Sports on the Edge – Carlos Zambrano: Pure Heat on the Mound

Name: Carlos Zambrano

Who He Is: Chicago Cubs pitcher

Why He’s Fearless: There’s a fine line between fearless and crazy and the 28-year-old fire-balling right-hander certainly teeters on the edge. Zambrano will throw any pitch any time — whether or not his catcher actually called for it — and then throw it at you the next time when you hit it. He’s scuffled with opponents, teammates and umpires, and backs up his bad temper with a hot bat — Zambrano has 19 career home runs and has twice won the Silver Slugger award as baseball’s best hitting pitcher.

Most Fearless Moment: Earlier this season, Zambrano was ejected for arguing a call at the plate with an umpire. In response, he attempted to toss the umpire out of the game, then chucked the baseball into right field and proceeded to destroy every Gatorade jug in the Cubs dugout.

Expert Testimony: “You see the emotion. You know he’s intense, you know he’s a big guy,” says Chris Singleton, a centerfielder who retired in 2005 and now works for ESPN’s Baseball Tonight. “And you know if you charge the mound you better bring a lunch because you’re gonna be out there awhile.”