Víctor Zambrano
Encyclopedia
Víctor Manuel Zambrano is a former Major League Baseball
right-handed pitcher
.
, a changeup
, and occasionally a quality slider
. He was a converted infielder
who fielded his position well and did a decent job holding on runners. However, his effectiveness was hampered by a lack of control. In 2003 he led the American League
in walks
, wild pitch
es, and hit batsmen
, and in walks and wild pitches again in 2004, despite being traded to the National League
at midseason. The New York Mets
acquired him, along with reliever Bartolomé Fortunato
, in a highly criticized deal for top-ranked pitching prospect Scott Kazmir
and minor league pitcher Joselo Diaz
.
On May 6, 2006, Zambrano suffered a torn flexor tendon
in his pitching elbow, disabling him for the rest of the 2006 season. Doctors unexpectedly found a torn elbow ligament
during surgery on May 15, resulting in the second Tommy John
elbow surgery of his career. Zambrano was expected to be sidelined well into the 2007 season, and he was non-tendered by the Mets, and became a free agent in December 2006.
Zambrano joined La new Bears of Taiwan's Chinese Professional Baseball League in 2009. He made his debut on September 1. He pitched six innings with two earned runs. He lost to Uni Lions' Nerio Rodríguez 9 to 5.
Victor Zambrano was always known as a "journeyman" pitcher. On January 30, 2007, Zambrano signed a minor league contract, with an invitation to Major League spring training
with the Toronto Blue Jays
. He appeared in only eight games (two of them starts), before he was released on July 9. After signing a minor league contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates
, his contract was purchased by the Baltimore Orioles
on September 9, 2007. For the rest of the 2007 season, he appeared in 5 games for the Orioles, made 2 starts, and was 0-1 with a 9.49 ERA. Following the 2007 season, he was released by the Orioles on October 1. On February 5, 2008, he signed a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training with the Colorado Rockies. On June 7, 2008, the Rockies released him. He signed with the New York Yankees
on July 31, 2008 and became a free agent at the end of the season.
During a 7-year baseball career, Zambrano compiled 45 wins
, 529 strikeout
s, and a 4.64 earned run average
. He is a .123 hitter (9-for-73) with three runs scored and three runs batted in
.
Victor has often mistakenly been thought to be related to Chicago Cubs
pitcher Carlos Zambrano
. Both Carlos and Victor Zambrano are Venezuelan. Although they lived just an hour away from each other as children, they never knew each other.
After the 2009 season ended and no team had picked Zambrano up, he decided to retire from baseball.
In October 2009, his mother was kidnapped. She was rescued three days later by members of the Venezuelan national police. Three suspects were arrested. A fourth is still at large.
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
right-handed pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
.
Major League Career (2001-09)
Zambrano had a good repertoire and an aggressive pitching approach, using his 92-95 MPH sinking fastballFastball
The fastball is the most common type of pitch in baseball. Some "power pitchers," such as Nolan Ryan and Roger Clemens, have thrown it at speeds of 95–106 mph and up to 108.1 mph , relying purely on speed to prevent the ball from being hit...
, a changeup
Changeup
A changeup is a type of pitch in baseball. Other names include change-of-pace, Bugs Bunny change-up, the dreaded equalizer, and simply change. The changeup is sometimes called an off-speed pitch, although that term can also be used simply to mean any pitch that is slower than a fastball...
, and occasionally a quality slider
Slider
In baseball, a slider is a pitch that breaks laterally and down, with a speed between that of a curveball and that of a fastball....
. He was a converted infielder
Infielder
An infielder is a baseball player stationed at one of four defensive "infield" positions on the baseball field.-Standard arrangement of positions:In a game of baseball, two teams of nine players take turns playing offensive and defensive roles...
who fielded his position well and did a decent job holding on runners. However, his effectiveness was hampered by a lack of control. In 2003 he led the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
in walks
Base on balls
A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08...
, wild pitch
Wild pitch
In baseball, a wild pitch is charged against a pitcher when his pitch is too high, too short, or too wide of home plate for the catcher to control with ordinary effort, thereby allowing a baserunner, perhaps even the batter-runner on strike three or ball four, to advance.A wild pitch usually...
es, and hit batsmen
Hit by pitch
In baseball, hit by pitch , or hit batsman , is a batter or his equipment being hit in some part of his body by a pitch from the pitcher.-Official rule:...
, and in walks and wild pitches again in 2004, despite being traded to the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
at midseason. The New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
acquired him, along with reliever Bartolomé Fortunato
Bartolomé Fortunato
Bartolomé Araujo Fortunato is a Baseball pitcher who currently plays for the Edmonton Capitals of the North American League....
, in a highly criticized deal for top-ranked pitching prospect Scott Kazmir
Scott Kazmir
Scott Edward Kazmir is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. Kazmir made his Major League debut with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in 2004 when he was only 20 years old and at one time held many of the franchise's career pitching records...
and minor league pitcher Joselo Diaz
Joselo Díaz
Joselo Soriano Díaz is a Major League Baseball pitcher who is currently with the independent Long Island Ducks....
.
On May 6, 2006, Zambrano suffered a torn flexor tendon
Tendon
A tendon is a tough band of fibrous connective tissue that usually connects muscle to bone and is capable of withstanding tension. Tendons are similar to ligaments and fasciae as they are all made of collagen except that ligaments join one bone to another bone, and fasciae connect muscles to other...
in his pitching elbow, disabling him for the rest of the 2006 season. Doctors unexpectedly found a torn elbow ligament
Ligament
In anatomy, the term ligament is used to denote any of three types of structures. Most commonly, it refers to fibrous tissue that connects bones to other bones and is also known as articular ligament, articular larua, fibrous ligament, or true ligament.Ligament can also refer to:* Peritoneal...
during surgery on May 15, resulting in the second Tommy John
Tommy John surgery
Tommy John surgery, known in medical practice as ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction, is a surgical procedure in which a ligament in the medial elbow is replaced with a tendon from elsewhere in the body...
elbow surgery of his career. Zambrano was expected to be sidelined well into the 2007 season, and he was non-tendered by the Mets, and became a free agent in December 2006.
Zambrano joined La new Bears of Taiwan's Chinese Professional Baseball League in 2009. He made his debut on September 1. He pitched six innings with two earned runs. He lost to Uni Lions' Nerio Rodríguez 9 to 5.
Victor Zambrano was always known as a "journeyman" pitcher. On January 30, 2007, Zambrano signed a minor league contract, with an invitation to Major League spring training
Spring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
with the Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
. He appeared in only eight games (two of them starts), before he was released on July 9. After signing a minor league contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
, his contract was purchased by the Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
on September 9, 2007. For the rest of the 2007 season, he appeared in 5 games for the Orioles, made 2 starts, and was 0-1 with a 9.49 ERA. Following the 2007 season, he was released by the Orioles on October 1. On February 5, 2008, he signed a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training with the Colorado Rockies. On June 7, 2008, the Rockies released him. He signed with the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
on July 31, 2008 and became a free agent at the end of the season.
During a 7-year baseball career, Zambrano compiled 45 wins
Win (baseball)
In professional baseball, there are two types of decisions: a win and a loss . In each game, one pitcher on the winning team is awarded a win and one pitcher on the losing team is given a loss in their respective statistics. These pitchers are collectively known as the pitchers of record. Only...
, 529 strikeout
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
s, and a 4.64 earned run average
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
. He is a .123 hitter (9-for-73) with three runs scored and three runs batted in
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
.
Victor has often mistakenly been thought to be related to Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
pitcher Carlos Zambrano
Carlos Zambrano
Carlos Alberto Zambrano is a Venezuelan professional baseball pitcher with the Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball. Zambrano, who stands 6' 5" and weighs 260 pounds, was signed by the Cubs as a free agent in 1997 and made his debut in 2001...
. Both Carlos and Victor Zambrano are Venezuelan. Although they lived just an hour away from each other as children, they never knew each other.
After the 2009 season ended and no team had picked Zambrano up, he decided to retire from baseball.
In October 2009, his mother was kidnapped. She was rescued three days later by members of the Venezuelan national police. Three suspects were arrested. A fourth is still at large.