Chicago Cubs: Three newcomers, one holdover on 2018 Hall of Fame ballot; none deserve induction

Chicago Cubs: Big Z again in the spotlight

Carlos “Big Z” Zambrano is another pitcher who had a good, solid career, but not one worthy of the Hall of Fame.

He pitched 12 seasons in the MLB, 11 of which were with the Chicago Cubs. The right-handed pitcher went 132-91 with a 3.66 ERA over 1,959 innings pitched. He also recorded 1,637 strikeouts (7.5 SO/9) and pitched 10 complete games.

For a pitcher, Zambrano was quite a good hitter. In fact, the Cubs used him as a pinch-hitter several times. He slashed .238/.248/.388 with 24 home runs. His hitting numbers are impressive, but they don’t factor in his resume as a pitcher.

Zambrano was a fiery player, known for his frequent meltdowns after poor pitching performances. He was involved in physical altercations with teammates on more than one occasion.

He spent the last year of his major league career with the Miami Marlins in 2012. After a brief minor league stint with the Philadelphia Phillies, he officially announced his retirement in 2014.

Zambrano’s career numbers are good, but not good enough to be in the Hall of Fame. If there was such a thing as the Hall of Very Good, he would be a first-ballot inductee.