Big Z Headed South

Being unable to control his emotions has
really hurt the once bright career of
Zambrano.

The ongoing soap opera that is the career of Chicago Cubs right-hander Carlos Zambrano appears to have added yet another interesting chapter.

It has been reported that Zambrano has waived his full no-trade clause to join the recently renamed and revamped Miami Marlins. Chicago will receive pitcher Chris Volstad in return. With the deal excepted to get done within the next 24 hours, Zambrano must first pass a physical.

The agreement was contingent upon the Cubs paying $15 million of the $18 million owed to Venezuelan in 2012.

Zambrano, who signed a five-year $91.5 million contract extension in August of 2007, also has a vesting option worth $19 million for the 2013 season. That is in fact if he finishes in the top four of the National League Cy Young voting. Miami shouldn't worry too much as he has never finished higher than fifth.

Known lately more for his emotional outbursts and mind-boggling antics than his, at times dominating pitching, the volatile Zambrano still has a chance to salvage what has been, up to this point, a good, but yet roller coaster of a career.

A 3-time All-Star, the 30-year-old righty's best overall season came in 2006. That season Zambrano posted a league-best 16 wins, tossed 214 innings and struck out 210 hitters, finishing in the top five of the NL Cy Young voting. The following year, Zambrano set a career-high in wins with a 18-13 record.

Fresh off his contract extension, the 2008 season started out great for the Zambrano. The 6-foot-5 starter kicked off the year 12-4 with a 2.76 earned run average before suffering numerous arm injuries that caused him to miss multiple starts.

Zambrano returned to the mound on Sept. 18, 2008, tossing the first Cubs no-hitter in 36 years, shutting down the Houston Astros offense at Miller Park, 5-0. The game was moved to Milwaukee due to damages Minute Maid Park had suffered during Hurricane Ike, making Zambrano's no-no the first neutral site no-hitter in baseball history.

After that it was down hill.

Zambrano won 20 games combined in 2009 and '10 with 2011 maybe being his most disappointing season yet. Struggling to find his stride, Zambrano has faced multiple suspensions and last pitched for Chicago on Aug.12 in a game against the Atlanta Braves. In that game, he surrendered five home runs and was ejected after throwing inside to veteran Chipper Jones.

Post-game it was reported that Zambrano was set to retire. He was placed on the disqualified list and didn't pitch for the team the rest of the season, finishing the year 9-7 and a 4.82 ERA, only starting 24 games for the Cubs, his lowest total since his 2002 rookie campaign.

After recording more than 200 innings five times in his first seven years in the majors, Zambrano has yet to reach that mark each of the last four years, showing signs of deteriorating or lack of desire and control.

Although, a change of scenery might be just what the doctor order, Dr. Oz that is.

Zambrano and recently hired manager Ozzie Gullien have been friends for sometime and looks to be the main component as to why he decided to waive his no-trade clause and head to South Beach. Maybe Gullien, who is also know for being quite emotional and a native Venezuelan, could get the best out of the talented right-hander.

He comes to the Marlins owning a career record of 125-81 and a 3.60 ERA, not to mention his .241 career batting average, 23 home runs and 69 runs batted in, earning him three Silver Sluggers.

The acquisition of Zambrano would add to the many new faces that will occupy the New Marlins Ballpark in 2012. The Fish have already reeled in All-Stars Jose Reyes and Heath Bell this offseason, signed Mark Buehrle, who is the author of two no-hitters -- one being a perfect game -- and now have slugger Hanley Ramirez, who was originally opposed to switching positions, embracing his transition to the hot corner, making the Marlins a viable contender in the NL East.

It could be a match made in heaven or a disaster waiting to happen.

Verlander...Then There's Everyone Else

Lighting Strikes Twice

Verlander tossed his second career no-hitter
Saturday in Toronto.

Saturday afternoon in Toronto marked yet another historic day in the young career of Detroit Tigers ace, Justin Verlander.

Verlander tossed his second career no-hitter in the Tigers' 9-0 win at Rogers Centre. It's the second no-hitter thrown of the 2011 season after division rival, Francisco Liriano, threw the first in Chicago Tuesday night for the Minnesota Twins.

After not having a no-hitter be changelled in the first month of the season, two come within less of a week of one another.

It's the seventh no-hitter in Tiger history, and Verlander becomes the 28th player in history to throw multiple no-hitters. 

The last player to accomplish that feat, excluding the postseason, was Chicago White Sox left-hander Mark Buehrle. He would toss his first no-hitter in a 2007 game against the Texas Rangers and reached new heights by throwing a perfect game in 2009, capped off by one of the most memorable catches in baseball history by defensive replacement DeWayne Wise.

Verlander's first no-hitter also came back in '07, no-hitting the Milwaukee Brewers during Interleague play.

The three-time All-Star had been perfect through the first seven innings, but had it broken up by walking a Blue Jays rookie. Catcher J.P. Arencibia battled Verlander with an epic 12 pitch at-bat in the eighth inning -- an at-bat that saw the twelfth pitch sail outside at 100 mph.

That would be the only blunder of the day by Verlander.

The slender right-hander showed great command from the gecko, throwing 74 of his first 108 pitches for strikes. Verlander struck out only four batters Saturday compared to in his first no-no when he struck out 12 Brewers. It was his third of the young season bringing, his record to .500.

But if it wasn't known before, Verlander possesses the repertoire to throw a no-hitter every time out with his upper 90s fastball and 12-6 curveball.

The 28-year-old was the 2006 American League Rookie of the Year, winning 17 games for the Tigers. That same season, also in his rookie season in Detroit, manager Jim Leyland clinched the franchise's first wild card berth and helped the Tigers win their first AL Pennant in 22 years.

Verlander started Game 1 of that World Series and was opposed by fellow rookie Anthony Reyes of the St. Louis Cardinals. It was the first time in the series' 103-year existence that two rookies faced off to open the Fall Classic

After avoiding the dreadful sophomore slump in '07, it would come a year later for Verlander, losing a career-worst 17 games.

Since that time Verlander has become the horse of the Detroit staff, throwing 200 innings each of the last four years and striking out 200 batters in back-to back seasons, including leading the majors with 269 in 2009. He has won as many as 19 games in a season and finished as high as third in the AL Cy Young voting.

The final out was recorded by punching out right fielder Raja Davis on a 2-2, 87 mph breaking ball.

Detroit is currently two games under .500 and six and half games back of the division leading Indians, who are in Anaheim for a weekend series with the Angels.

Despite the slow start, with the trio of Venezuelans at the heart of their order and two power arms at the front of their rotation, Detroit will be in the hunt for their first AL Central title in franchise history. Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan holds the record for no-hitters thrown in a career with seven. The former first-round pick has a ways to go if he wants to reach that mark.

In the mean time, Motown will be rocking and waiting to congratulate their ace with maybe another on the horizon. 

No-No Lirano

Liriano receives congratulations after
tossing the 7th no-hitter in
franchise history.

The Minnesota Twins have not had many shining moments during the first month of the season, posting a 10-17 record before Tuesday night in Chicago.

When the calendar turned May the result was much of the same with a 10-3 loss in Kansas City and received a much need day off Monday.

Left-hander Francisco Liriano was set to take the mound with a 1-4 record and 9.13 earned run average, putting his future in Minnesota in doubt.

Something magical was about to occur for the 27-year old lefty at U.S. Celluar Field.

Liriano tossed the seventh no-hitter in Twins history, but was nothing close to perfect, struggling with his command of the strike zone, walking six Chicago White Sox. Liriano, who has been known in his young career to be a strike out pitcher, only recorded two strikeouts in Minnesota's 1-0 win.

That's the third fewest number of strike outs in any no-hitter.

The game's lone run came on Jason Kubel's third home run of the year in the fourth inning off right-hander Edwin Jackson. Jackson tossed a no-hitter of his own last season while pitching for the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The last Twins pitcher to toss a no-hitter was another left-hander, Eric Milton, who did so in the Metrodome against the then-Anaheim Angels on September 11, 1999. Oddly enough Lirano's comes days after the assassination of Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.

As a rookie in 2006, Liriano was an instant phenom with Minnesota, going 12-3 with a 2.16 ERA, looking to follow in the foot steps on fellow teammate and ace left-hander, Johan Santana.

Liriano was hampered by an arm injury that required Tommy John surgery, costing him the entire 2007 season. It took Liriano two full seasons to regain form and get back to the pitcher that once had so much promise. Last season, Liriano got back to his winning ways throwing a career-high 191.2 innings and striking out 201 batters, eclipsing that mark for the first time in his career.

He also record a career-high 14 wins, helping the Twins win their sixth American League Central Division title in nine years.

2010 was known as the year of the pitcher with six no-hit and/or perfect games thrown, this is the first of 2011 and it comes from an unexpected customer. Prior to his injury, the baseball world always thought after watching Liriano in '06 that he would some day throw a no-hitter in the big leagues and now has done so.

Liriano had not thrown a shutout or even a complete game for that matter at the Minor or Major League level until now, one he won't soon forget. Liriano lowered his ERA to 6.61 on the season, but his strikeout-to-walk-ratio did not improve. He has walked 24 hitters this season compared to his 20 strikeouts.

Liriano threw 123 pitches on the South Side to complete the no-hit bid.

With a healthy Justin Morneau and catcher Joe Mauer nearing his return from the disabled list, this might just be the jolt the Twins had been waiting for to shake off a terrible April. Fresh off his '10 AL Manager of the Year Award, Ron Gardenhire looks to the right the ship before the surprising division leading Cleveland Indians run away with the AL Central.

The win takes the Twins out of the division cellar for the moment putting them a half game up on Chicago.

At least for one night the Twin Cities can sleep a little easier knowing Liriano said No-No.

Lester Could Win First Cy Young in 2011

We may have not seen the best of Jon Lester.

Boston Red Sox left-hander Jon Lester has already accomplished so much in his short career with the best yet to come.

Lester was diagnosed with lymphoma back in 2006 and beat it. In the 2007 World Series, Lester won the series-clinching Game 4 in Colorado against the Colorado Rockies. In May of 2008, the two-time All-Star pitched the 18th no-hitter in Red Sox history in front the of Fenway Faithful. In 2010, Lester was among the games best pitchers winning a career-high 19 games and struck out 225 batters.

Lester has no question been the workhorse of the Red Sox staff the last couple of years, pitching 200-plus innings each of the last three seasons.

With such high expectations in Boston this season, Lester seems to be in the center of it. Manager Terry Francona has already said that Lester will be their Opening Day starter in Texas, something that Josh Beckett has done each of the last two seasons.

Even though Lester has been a good starting pitcher in the big leagues, winning at least 15 games the last three seasons, it could be a breakout season for the young man from Tacoma, Washington.

With right-handers Beckett and John Lackey coming off sub par seasons in '10, Lester will need to get out of the gate quickly and avoid another slow start like he has the past two years. His last two Aprils, the lefty has posted a 5.40 and 7.20 earned run average, respectively. Most people around baseball feel that Lester possessions the best stuff from the left side in baseball.

Lester will look to put it all together in 2011 and add his first Cy Young to his laundry list of accomplishments at the young age 27.