and allow 7 or fewer home runs was Sheriff Blake, who did it both in 1927 and 1928 (and only gave up 8 homers in 1929). No other Cubs pitcher in the post-dead ball era has accomplished the feat. (Granted, a look at home run rates, relative to the league, would tell us more, but I don’t have the time to go that in-depth with my research. I offer the above only as something that’s really interesting, at least to me.)

Zambrano’s win means that he has earned the win in five straight starts, a span over which he’s posted a 1.43 ERA. When Zambrano defeated the Astros in Houston on July 25 by pitching 8.1 innings and hitting a 2-run homer, I called it The Zambrano Game, a reference to The Sandberg Game on July 23, 1984. The Sandberg Game is often credited with propelling the Cubs to the 1984 division title and Sandberg to the MVP award. Could The Zambrano Game do the same this year – propel the Cubs to the division title and Zambrano to the Cy Young Award?

I don’t really think one game, by itself, will propel the Cubs anywhere, but the stated result is not outside the realm of possibilities. If Zambrano continues to excel (even if not at the pace he’s set over his past five starts) and the Cubs win the division, Zambrano could be a Cy Young Award candidate. Zambrano’s 3.07 ERA (and falling) is now 9th in the NL, and he’s 10th in innings pitched. Granted, it would take some other pitchers faltering, and the Cubs would have to win the divison for this to play out, but it’s possible, even if he wouldn’t ultimately be the most deserving pitcher.

Zambrano can also hit a bit, which created an interesting situation in Tuesday night’s game (which Al Yellon notes as well): Astros manager Jimy Williams intentionally walking Augie Ojeda with runners on second and third and one out to get to Zambrano. Zambrano’s OPS this year: 632. Ojeda’s career OPS: 550. (In Williams’s defense, the IBB did set up the double play and/or the force at home, and ultimately worked, as Zambrano struck out.)

UPDATE (12:45pm): Zambrano has become Let’s Play Two’s favorite player, and Weeghman Park reminds us of a poll of front office execs and scouts conducted by Peter Gammons before the season that had Zambrano #1 on a list of players most likely to have a break-out season.

UPDATE II (1:00pm): John Lauck of AstosDaily.com has an in-depth write-up on last night’s game, and has some nice praise for Zambrano.