Tall Tales: The Andrew Zarzour Story

[Joy in Mudville]

Charlotte Flight would be great. Could it combine the colors of UNC and Duke? I know that's a strange combination of rivals, but the purpose is to unify the state.

[AZTarHeel]

Originally Posted by AZTarHeel

Baseball Fans: The Carolina .... What?

Help us name the potential MLB franchise for the Tar Heel state

The Carolina Professional Baseball Club Inc., based right here in the Triangle, is making a strong push to have the Montreal Expos relocated to the Tar Heel state, possibly as early as the 2005 season. The club would join the NHL's Carolina Hurricanes in a growing professional sports market.

The Carolina boys, though, know they are in for an uphill climb, especially with most sentiment around MLB calling for the 'Spos to relocate to Washington D.C. (if the death of baseball in Montreal becomes official like most believe it will).

It's going to take a strong, strong sales push to get owners to consider North Carolina over DC or Northern Virginia. That begins with a solid marketing campaign. So, in that vain, we here at The News & Observer are sponsoring a special contest for our readers to help the Carolina effort succeed.

Here is what we're looking for:

• What would you name North Carolina's franchise if we got one? (Remember that Tar Heels, Wolfpack, Blue Devils and Hurricanes are nicknames already taken around here)

• What should the team colors be? (is there such a thing as barbecue orange?)

Submit your ideas right here at the N&O's Web site and we'll publish the best answers (obviously forwarding them to the fine folks at the Carolina Professional Baseball Club for their perusal).

(Hint, hint -- dynasty readers, feel free to chime in if you've got good suggestions -- who knows, your ideas may change history in Big Z's world!!)

Thanks for the ideas thus far -- actually the bid is for the Triangle area, which to you non-NC folks means Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill (home to NC State, UNC and Duke - the best college hoops in the world, but that's another thread) ... The Carolina Hurricanes play in the same arena NC State uses for basketball ... Raleigh is my hometown, so hey, I can dream a little, right?

Keep those ideas coming!! Personally, I like the look and color scheme of the Carolina Mudcats, a Double A team that plays about 45-minutes from Raleigh:

[AZTarHeel]

Lo Duca sizzles in win over White Sox

LA catcher finishes 6-for-6, hits walk-off HR

June 7, 2003 * 11:20 a.m.

Well it’s finally over here at The Ravine after more than four hours. Time to strike up the band and salute Paul Lo Duca.

Check out this line at the plate from tonight‘s 7-6 interleague win over the White Sox: 6-for-6. Yes, that’s right. Three different pitchers tried without success to retire the Brooklyn Bomber. None could do it.

But it wasn’t just Lo Duca getting six hits that proved so amazing. After rapping out four straight singles, Lo Duca came up with two outs in the bottom of the ninth and nailed a two-run homer off Bobby Howry to tie the game and force extra innings. Then in the bottom of the 11th, again with two outs, Lo Duca hit a solo shot off Dave Veres for the victory.

That is the stuff of kings right there (and, as an author’s aside, yet another reason this author loves OOTP).

"It was almost like batting practice. I saw the ball very well and could just about hit it anywhere I wanted,“ Lo Duca said afterward. "I got some good counts and used the whole field."

Lo Duca is presently batting .370 with 5 home runs, 24 runs scored and 28 RBIs. His OBP is .438. Again, wow… Strike up the band and hail Mr. Lo Duca…

(Author’s Note: Lo Duca went on to win Player of the Week honors. His numbers for the first week of June: Lo Duca batted .632 (12-19) with 2 home runs and 5 RBIs. Nice!)

[AZTarHeel]

June 15, 2003

It’s Draft Day around MLB. The World Series champion Dodgers had the 30th pick in each round. Here is who the team picked to build its future around:

1. Russ Adams, SS (a graduate of UNC Chapel Hill!!)
2. Jason Kubel, LF
3. Jeremy Reed, CF
4. Val Pascucci, RF
5. Jeff Bennett, MR
6. Brian Bruney, MR
7. Sam Marsonek, SP

Then, in a stunning move right after the draft, the Dodgers sent Kubel and Reed, as well as Minor League 2B Mike Young (Double A) to San Francisco for 18-year-old third base prospect BJ Upton, a player they’ve coveted for awhile. The rich just seem to get richer…

The No. 1 overall pick for 2003 was starting pitcher Scott Kazmir, selected by the Detroit Tigers ... the Houston Astros got 3B David Wright (another player LA was looking strongly at) with the No. 10 pick ... Kevin Youkilis went to Atlanta in the first round ...

[AZTarHeel]

June 29, 2003

Dear Andrew,

Hey big brother, Timmy here with a quick note to wish you well. By the time you read this, Hank, Derrick and I will be off for a glorious three months of fun at Paris Island. Yeah, I’m glad I waited to officially enlist in the Marines. I got the chance to see you in the World Series and help mom out while dad was “taking it easy” following his heart procedures. But now is the for me to go, and I think I’m ready. Even if I’m going to be called a worm every day for the next few months. Haha.

Keep pitching well (10-4 record, not bad for someone who doesn’t really like Vegas) and don’t worry about your little brother. I’ll be fine. Keep reminding mom. I’ll be fine. Thanks for the Bible you sent me. I really will try to read it as much as I can. Really.

Peace, brother. I love you and all that mushy family stuff.

Timmy

[AZTarHeel]

San Diego snaps Dodgers‘ 14-game win streak

LA still has commanding 17-game lead in NL West

July 7, 2003 * 12:01 a.m.

Well it had to happen sometime. The Dodgers are human after all. San Diego snapped the Dodgers’ 14-game winning streak tonight, in convincing fashion by a 9-0 score.

Los Angeles began the streak June 21, topping Anaheim twice, the Giants three times, Anaheim three times again, the Padres three times and then the D-Backs three times.

Even with the defeat, LA is in full command of the NL West (and baseball as a whole) with a 67-20 (scary good) record… Even with the loss, they are 17 full games ahead of the Padres.

The next best records in baseball right now can be found in Atlanta (56-33) and Baltimore (54-34). The surging Orioles have a four-game edge on the Yankees and Devil Rays, and a five game edge on the defending AL champion Boston Red Sox…

[AZTarHeel]

Las Vegas 51s Baseball Report

Zarzour pitches complete-game, one-hit shutout

Saturday, Aug. 2, 2003

By Brian Latta
LVRJ Sports

Las Vegas left-hander Andrew Zarzour pitched in his third-straight shutout and nearly had a no-hitter to show for it Friday night at Cashman Field.

The 7-foot-2 hurler allowed just one hit -- a fourth-inning single -- in the 51s’ 2-0 win over the Albuquerque Isotopes. He allowed just two other base-runners the entire night but didn’t let either come close to home plate.

Zarzour covered up a fielding error in the top of the seventh inning by luring Keith Johnson into a double play one batter later. The 22-year-old, who struck out 15, issued his only walk of the night in the ninth inning. But he answered that with two K’s to end the game.

“We just didn’t have the offense tonight so I never felt like I could relax,” Zarzour said. “The coaches wanted to push my pitch count a bit, and I think I responded well under a lot of pressure. I‘m most happy to get us another win.”

Zarzour hasn’t allowed an earned run in the past three starts. He pitched eight shutout innings in a 1-0 Las Vegas victory over Omaha on July 23. He went all nine in a 9-0 victory over Portland. During that stretch, “Big Z” has surrendered only seven hits, with 35 strikeouts and two walks.

In 26 starts this year Zarzour has posted 15 wins while suffering 6 losses. He has pitched 208.1 innings total for the 51s, allowing 136 hits, striking out 265 and posting a 1.77 ERA.

Russ Adams, newly drafted from the University of North Carolina, had three hits and an RBI double to help Las Vegas in last night’s win over Albuquerque. Rookie BJ Upton had one hit.

_____________________
AUTHOR’S NOTE: The Dodgers are humming along so well -- and so healthily -- that I’m reluctant to tinker with anything, hence why Zarzour is staying down on the farm for now. Las Vegas leads its division in the PCL, so maybe Big Z can help them win a Triple A championship before coming up in September…

[AZTarHeel]

Rumor: Zarzour will pitch for Dodgers tomorrow night

Sept. 7, 2003 * 9:46 p.m.

The chatter in the press box as tonight's game winds down is that Andrew Zarzour, recently recalled from Las Vegas, will get the ball for the Dodgers tomorrow night when the club begins its series against Arizona in Phoenix. He'll be taking Darren Dreifort's spot, at least for a night.

Zarzour had an absolutely sterling season in Triple A, posting a 17-6 record with an amazing 1.82 ERA and an amazing 312 strikeouts (likely the PCL Pitcher of the Year in my opinion). He was a big reason, along with Ben Molina, Cole Liniak, Victor Santos, Randy Keisler and recent draftees Russ Adams and BJ Upton, that the 51s won the Pacific Coast League regular season and tournament titles.

Of course, you can be sure that Dodger Nation will be on pins and needles, as the last time we saw Big Z in a Dodgers uniform he was surrendering five home runs in just a few innings at Fenway. Zarzour seems to be much more solid, physically, mechanically and mentally, than at any point in his career, but we'll see.

As for Dreifort, I can't imagine he'll lose a spot in the rotation even if Zarzour throws a no-hitter. Dreifort is 11-4, going on a tear since being 1-3 back in early May. Dodgers brass are likely seeing what they've got in the cards as they prepare rosters for the post-season...

As I type this, LA still leads Colorado 5-3 going into the top of the eighth. If Sasaki and the rest of the bullpen can hold on, Dan Smith will get his 20th win tonight...

[AZTarHeel]

Sept. 8, 2003

It felt good to Andrew Zarzour when he put his Los Angeles Dodgers uniform on for the first time this season. He immediately felt right at home even if he was wearing the road grays and warming up at Arizona's Bank One Ballpark.

"I'm back," he said to himself with a noticeable smile spreading across his face.

Zarzour worked through his first inning pretty well. He got the first two hitters, Ruben Rivera and Tomas De La Rosa out on three pitches. And while he walked Ken Ryan Junior, catcher Paul Lo Duca gunned Ryan down trying to steal second base.

While Tony Batista didn't get a chance to swing in his at-bat in the first inning, he crushed a Zarzour offering to lead off the second. The fly ball zipped out of Bank One Ballpark into the left-field bleachers, giving the Diamondbacks a 1-0 lead -- and giving Los Angeles fans a terrible sense of de ja vu.

But Zarzour didn't crumble this time like he had in the World Series. Lo Duca gave his pitcher a little "you're alright" look as he threw a new ball back to the mound. Zarzour quickly got locked back in and only gave up one hit the rest of his time on the hill (an 0-2 single to Ryan in the seventh inning).

Zarzour was relieved to start the eighth but unfortunately wouldn't have a chance for a win because the game was tied 1-1. His final line in his 2003 Major League debut: 7.0 IP, 2 hits, 1 run, 1 earned run, 2 walks, 5 K's, one HR, 86 pitches total, 59 pitches for strikes, 1.29 ERA. Not too shabby...

Unfortunately, the Dodgers lost the game in the bottom of the ninth -- with Ryan delivering the death blow. Reliever Brendan Donnelly walker Rivera, then gave up a single to pinch-hitter Kevin Barker. An error moved both runners into scoring position with no outs, but Ryan quickly ended things by hitting a three-run homer back into the left-field seats. See, it's not just Zarzour -- Donnelly is considered one of the Dodgers' top bullpen mates.


•••NOTE: I believe Ken Ryan Junior is one member of a class of fictional players that I accidently allowed to get drafted during the 2002 season. I forgot to tell the game (using an older OOTP at the time) to go get "real rookies" and so it created a class of draftees.

[MrHaroldG]

Originally Posted by AZTarHeel

Baseball Fans: The Carolina .... What?

Help us name the potential MLB franchise for the Tar Heel state

The Carolina Professional Baseball Club Inc., based right here in the Triangle, is making a strong push to have the Montreal Expos relocated to the Tar Heel state, possibly as early as the 2005 season. The club would join the NHL's Carolina Hurricanes in a growing professional sports market.

The Carolina boys, though, know they are in for an uphill climb, especially with most sentiment around MLB calling for the 'Spos to relocate to Washington D.C. (if the death of baseball in Montreal becomes official like most believe it will).

It's going to take a strong, strong sales push to get owners to consider North Carolina over DC or Northern Virginia. That begins with a solid marketing campaign. So, in that vain, we here at The News & Observer are sponsoring a special contest for our readers to help the Carolina effort succeed.

Here is what we're looking for:

• What would you name North Carolina's franchise if we got one? (Remember that Tar Heels, Wolfpack, Blue Devils and Hurricanes are nicknames already taken around here)

• What should the team colors be? (is there such a thing as barbecue orange?)

Submit your ideas right here at the N&O's Web site and we'll publish the best answers (obviously forwarding them to the fine folks at the Carolina Professional Baseball Club for their perusal).

(Hint, hint -- dynasty readers, feel free to chime in if you've got good suggestions -- who knows, your ideas may change history in Big Z's world!!)

I like the Carolina Monarchs. It was one of my expansion teams for an OOTP2006 dynasty I had planned but never got off the ground.

As for the colors - how 'bout purple and gold?

[AZTarHeel]

Originally Posted by MrHaroldG

I like the Carolina Monarchs. It was one of my expansion teams for an OOTP2006 dynasty I had planned but never got off the ground.

As for the colors - how 'bout purple and gold?

I like purple and gold a lot as a combo ... to folks from NC, those would be Pirate colors, as in the East Carolina Pirates... thanks for the suggestion!

[AZTarHeel]

Andrew Zarzour got his first win with the Dodgers in his next start, on Sept. 20, 2003. Alternating starts with Darren Dreifort in the No. 5 spot, Zarzour pitched 6.1 solid innings in a 5-3 victory over the San Francisco Giants. He allowed nine hits and three earned runs (no homers!) but countered with 13 strikeouts. Not too bad.

Zarzour had hoped to win a spot on the Dodgers' playoff roster, but alas, his final start of the regular season Sept. 25 ended those hopes. He took a pretty big step backwards in an 8-6 loss at San Diego (a pretty hot team in the final part of the season).

Zarzour lasted just 1.1 innings, giving up six runs. And the home run monster returned in a big way also.

Things started OK. He got Tim Salmon out on two pitches. But then he walked Alfonso Soriano and Chipper Jones (nice lineup the Pads have by the way). Alex Arias singled on a 3-1 count and then — GULP — Danny Bautista roped a grand slam 417 feet into the left centerfield seats. Ouch. Zarzour gave up two more singles in the inning before mercifully working out of the jam.

In the second inning, Big Z's troubles continued. He walked Salmon, struck out Soriano but then gave up a two-run bomb to Chipper Jones (this one parked 404 feet from home plate in about the same place that Bautista hit his). That was it for Zarzour's night — and probably his season — as Ted Lilly came in to relieve his beleaguered buddy.

Lilly actually gave up two quick singles as well — maybe this was just the Padres' night — before settling down. Los Angeles fought back to make it competitive in the latter innings but couldn't catch all the way up.

The worst part is that again Los Angeles was chasing a milestone win. Coming into the contest, the Dodgers held a 116-43 W-L mark. The Major League record for most wins in the regular season also was 116. Zarzour could have had his name in the record books for being the winning pitcher in his team's 117th victory. Now someone else will get to try for that honor as LA closes the regular season with a three-game set at San Francisco.

So, Big Z's final line for the 2003 Major League regular season took a nose-dive in that last 1.1 innings: 1-1 record, 6.14 ERA (had been 2.70 going into the San Diego game), 14.2 IP, 16 hits allowed, 10 earned runs allowed, three homers (dang), 20 Ks and 7 walks.

Zarzour's only hope of wearing an LA uniform in the post-season will come if one of the 12 regulars in the bullpen gets hurt. And Zarzour, as much as he wants to play in what could be a historic post-season run, certainly doesn't want that to happen...

[AZTarHeel]

A few notes on the Dodgers at the close of the 2003 regular season:

LA went on to sweep the Giants in three straight, finishing with a sterling, unmatchable record of 119-43 — a full 18 games ahead of a very good San Diego Padres team, which had the second best record in baseball at 101-61.

Most have already pegged the Dodgers as the NL's representative in the World Series, but of course the team has to win two rounds first.

The opening round playoff match-ups look like this:

Chicago Cubs (95-67) vs. LA Dodgers (119-43)
Atlanta Braves (97-65) vs. San Diego Padres (101-61)
Baltimore Orioles (96-66) vs. Kansas City Royals (91-71) -- imagine that
Seattle Mariners (93-69) vs. Cleveland Indians (94-68)

• No Yankees (89-73) and no Red Sox (86-76) in this year's playoffs. How strange. Andrew Zarzour's childhood favorite team, the Phillies, had the league's worst record this season at 57-105. They fired their manager.

• Paul Lo Duca, the Dodgers starting catcher ended up winning the NL batting crown with a .360 average. Alex Rodriguez suffered a shoulder injury in the last week of the regular season (arrg) but should only miss maybe a game or two in the NLDS. The Dodgers should have enough other weapons to compensate.

[elmwood44]

I love this dynasty!!!!!!!

[JGil050]

Look at my Orioles go!!! BTW, I made an attempt to find a good template to come up with some jersey ideas for each of the ideas that have come along for the potential expansion team. Unfortunately I struck out in that regard.

Here is hoping Big Z can put it all together now and continue on his track to being a superstar!

[AZTarHeel]

FYI, here are final standings from the 2003 season ...

Could it be Dodgers-Orioles for the World Championship, JGil? LA's a little worried about the Padres, though. They look to be a pretty tough..

[AZTarHeel]

Oct. 2, 2003

Military News
Zarzour completes basic training

Marine Corps Private First Class Timothy W. Zarzour of Bunn recently completed basic training at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, S.C.

PFC Zarzour successfully completed 12 weeks of training designed to challenge new Marine Corps recruits both physically and mentally. PFC Zarzour and fellow recruits began their training at 5 a.m., jogging three miles and performing calisthenics.

In addition to the physical conditioning program, Zarzour spent numerous hours in classroom and field assignments which included learning first aid, uniform regulations, combat water survival, marksmanship, hand-to-hand combat and assorted weapons training. They performed close order drill and operated as a small infantry unit during field training.

Zarzour and other recruits also received instruction on the Marine Corps' core values - honor, courage and commitment, and what the core values mean in guiding personal and professional conduct.

The recruits ended their training phase with The Crucible, a 54-hour team evolution culminating in an emotional ceremony in which recruits are presented the Marine Corps Emblem, and addressed as "Marines" for the first time in their careers.

Zarzour, the son of Phillip and Elizabeth Zarzour of Bunn, is a 2002 graduate of Bunn High School.

[AZTarHeel]

Welcome back to the post-game show here on the Dodgers Radio Network. It’s time to take some calls. This next hour is yours, fans. Don't hold back.

Well, Roger, what do you think? Probably didn't think it would end this way, right?

I‘m just stunned. I really am. I mean how do you win 119 games in the regular season — more than any other team in history — and lose to the wild card team in the NLDS? That is just unacceptable to me and some heads should roll somewhere. Manager Jim Tracy should go or someone. This is ridiculous!

Well, I don’t know about that harsh reaction but I agree with you about being stunned and frustrated. Thanks for the call, Roger. The Dodgers just seemed listless in this series, and their pitching — the bread and butter of the season — just let them down at key times, including tonight

Steve, you hanging in there tonight after the tough Game 5 loss?

Frankly I turned it off after Kevin Mench hit the three-run homer off BK Kim in the first inning. I just had a feeling when they took Game 2 from us at home that we could be in trouble. I just wonder, do you think the guys got satisfied with the 119 wins in the regular season? They just didn’t seem to play inspired to me at all these past few games. And the Cubs did, and they move on.

It was obvious that A-Rod, hurt in the final week of the regular season, wasn’t himself, going 0-for in two of the games that he did play in. And like I said before BK, Clay Condrey and some of the bullpen just really gave it up at times. And this year, the offense didn’t rally the troops like they did in last year‘s playoffs. I mean Andrew Zarzour gave up five homers in the World Series last October, and the Dodgers still won that game. This year, there just weren't the answers from the offense when the team got down.

Thanks for the call, Steve. If you’re just joining us, it’s official. The Dodgers have been eliminated from the playoffs by the Chicago Cubs in Game 5 of the National League Divisional Series tonight, losing 7-6 at the Ravine. LA left Johnny Damon stranded at third base in the bottom of the eighth, a run that could have tied it up. Paul Lo Duca singled with one out in the top of the ninth, but Craig Wilson struck out and Damian Jackson grounded out to end the game and season, producing a frenzied celebration of Cubs players at the mound.

Chicago will now go on to play Atlanta in the NL Championship Series, while the Royals and Indians will duke it out for the AL pennant.

Let’s take another call. Rob, so you’re a Cubs fan, eh? You might want to lay low for a few days.

Ha. I moved here from Chicago about five years ago. I just wanted to tell all the Dodgers fans to chill out. Yes, you got beat but good grief we haven’t won a World Series in almost a century. You guys won last year and still had a great season this year. We were just hot this series. Preston Wilson had a great week and of course Mench’s homer was huge tonight. This could be the year for us.

Thanks for joining us Rob. I’m still trying to come to grips with a potential Cubs-Royals World Series. This could be the year for the Cubbies, though, you‘re right...

Eric, you OK tonight? You’re not jumping off a bridge or anything? My screener says you’re pretty, uh, wound up.

Yeah, I guess I’ve cooled down a bit now being on hold for 15 minutes. But the thing that kills me is that LA may never have this level of talent all together here again in our lifetime. And we choked. We could have gone down as the greatest team ever, and we frickin’ choked. I just don’t see us hanging on to all these guys next year. We blew our chance at real history.

The off-season will be interesting for sure. We already know that Johnny Damon, David Bell and Jeff Cirillo will be off to the free agent market. The arbitration hearings could be a big day for the future of the franchise. There are some guys in line to get big raises, and the Dodgers may not be able to afford to keep everyone around for 2004. I’d look for a few other starters to move on. We’ll see.

Well, we’re up against a break. We’ll be here for about 50 more minutes, so chime in with your thoughts. The Dodgers are done. No World Series this year. Back to take your calls in a two minutes...


__________
NOTE: Andrew Zarzour wasn't on the playoff roster this year, so at least he won't catch grief for giving up a bunch of long balls ... Maybe he should have been on the 25-man roster, but on paper at least, there were five other starters and a bunch of relievers who appeared the stronger choices ... sigh...

[AZTarHeel]

Indians win World Series

The World Series trophy will return to the American League after Cleveland completed a 4-0 sweep of the Atlanta Braves in the 2003 championship.

The Indians won Game 4 by a 4-3 count after topping the Braves 1-0, 9-3 and 10-1 in the other three World Series contests. Cleveland sailed into the World Series after beating Kansas City 4-2.

Willie Martinez got his sixth save of the post-season in the clinching Game 4. Chad Tracy scored the winning run for the Indians in the bottom of the eighth inning, coming home after a double from Michael Barrett...

[AZTarHeel]

Las Vegas 51s Baseball Report

51s' Andrew Zarzour's takes PCL's Top Pitcher award

October 19, 2003

By Brian Latta
LVRJ Sports

Andrew Zarzour, the likeable 7-foot-2 left-hander who became a big hit in Las Vegas after saying in early spring that he had no desire to play there, won the Pacific Coast League’s Most Outstanding Pitcher award for 2003.

During the year, Zarzour excelled with an impressive 17-6 record in 30 starts. In 242.1 innings he yielded 162 hits and 51 walks, while striking out 312 and compiling a fine 1.82 ERA. He led Triple A in strikeouts and tied for the lead in wins.

He helped the 51s win the PCL championship before getting called up to Los Angeles to finish out the season.

“I liked Las Vegas a lot more than I thought I ever would, though I’m not a casino man,” Zarzour said. “This was a neat honor to receive, and I hope I can just keep getting better so I can help the Dodgers in the future. Thanks to my teammates for pushing me to be the best I can be. I think LA’s future is bright for years to come.”

Zarzour threw a one-hitter against Albuquerque in August and had a two-hitter against Portland in the start before that.