Carlos Zambrano is working his way back to the Chicago Cubs after a long, self-induced layoff. He threw an inning last night for AAA Iowa, and although he didn’t give up a run, the performance was altogether “meh.”
Zambrano, who pitched one inning for the Mesa Rookie League team on Monday, threw 15 pitches, 10 for strikes, in front of 12,949 at Principle Park in Des Moines, Iowa.
He entered with the game tied at 4 and got Oklahoma City’s Guilder Rodriguez to ground out to second and Craig Gentry singled to right off a 1-1 pitch. Zambrano then got help from center fielder Sam Fuld, who made a leaping catch at the wall of Hernan Iribarren’s fly ball for the second out. Mitch Moreland singled, and Zambrano got Jarrod Saltalamacchia to ground out to second.
Of the five batters Zambrano faced, he only threw a first-pitch strike to Saltalamacchia. cubs.com.
A couple singles, a would-be double, and falling behind hitters. Assuredly Z needs time to get back to form, but this was not an inspiring outing.