Chicago Cubs Baseball

Sunday at Wrigley Field turned into a day to honor Chicago Cub pitching greats of the past and to ponder the fate of one in the present.

When the day started we knew it would be memorable, but who would have guessed it may be regrettable as well?

How Sunday will be remembered largely rests on the outcome of Monday’s MRI of pitcher Carlos Zambrano’s left hamstring.  Zambrano, known as one of the best slugging pitchers in baseball, ironically injured himself on one of the shortest hits of his career.

In the fifth inning, Zambrano laid down a bunt along the third base line and apparently incurred the hamstring injury when he extended his leg beating the throw to first base.  According to Cub manager Lou Piniella, Zambrano originally believed the injury to be a cramp.

“After a pitch, he realized it was more than that (a cramp),”  Piniella said. “I tried to get him out initially, and he talked me out of it. We did the right thing getting him out.”

Piniella characterized Zambrano’s next start as “in jeopardy,” which means if the MRI shows damage the right-hander will likely go on the disabled list, forcing the Cubs to enlist pitching help from their  minor leagues.

With Sunday’s 6-4 win, the Cubs have their second three-game win streak of the season, while the offense is finally starting to show signs of coming alive.

Sunday also was a day of honoring Chicago Cub baseball’s past as the organization retired jersey number 31, worn by former franchise pitching greats, Ferguson Jenkins and Greg Maddux.

It was only the fifth jersey number to be retired in Cub history.  Other player jerseys retired include Ron Santo (10), Ernie Banks (14), Ryne Sandberg (23) and Billy Williams (26).   The number 42 also is retired in honor of Jackie Robinson.

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1991, Jenkins pitched 19 years in the majors, including 10 with the Cubs.  He finished with an overall record of 284-226 and was the 1971 Cy Young Award winner, throwing an incredible 30 complete games in 39 starts and finishing with a 24-13 record.

Like Jenkins, Maddux has a list of achievements as long as his 25-year career.  In addition to 355 career victories, including 133 of those with the Cubs, Maddux is a four-time Cy Young Award winner and received the Gold Glove award for pitchers an amazing 16 times in his career.

“I always felt like it was a privilege to wear the uniform,” Maddux said. “Almost every day, when I was sitting there putting it on, I would realize it was a privilege and an honor to put on the uniform.

“Because I felt that way, I tried to do it right. I just tried to do it right every day and didn’t worry about what the score was in the ninth inning. As long as I did everything right before the game was over, I felt pretty good about myself.”

One can only hope the younger players were listening.