| Víctor Zambrano | |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | |
| Born: August 6, 1975 Los Teques, Venezuela |
|
| Batted: Switch | Threw: Right |
| MLB debut | |
| June 21, 2001 for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| September 30, 2007 for the Baltimore Orioles | |
| Career statistics | |
| Win–Loss record | 45–44 |
| Earned run average | 4.64 |
| Strikeouts | 529 |
| Teams | |
Víctor Manuel Zambrano (born August 6, 1975 in Los Teques, Venezuela) is a former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher.
Zambrano had a good repertoire and an aggressive pitching approach, using his 92-95 MPH sinking fastball, a changeup, and occasionally a quality slider. He was a converted infielder who fielded his position well and did a decent job holding on runners. However, his effectiveness was 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 New York Mets acquired him, along with reliever Bartolomé Fortunato, in a highly criticized deal for top-ranked[1] pitching prospect Scott Kazmir and minor league pitcher Joselo Diaz.
On May 6, 2006, Zambrano suffered a torn flexor tendon in his pitching elbow, disabling him for the rest of the 2006 season.[2] Doctors unexpectedly found a torn elbow ligament during surgery on May 15, resulting in the second Tommy John elbow surgery of his career. Zambrano was 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.
Zambrano joined La new Bears of Taiwan's Chinese Professional Baseball League in 2009. He made his debut on September 1. He pitched six innings with two earned runs. He lost to Uni Lions' Nerio Rodríguez 9 to 5.
Victor Zambrano was always known as a "journeyman" pitcher. On January 30, 2007, Zambrano signed a minor league contract, with an invitation to Major League spring training with the Toronto Blue Jays.[3] He appeared in only eight games (two of them starts), before he was released on July 9. After signing a minor league contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates, his contract was purchased by the Baltimore Orioles on September 9, 2007. For the rest of the 2007 season, he appeared in 5 games for the Orioles, made 2 starts, and was 0-1 with a 9.49 ERA. Following the 2007 season, he was released by the Orioles on October 1. On February 5, 2008, he signed a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training with the Colorado Rockies. On June 7, 2008, the Rockies released him. He signed with the New York Yankees on July 31, 2008 and became a free agent at the end of the season.
During a 7-year baseball career, Zambrano compiled 45 wins, 529 strikeouts, and a 4.64 earned run average. He is a .123 hitter (9-for-73) with three runs scored and three runs batted in.
Victor has often mistakenly been thought to be related to Chicago Cubs pitcher Carlos Zambrano. Both Carlos and Victor Zambrano are Venezuelan. Although they lived just an hour away from each other as children, they never knew each other.
After the 2009 season ended and no team had picked Zambrano up, he decided to retire from baseball.
In October 2009, his mother was kidnapped. She was rescued three days later by members of the Venezuelan national police. Three suspects were arrested. A fourth is still at large.
| Preceded by Joe Kennedy |
Tampa Bay Devil Rays Opening Day Starting pitcher 2004 |
Succeeded by Dewon Brazelton |
|
|||||
|
|||||
|
|||||