‘Big Z’ back in town
Weather delays his return, but the Carlos Zambrano effect is in full force for the independent Chicago Dogs
On a chilly Friday at Impact Field in Rosemont, the cars whizzing down I-294 almost looked as if they were driving on top of left field. In the stands, thousands of fans milled around in hot-dog costumes.
During a break in the sixth inning of the Chicago Dogs’ season opener, the red “sumo” wrestler pancaked the blue sumo in a contest of fan combatants near third base.
Carlos Zambrano, you’re not at Wrigley Field anymore.
The debut of the former Cubs starting pitcher on Friday as a member of the independent-league Dogs had everything you could imagine — except Zambrano’s debut.
Fans chanted “Zambrano” when reliever Ben Allison gave up three runs in the ninth, but with a 57-minute rain delay, the game pushed past 11 p.m. and only a smattering of fans were left.
“He was going to pitch tonight if we hadn’t had all this rain and the delays,” manager Butch Hobson said after the game. “We’ll save him for (Saturday) and hopefully we’ll have a big crowd.”
Since last summer, the 37-year-old Zambrano has pitched in Mexico and Venezuela. He spent his first 11 major-league seasons with the Cubs and made his last big-league appearance in 2012 with the Marlins.
His goal: to attract the attention of an MLB team that needs a reliever.
The would-be christening of Big Z’s comeback campaign Friday was about as colorful as one would expect for the man infamous for taking a bat to a Gatorade dispenser.
Before the game, Zambrano yukked it up and took turns at batting practice with Blackhawks legend Chris Chelios (there for ceremonial first-pitch duties) and actor D.B. Sweeney, who played Shoeless Joe Jackson in “Eight Men Out.”
The Dogs took a 9-1 lead after two innings against the Gary SouthShore RailCats, whose green uniforms bore a striking resemblance to the Washington Generals. Then came the rain delay.
After the unscheduled break, costumed hot-doggers cut loose during the musical interludes. More than a few fans wore Cubs hats, jackets and jerseys too.
It seems everyone wanted to get a look at Zambrano, though each had his or her reasons or viewed his path ahead through different prisms.
Shawn Hunter, Dogs co-owner: Hunter has a little Bill Veeck in him. He concocted this bid to break a world record for assembled wiener-wearers by giving away 6,300 hot-dog costumes, only he admitted that he doesn’t know if such a record exists — not that there were any Guinness World Record-keepers in attendance anyway.
Hunter and Hobson began scouting Zambrano the moment he announced his comeback plans while playing in Mexico. Hunter freely admitted he entertained “selfish” reasons for signing Zambrano last month: From a marketing standpoint, it’s an independent team’s dream.
“I knew it would be great, but I left the baseball decision to Butch,” Hunter said. “He said, ‘We’re doing it.’ I said, ‘Great decision.’ It’s just been fun ever since.
“He’s taken them out to dinner. He’s bought them lunches. … One of our young guys gave him a ride recently after practice and basically told Carlos when I used to be your fan I was playing T-ball, but now we’re
teammates.”
Butch Hobson, manager: Hobson, a Southern Baptist from Alabama, stopped short of saying his pairing with his fellow man of faith was “ordained,” but the implication of the word was palpable.
“It gave me goosebumps listening to him talk” about building churches in his native Venezuela, Hobson said, adding that Zam
brano has taken a leadership role shepherding the younger players. “I think my decision to bring him in, I believe the good Lord had a lot do with that. I really believe that.”
That’s not to say the former Red Sox manager doesn’t remember exactly who Zambrano was with the Cubs.
“He was fiery guy,” he said. “(When) we’re young, we’re fiery. We do some things that are probably going to stand out a little bit more than others. I like that. In my opinion, if you love playing that much you’ve got to have some fire in you.”
As much as Hobson feels kinship with Zambrano, he’s pragmatic about him reaching the majors again at his age.
“The older we get our bodies don’t respond a lot to the rigors of baseball,” Hobson said. “I know in his heart, God’s going to take care of that and protect him. His velocity’s not what it used to be (but) he knows how to pitch. Whether that’s going to translate to him being back or not, only time will tell.”
Michael Kravchuk, Dogs and Cubs fan: The AT&T manager from Arlington Heights would have supported any Cub. “I put on the ’16 videos … whenever I need a good cry,” Kravchuk said.
But Zambrano in particular drew him to the park. “Dude, I’m so glad Zambrano’s back,” he said. “Talk about a character.”
Kravchuck had this to say about Zambrano’s comeback bid: “I would never take anything against him. He’s one of those guys he’s got so much in the tank that I wouldn’t be surprised that at 80 years old he would still able to pitch.”
Josilin Johnson, Dogs and Cubs fan: The 18year-old University of Iowa student from Lombard was excited about the prospect of Zambrano taking the mound. “Oh, my God, I don’t really know anyone else who’s playing,” she said.
Johnson, 18, vaguely remembers Zambrano’s Cubs days as a kid.
“I feel like he was sassy,” she said. “I remember him, like, having an attitude.”
Jim and Emilio Albrecht, father and son Cubs fans from Lake in the Hills: Who was the kid here? Jim, 41, was decked out in a hot-dog costume. Emilio, 12, opted for a Javier Baez “El Mago” jersey.
Despite his youth, Emilio knows enough about Zambrano’s sometimes volatile past. “Anger management is a bit off, but when he’s in the zone he can play pretty well,” he said.
Added Jim: “He was always entertaining. You never knew what you were going to get when he was on that mound.”