Víctor Zambrano

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**Víctor Zambrano**

Toronto Blue Jays — No. 31
Pitcher
Bats: Switch	Throws: Right
Major League Baseball debut
June 21, 2001 for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays
Selected MLB statistics (through 2006)
Wins-Losses	45-41
Earned Run Average	4.45
Strikeouts	513
Former teams
Tampa Bay Devil Rays (2001-2004) New York Mets (2004-2006)

Víctor Manuel Zambrano (born August 6, 1975 in Los Teques, Venezuela) is a starting pitcher currently signed to a minor league contract within the Toronto Blue Jays organization. Previously, he played for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays (2001-2004) and the New York Mets (2005-06). He is a switch-hitter and throws right-handed.

Zambrano has a good repertoire and he pitches aggressively, using his 92-95 MPH sinking fastball, a changeup, and occasionally a quality slider that is practically unhittable. He is a converted infielder who fields his position well and he does a decent job holding on runners. However, his effectiveness is hampered by a lack of control — in 2003 he led the American League in walks, wild pitches, and hit batsmen, and in walks and wild pitches again in 2004, despite being traded to the National League at midseason. The Mets acquired him, along with reliever Bartolome Fortunato, in a highly criticized^[1] deal for top-ranked^[2] pitching prospect Scott Kazmir.

Through the 2006 season, Zambrano has compiled a 45-41 record with 513 strikeouts and a 4.45 ERA in 683.1 innings pitched. At bat, he is a .123 hitter (nine-for-49) with three runs and three RBIs.

On May 6, 2006, Zambrano suffered a torn flexor tendon in his pitching elbow, disabling him for the rest of the 2006 season.^[3] Doctors unexpectedly found a torn elbow ligament during surgery on May 15, resulting in the second Tommy John elbow surgery of his career. Zambrano is 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.

On January 30, 2007 Zambrano signed a minor league contract (with invitation to Major League Spring Training) with the Toronto Blue Jays.^[4] The deal includes a club option for the 2008 season.^[5]

1 Fact
2 See also
3 References
4 External links

[edit] Fact

August 7, 2005 - In just the fourth meeting of pitchers with the same last name since 2000, Víctor Zambrano outdueled Carlos Zambrano of the Chicago Cubs in front of 40,321 fans at Shea Stadium, pitching the Mets to a 6-1 win and a sweep of the three-game series. Both Zambranos entered with 42 career wins, the second time in major league history that opposing starters with the same last name came in with matching victory totals, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. The other was on June 15, 1944, when Red Barrett of the Boston Braves and Dick Barrett of the Philadelphia Phillies each had 19 career wins. Both Zambranos were born in Venezuela, both throw with their right arm, both are switch hitters, and both wore No. 38 at the time. It was the fourth time in modern major league history that starting pitchers with a last name beginning with Z faced each other, according to ESPN. Both Zambranos have faced Barry Zito of the San Francisco Giants while Zito was pitching for the Oakland Athletics.