Hello?
Hey, yeah, guys. It’s me. It’s Carlos.
“Big Z” they used to call me. Now they don’t really call me anything. Unless… does “whispering to each other and pointing” count as a nickname? Yeah, I didn’t think so.
Anyways.
Aug. 22, 2012; Phoenix, AZ, USA: Miami Marlins pitcher Carlos Zambrano pitches in the eighth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
I’m still down here in Clearwater, livin’ it up with these low A minor leaguers. They’re a cool bunch. We have fun. They mutter things to each other, and then shove one of their friends in my direction, and he sheepishly asks me a question related to my anger problem. And I just smile and nod. It’s a thing we have! We’re all friends.
So, I don’t know if you saw, but I threw six scoreless innings the other day. It was pretty cool, I guess. They just kept sending these kids with bats up there and I got most of ‘um out. I mean, it’s low A ball, so it’s not like this is a truly difficult thing to do. I remember being a ball player at their age and all I wanted to do was put in my workouts, do the best I can, and secretly throttle the towel boy when no one was looking.
I just want to make sure you guys know I’m doing all right. Like, pretty doggone all right. Six scoreless seems like it would be a dream for the Phillies at the Major League level. But I understand. Sometimes it can be hard to admit you really need help. Sometimes bashing a Gatorade cooler with a bat just seems like the only sane thing to do.
When that camera crew from “Behind the Pinstripes” came up to me, I thought it was to tell me I was being promoted. It was a little irritating when they just wanted to talk to me about baseball, but I understand, I think. Mostly, I just want to pitch. Sometimes I want to pitch so badly that I wake up with blood on my hands! Ha! Ha ha!
2013 could be a big year for us, if you let it be. So I guess I’m just saying I’ll be down here, if you need. Right over here in Clearwater. Throwing six shutout innings. No big deal.