Tall Tales: The Andrew Zarzour Story

[AZTarHeel]

Thanks everyone for the great feedback ... It has been a lot of fun to create characters and then see how history plays out (like Andrew getting thrown out of a game - thought that was hilarious) ...

Now, everyone on here needs to pray for ol' Andrew and his dynasty buddies ... I finished simming the rest of the Phillies season a week or two ago. But then a few days after the World Series (no the Phillies didn't win, and neither did the Dodgers actually), my game file freaked out. Suddenly all of my players disappeared off my roster (and off the other teams' as well). It wouldn't even allow me as manager to take control of the Phillies anymore (or any other team)

I could find the players on some screens but on others they appeared to have been released. Even some of my rookies and relatively new players were in the free agent pool. When I simmed ahead a day or two to see if things might correct themselves, the AI took over and signed two other dudes as well as some coaches (that I wouldn't have signed).

All this to say, the Andrew Zarzour file might be in big trouble (it's currently under review by tech support) ...

I do have it backed up, but it's all the way back to the day after Zarzour got hurt (mid-June). Nothing would be hurt from my story-telling standpoint here but it would frustrating to have to re-sim those months (as the Phillies did do quite well in the end to finish almost at .500, about 30 more wins than the year before). I spent a lot of time on those months of the season trying to build the team, making moves, re-evaluating and re-shuffling my talent, etc.

But my biggest worry is that I go back and re-do this part of the season, then have the game screw up on me all over again once I got to the off-season...

So, keep your fingers crossed that the tech folks can figure out what looks to be multiple issues ... I guess upgrading from OOTP5 to OOTP6 to OOTP8 and now to OOTP9 and the latest OOTP9 patch has taken its toll on this game file ...

reading all the issues with the game in the tech support area does have me wary of even starting a new dynasty story if this file is unfixable... anyways, sorry to be such a bummer at what is a pivotal time in this story's history...

[AZTarHeel]

I think we may be saved -- the folks in tech support said the new patch should cure the ills of this league file ... keep your fingers crossed ...

if that doesn't work, i think I can go back and just pick up where I last made a backup (right after Andrew's injury) ... so, whew... I believe Mr. Zarzour may live to play another day, though i may have to edit a few posts above this one ...

On another note, I am working on another dynasty story as well that I'm excited about...

Thanks all for tuning in...

[elmwood44]

SWEEEETTTTT!!!!!!!

GREAT NEWS!!!!!!

[orin2]

Just spent the afternoon reading this and I thought you would like to know I think its great. I am in Iraq so entertainment is great. Hope to read more!

[AZTarHeel]

Originally Posted by orin2

Just spent the afternoon reading this and I thought you would like to know I think its great. I am in Iraq so entertainment is great. Hope to read more!

thanks orin2 for reading ... and thanks most of all for serving our country ... you are well-appreciated ...

[kailnurah]

Just read through this thread as well today (yes, all of it...today...haven't gotten a single thing done =j ) and expect me to keep following the intrepid Big Z and Josh Hamilton as long as they have careers! Which looks to be a long time to come if that save file holds up... =D

[AZTarHeel]

Originally Posted by kailnurah

Just read through this thread as well today (yes, all of it...today...haven't gotten a single thing done =j ) and expect me to keep following the intrepid Big Z and Josh Hamilton as long as they have careers! Which looks to be a long time to come if that save file holds up... =D

sorry to be such a distraction to you kailnurah -- haha... i remember the first time i found the Pat O'Farrell and Bubba Jones dynasties, basically taking self-imposed days off to read through a lot of them ...

Fortunately, I think we're OK with this dynasty though I am going to have to restart from midseason, restoring an old backup from right after Andrew got hurt, because I still can't get my main file to work correctly... From a story-telling standpoint, not much has been lost. But honestly, it's frustrating to put a lot into trying to build a team during the second half of a season -- and doing pretty well -- and then have to restart the process...

[AZTarHeel]

There was a time after his back injury when Andrew Zarzour wondered if he would even walk again, let alone pitch for the Philadelphia Phillies. He just crashed on his couch for days at a time and prayed that somehow the searing pain would go away.

He was so medicated at one point that he actually dreamed/hallucinated about his good friend Josh Hamilton tearing up his ankle in a game against the Phillies and being lost for the season. That never really happened, of course, and Hamilton batted a cool .379 during a full season in LA. He also dreamed that the Dodgers once again choked in the playoffs, and of course that didn't happen either. Hamilton and the Dodgers rolled to another world title, beating the Cleveland Indians in six games. Announcers kept talking about Hamilton, who is set to become a free agent in the off-season, possibly fetching one of the highest salaries in MLB history.

It was probably this playoff run by LA that inspired Zarzour during his rehab. He remembered the experience of being on another Dodgers' team that won it all, and he was as intent as ever on getting that feeling back with his new team.

By the time October and November rolled around, everyone was amazed at how much progress Zarzour had made on his road to recovery.

"We patched you up pretty good," doctors told him. "You should be as good as new by the time Spring Training rolls around again. Just don't do anything stupid between now and then that would set your progress back..."

[AZTarHeel]

"How could you do something so stupid?"

Andrew Zarzour had a sheepish look on his face as he sat on the doctor's examining table, his throwing arm limp at his side. It was the Sunday after Thanksgiving, and Zarzour had just been cleared earlier in the week to begin "light workouts".

Well, Zarzour — eager to get himself ready for the 2005 season — didn't go light during a weight-lifting session. And after about 45 minutes of bench pressing and other exercises he felt a pinch in his elbow, followed by searing pain.

"Good grief, Andrew. You are an injury magnet," his doctor said. "Your back is fine now, but that elbow is going to set you back a couple more months..."


_____________

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I just had to laugh when I was doing off-season stuff and got a personal message saying Andrew had been hurt in an "off the field" incident. Just glad he didn't get into a bar fight or something ... Ironically, I think the injury actually erased his previous injury because he was supposed to be out into the early part of 2005. I think this latest injury did an "override" of his first one ...

[AZTarHeel]

It's official: Josh Hamilton opts for free agency

Could this signal break-up of Dodgers' dynasty?

Dec. 1, 2004

Sources with the Dodgers confirmed today that all-star left fielder Josh Hamilton will file for free agency. Apparently, last ditch efforts by Los Angeles to lock him up long term were unsuccessful.

"He and his agent just wanted way too much money than we could afford," one member of the Dodgers' brass told us this week.

That's a telling statement for a team that just won its second World Series in three years and looks poised to contend for more in the years to come. Are the Dodgers finally deciding to pinch pennies or is Hamilton just asking for out-of-this-world numbers?

Reportedly, the Angels and the Padres have expressed the most interest in inking Hamilton, who is just 23 years old and may fetch a contract worth more than $20 million a year. Of course, LA may regret not giving in to Hamilton's demands if he winds up in San Diego, able to terrorize them in the division for years to come...

[AZTarHeel]

Andrew Zarzour loves baseball. But he's not really fond of the business of baseball.

During the late fall, before his second injury happened, arbitration hearings had been VERY good to him. He was awarded a yearly salary in the $4.3 million range -- far above what he's ever made before. And scouting reports began appearing about a "reborn Zarzour" who could evolve into an ace of the Phillies staff.

Sounds pretty good, right? But about this time, Phillies management came to Zarzour and his agent with a proposal. "We really want to build our franchise around guys like you and 3B Scott Rolen. We'd like to offer you a six-year deal to stay with us, valued at $4.5 million a year."

Zarzour was floored. His favorite team from childhood wanted to keep him around effectively through his 20s -- and guarantee him more than $24 million in salary. He could play for his beloved Phils in his prime and take care of every need his family might have.

But Zarzour's agent balked at the deal. "Don't do it," he kept saying. "Listen, you are a star on the rise. I'm thinking we can get you $7 to $10 million a year, or more. These numbers are an insult to you. They want to get you on the cheap. If you sign this, players around the league will hate you for it because you're giving power to the owners to cheapen deals for other young stars. Blah, blah, blah."

Zarzour didn't really get it all. This was plenty of money -- guaranteed -- and he would be assured of staying with his favorite team for a long time. But he chose to listen to his agent and turned the deal down. The Phillies did not come back with a counteroffer, eventually announcing a big deal for free agent catcher Michael Barrett.

And once Zarzour suffered his elbow injury, Phillies management backed way off their praise and talk of "building a franchise" around the Big Z. Had he made a big mistake?

"I really hate the business of baseball," Zarzour told his good friend Robbie Maine while spending the Christmas holidays in Bunn...

[AZTarHeel]

To: "Andrew Zarzour" PhilliesPitcher72@earthlink.net
From: "Brandon Weaver" bweaver@baseballamerica.com
Sent: Feb. 28, 2005 11:35 A.M.
Subject: Can't wait for baseball!

Hey Andrew, greetings from Durham, NC -- editorial home of Baseball America. Thanks for your note and glad to hear the arm is feeling great. Yes, I’m still a full-timer here at this fine publication now. I keep having to pinch myself at having this job...

We’re knee-deep in spring training material and season previews for the Web right now. I can’t believe all the free agent signings this off-season. I guess it’s been this way for awhile but when you’re in charge of tracking all the moves it can be overwhelming.

It’s going to be strange to see Josh Hamilton in a Baltimore Orioles uniform, that’s for sure. The O’s sure tried to load up. Josh, Will Cordero, JD Drew, Preston Wilson, Jeff Kent. Time will tell if all the spending pays off.

The Diamondbacks also did a lot of wheeling and dealing. Again, it will be strange to see Pedro Martinez in the desert. Nice get for AZ to pick up Kris Benson as well.

What’s this I hear about you possibly being the Opening Day starter for the Phillies? I know that would be a dream come true for you, my friend. Just stay healthy, OK? I don’t want to write or edit any more stories about you getting hurt. Stay away from moose -- haha…

Take care,

Brandon

PS: Yes, I was sad that North Carolina didn't get the Expos. That would have been fun. But you and I both know the market isn't here. I'm sure they'll do well in D.C. as the Washington Nationals. Don't you guys play them first?

[AZTarHeel]

Nationals debut with victory over Phils

Tuesday, April 5, 2005

D.C. has a baseball team to follow again,and the Washington Nationals waltzed onto the Major League stage in winning fashion last night.

Playing on the road for Opening Day, the Nats got a home run on the second pitch of the game from Jerry Hairston and went on to beat the Philadelphia Phillies 6-2. The Nationals, formerly known as the Montreal Expos before moving to the U.S. capital in the off-season, led 3-2 going into the ninth inning before reeling off three more runs to ice the victory.

Juan Pena earned the Nats' first victory from the mound, pitching seven strong innings and allowing only four hits. Andrew Zarzour, in his first game back since suffering a back injury last June, took the loss for the Phillies. He settled down after giving up the early homer, surrendering only four hits and three earned runs over eight innings. Reliever Brian Bowles let things get away in the ninth, walking two men and allowing two more hits.

Scott Rolen and Edgard Clemente both homered for Philadelphia, but that was about it for offense for the home team.

The teams don't play tonight but will resume their three-game series on Wednesday at 7:05 p.m. in Philly.

[AZTarHeel]

Local baseball stars face each other tonight

Phillies' Zarzour will pitch against Orioles' Hamilton

Friday, May 20, 2005

Philadelphia pitcher Andrew Zarzour circled today's date on his calendar as soon as the 2005 schedule was released. So did Baltimore left fielder Josh Hamilton.

Tonight's Philadelphia at Baltimore interleague contest will re-unite, if only briefly, a couple of long-time friends and former teammates on the 2002 World Champion Los Angeles Dodgers.

Hamilton and Zarzour grew up within a half hour of each other, one in the "big city" of Raleigh and the other in rural Franklin County. The two became friends on travels teams in middle school and stayed connected during their high school years while Zarzour starred for Class 1A Bunn and Hamilton with Class 4A Athens Drive.

They were both picked by the Dodgers early in the 1999 amateur draft. They both ascended rapidly through LA's farm system, landing key roles by the 2002 season, where they helped Los Angeles win a world championship that year.

But Zarzour was traded away from Los Angeles following the 2003 campaign, and Hamilton left Chavez Ravine for Baltimore as a free agent after last season's world title.

The two stay in touch often and have remained close, though both say the trash talking has been on the increase since the two were separated as teammates.

"I want him to hit a home run every time he steps to the plate -- except when he's batting against us," Zarzour said of Hamilton. "He's really a phenomenal player, one of the best in the game right now. He flirted with .400 for awhile last season, and you just don't see that in this day and age."

All good-natured ribbing aside, Hamilton was equally as complimentary of Zarzour, who missed much of last season with back troubles. "His stuff is nasty. He's so tall, it's like he's right in front of you when the ball comes out of his hand. I'm lucky to even see it pass by, let alone make contact.

Hamilton may be sand-bagging a bit. He went 1-for-3 against Zarzour early last season when Los Angeles visited Philadelphia. He also had a sacrifice fly to help LA beat the Phils that night.

For good measure, Zarzour plunked his friend in the seventh inning, something that still generates plenty of conversation.

"He still tells me that wasn't on purpose, but I saw the look in his eyes before the pitch," Hamilton said with a laugh. "He was clearly aiming for my back. I'll be wearing some extra protective gear when I go to the plate this time around. Maybe shoulder pads and a football helmet."

Both players are having great starts to the 2005 campaign. Zarzour is 4-2, with one of the lowest ERA's in the National League at 2.07. Hamilton is flirting with .400 again, posting a .392 average in the No. 3 hole for the Orioles, who still remain in the AL East cellar despite a number of off-season moves to upgrade personnel.

If all goes according to plan, Hamilton and Zarzour will square off for the first time three batters into the bottom of the opening inning. Neither can wait.

"I'm predicting a home run," Hamilton said of his first at-bat. "Unless he gets scared and hits me instead."

Zarzour laughed off that prognostication. "If he can't get away from one of my 70 mile-per-hour curve balls, what makes you think he'll be able to hit a home run off me?"

[AZTarHeel]

Josh Hamilton could only smile as he rounded the bases in the bottom of the first inning.

Andrew Zarzour had a little grin on his face as well, though he tried to fight it. Yes, Hamilton's prediction had come true. He had homered off Zarzour in the bottom of the first inning, giving the Baltimore Orioles a 2-0 lead over the Philadelphia Phillies.

Hamilton was one of the heroes of this interleague night, helping the O's slip past Zarzour and the Phils 3-2. The Big Z pitched well most of the game — going eight innings with only four hits surrendered, no walks and four K's — but his few mistakes cost him a chance at victory against his old friend's new team (as well as bragging rights in the ongoing trash-talking wars).

Zarzour definitely has been a hard-luck pitcher this season. He's 4-3 (a pretty mediocre record) even though he has a 2.21 ERA, one of the lowest in the NL.

Hamilton was 2-for-3 on the night, getting a single in the sixth inning. He had two RBIs to earn game MVP honors. Hamilton 1, Zarzour 0 on the 2005 bragging rights scale...

[AZTarHeel]

After facing — and walking — his first batter against the San Francisco Giants on May 31, Andrew Zarzour found himself thinking about one of his first Little League coaches, crusty ol' Jimmy Watson, who all the players thought had to be at least 100.

Coach Watson had told his young hurlers time and time again, "You can't walk the first batter of an inning! Statistics show that most of the time, the leadoff batter will score if he gets on. So don't let him get on!"

Now here was Zarzour — nearly 15 years removed from those overgrown, clover-filled Little League fields in Bunn, North Carolina — still hearing Coach Watson's voice in his head as he gave San Francisco's Ruben Rivera a free pass to start the game.

But as Rivera trotted to first base at a leisurely pace, Zarzour also was reminded of another one of Watson's mantras: "If you make one mistake, you had better not hang your head. The second mistake will probably be a lot worse than the first! Chin up!"

Determined not to let that happen, Zarzour lifted his chin, regrouped mentally and threw a great pitch that lured Royce Clayton into a double-play ground ball, 5-4-3 style. The Big Z then fanned Juan Gonzalez on four pitches to end the inning.

As he headed back to the dugout, Zarzour smiled and wondered what ol' Coach Watson was doing these days — and what he would have thought about how he handled the first inning...

[AZTarHeel]

As it turns out, Coach Jimmy Watson was in front of his new wide-screen television set watching the Phillies and Giants play that night. He wasn't 100 years old — or anywhere close — but he was retired now and had moved with his wife to Cape Hatteras, on the North Carolina coast. He fished and walked on the beach and read tons of books about the baseball days of old, even coached a little when the local church league needed a helping hand.

He remembered Andrew Zarzour well ("would you please tie your shoes, Andrew, before you trip and hurt yourself!") and knew all about Josh Hamilton's North Carolina roots, too. Like many baseball fans around the state he tried to watch the two Carolina stars whenever he could. He had become a Phillies fan full bore the past couple of seasons.

"Way to go, Andrew," Watson croaked at the TV after watching Zarzour get out of trouble in the first inning. "You beat the stats. Way to keep that chin up!"

[AZTarHeel]

Coach Watson had seen Andrew Zarzour pitch several times, live and on TV, and he couldn't remember a time when Zarzour looked this sharp and this confident. In the top of the second inning, Big Z struck out Prince Fielder on three pitches and Luis Gonzalez on four, then got Brent Mayne to hit a nubber to first for an easy out.

In the third inning, Zarzour fanned Jason Romano on three pitches and then K'd Greg Dobbs before getting pitcher Octavio Dotel to ground out 4-3.

Zarzour needed just nine pitches to get out of the fourth inning (recording one strikeout looking) and 12 to get through the fifth. In the top of the sixth, with the Phillies now in command 5-0 thanks to some great hitting from Jorge Cantu, Scott Rolen and Michael Barrett, Zarzour struck out Dobbs again and then fanned AJ Pierzynski.

Even Watson, who had been around baseball for what seemed like 100 years, never saw a performance like this coming from the gangly, shy and somewhat goofy pitcher he had coached for a couple of years in Franklin County's old Dixie League. Zarzour even helped his own cause offensively, getting a hit in the bottom of the fourth inning, moving Juan Sosa from first to third with a sharp grounder to the right side.

"Wanda," Watson called to his wife, "Why don't you put that book down and come in here with me. I'm watching one of my old players from Bunn play the game of his life..."

[AZTarHeel]

Andrew Zarzour got a lump in his throat as he trotted off the field following the top of the sixth inning. And not just because he was coming up to bat to start the seventh inning. He had peered at the scoreboard and noticed the Giants' line score featured all zeroes.

He then tried his hardest to fight back the thought that was moving from the back of his brain to the front: "Wow, I've got a no-hitter going..."

[elmwood44]

Go Big Z!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!