So, fabulous!
Ryan Dempster gets the honor of starting on Opening Day.
As good as I think that decision is for Ryan because nobody deserves it more, it's also really good for Carlos Zambrano.
Takes a little pressure off.
Remember last year's disaster opening in Atlanta, when Carlos went just 1.1 innings, gave up 8 earned runs and started off the year with a 54.00 era?
Not that he can't possibly pull off the same feat in game 2 this year, but there won't be the media pressure and whatever goes on in his own head leading up to the opener.
The home opener also happens to fall on April Fool's Day, so... yeah that's some overthink on my part but for Carlos, it's better that there's no chance whatsoever of falling victim to the headlines that a bad start on that day would generate.
Even tho it's still miles away, this season has started, and because I'm a team guy I'm over the "Carlos must go" thing.
His pronouncement that he's "cured" is, you know, he's said that every year one way or another so whatever.
And when something bad happens with him I won't be shocked, and obviously neither will Mike Quade, who said something like if Carlos goes nutty he can "take a walk". And the context didn't mean he'd be kicked off the team, it meant Carlos can do what you or I would do when we get mad and literally take a walk to calm down.
That's a better way to word it than saying we'll call the guys in white coats again.
Anyway, getting back to Ryan Dempster - I'm very happy he's getting this symbolic payback for years of dependable excellence, and I SO hope he gets to be the one pulling the April Fool's joke of his own making that would include something fun he plays on say, Reed Johnson.
