[AZTarHeel]

For those stat geeks, here is Andrew's complete line for the season ...

Career Pitching Stats
Year	G	GS	W	L	SV	ERA	IP	HA	R	ER	BB	K	CG	SHO	Teams
1999	1	1	1	0	0	1.29	7.0	5	1	1	1	5	0	0	 LAN
Total	1	1	1	0	0	1.29	7.0	5	1	1	1	5	0	0	 

Career Minor League Pitching Stats
Year      	G	GS	W	L	SV	ERA	IP	HA	R	ER	BB	K	CG	SHO
1999, A 	4	4	2	2	0	2.79	29.0	23	9	9	3	50	1	1
1999, AA	9	9	4	1	0	2.36	72.1	47	20	19	19	131	1	0
1999, AAA	13	13	4	8	0	5.90	82.1	100	55	54	24	138	3	0

Career Postseason Pitching Stats
Year	G	GS	W	L	SV	ERA	IP	HA	R	ER	BB	K	CG	SHO
1999	1	0	0	0	0	18.00	1.0	2	2	2	1	1	0	0
Total	1	0	0	0	0	18.00	1.0	2	2	2	1	1	0	0

Career Batting Stats
Year	G	AB	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	R	BB	K	SB	CS	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS	Teams
1999	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000	.000	.000	.000	 LAN
Total	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000	.000	.000	.000	 

Fielding Stats 1999
Position	G	GS	PO	A	DP	TC	E	PCT	INN	RANGE	PB	RSTA	RTO	RTO%
Pitcher	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	.000	7.0	0.00

[AZTarHeel]

sorry folks, I haven't updated this in a few weeks... crazy times at work (our company was bought out, people were fired, others walked out, then some fired people were rehired, etc.). I'm safe, but it's been turbulent all the same, not knowing if the person in the cubicle next to me will be there the next day ... then I went on vacation last week (pre-planned before the sale went down). No TV, internet, etc. ... can't wait to pick this one back up here pretty soon. I spent much of my drive home dreaming about what's next for Big Z ...

AZ

[AZTarHeel]

Wildcats planning South Florida tour
Bunn High baseball team will play foes from Sunshine State, visit former teammate at Dodgers' Spring Training

The Franklin Times
Jan. 7, 2000

Bunn High School's baseball team will take a trip to South Florida over Spring Break.

But this will be a working vacation for the Wildcats.

Coach Jeff Innis is finalizing plans for his Bunn team to play a series of games against Florida prep opponents in the Vero Beach area in mid-March. The trip will coincide with Spring Training for one of Innis' former players, Andrew Zarzour, who is now a pitcher in the Dodgers organization. The Dodgers train at Vero Beach each spring.

"We're really excited," Innis said. "We'll get to see Andrew in action, and hopefully get a chance to meet some of his Dodger teammates. And we'll be playing some quality opponents as well, which will help us get better as a team for the stretch run of our season."

Innis has been working on this trip, at Zarzour's suggestion, since last fall. All of the opponents are not set, but Bunn will get to play Vero Beach High in the main stadium of the Dodgers' Spring Training complex one of the nights they are there.

"Andrew won't tell you this, but he's done a lot to help put this trip together, including donating some of his playoff bonus," Innis said. "He matched our fund-raising efforts dollar for dollar, which will enable us to charter a bus and enjoy nice accommodations while we are in Florida. I expect baseball tryouts to be full of kids in a few weeks."

It's still basketball season for most Bunn players right now. Baseball players will begin practice for the 2000 season in early February.

Zarzour made a meteoric rise from draftee to Big Club pitcher last season. He won his only regular season start with the Dodgers and earned a brief relief appearance in a playoff win over Atlanta. Hot stove chatter around the Majors has Zarzour beginning this season in Triple A with the Albuquerque Dukes.

[Ragin Cajun]

Dude, just came across this one today. You have certainly maintained the bar you set with Steve Victory. I don't know why I even try dynasties after reading your stuff. I actually got goosebumps and a tear in the eye during the reading of the story. Fantastic work as usual.

[AZTarHeel]

Originally Posted by Ragin Cajun

Dude, just came across this one today. You have certainly maintained the bar you set with Steve Victory. I don't know why I even try dynasties after reading your stuff. I actually got goosebumps and a tear in the eye during the reading of the story. Fantastic work as usual.

Thanks for the kind words, Ragin ... hope you are well ... I've still got TDCB and play it occasionally. I actually have a Steve Victory Comeback Tour idea in my head that I might bring out when basketball season rolls around again. Victory probably would have loved a 7-2 center like Zarzour, although he didn't seem to have much luck with 7-footers if I recall ...

AZ

[AZTarHeel]

Dodgers beef up bullpen with off-season moves

Feb. 1, 2000

Pitchers and catchers will report to Vero Beach in a matter of weeks for Dodgers Spring Training. Some new faces among the pitching staff are surely to have Los Angeles fans excited about the season ahead.

The biggest was the pickup of closer Trevor Hoffman from the free-agent market. LA paid a heavy price to get him (roughly $5 million a year), but he should be able to lock down games with authority. Hoffman has had 37 saves the past three seasons in San Diego and 41 the year before that.

The Dodgers also added Alan Embree (4-1, 4.85 ERA) to the bullpen from free agency. Kazuhiro Sasaki should move up the Big Club this season, and likely will be used in a set-up role for Hoffman.

The only real trade of note during the hot stove period sent pitchers Butch Henry and Masao Kida to Tampa Bay, along with aging 1B Cecil Fielder, for promising reliever Demaso Marte.

Going into Spring Training, the Dodgers' starting rotation looks to be Darren Dreifort, Ramon Martinez, Chan Ho Park, Hideo Nomo and Ismael Valdes.

Left-hander Andrew Zarzour, now 19, will likely begin the season with Triple A Albuquerque, but the 7-foot-2 youngster will be one to watch. He came up briefly at the end of last season and gamely won his first professional start over the Cubs. He got roughed up a bit during a mop-up appearance in the playoffs but had scouts buzzing with his sizzling fastball and control. Coaches talk of bringing Zarzour along slowly but if he blazes the minor league trails like he did last summer, it may be tough to keep him off the Big Club by summer time...

[AZTarHeel]

As Andrew Zarzour and Josh Hamilton got ready to board their flight from Raleigh-Durham Airport to Florida to head to Spring Training, Zarzour discovered a piece of paper folded up in his jacket pocket.

He didn't remember putting anything in that pocket, so he was curious to find out what it was. He reached in and pulled out what looked to be a letter. He recognized the hand-writing immediately.


Hey Big Brother.

Well, I guess this is goodbye for a little while. I meant to tell you all this stuff last night but you know me, I'm not so good at saying gushy, mushy stuff to people, so I decided to write you a short note, which I hope you will discover sometime during your flight and not throw away thinking it's just garbage.

I just wanted to thank you for spending so much time with me during your break. Thanks for inviting me to work out with you and Josh, even though I couldn't keep up half the time.

Most of all I appreciate that you didn't want to disown me after all that happened last December. Sorry I caused you and the family so much grief over getting arrested and all that stuff. I guess it was a pretty stupid thing to do. You kept asking me why I did it, and I still don't have a good answer for you. I just saw an injustice and I tried to make it right. Or at least I tried to even the score on behalf of the victim. Hope that makes some sense. It's just how I roll, you know?

I start my community service next week. I've got to spend 80 hours over the coming months (it'll probably feel like years) working with the fire and rescue squads in Bunn. I'll probably be their grunt, washing trucks and making those guys coffee and everything. I guess it could be worse. Maybe I'll learn a thing or to. Maybe this will be the thing that, as you keep saying, turns my life around. Ha ha. Maybe not.

Also, they are making me "get involved" at my school. No, I'm not going to join the physics club or math club or anything geeky like that. I think that means I'll try out for baseball again this year after taking last year off. Maybe I should tryout for catcher after being yours so much the past couple of months. If I can catch 95 mph (my hand is still killing me) then I should be able to handle Billy Garris and Keith Whitley for a few months.

No, I'm not ready to go back to church yet. I know, I know, I'm a bad person. I just have lots of questions and don't feel ready to be around all the do-gooders there. I can't stand the stares, you know? Yes, I will call or email you if I want to talk more about that stuff. Thanks for that devotional book thing. Maybe I will look through sometime.

If I make varsity baseball, that means I'll see you in Florida in March when we come down to Vero Beach. If I don't, I'm not sure when I'll see you again. Maybe, in the playoffs in the fall! Haha.

Well, be good, Big Bro. Thanks again. I love you and all that. Since you know I don't like to hug, consider this letter as close as I come to putting my arms around another guy.

Peace. And Go Dodgers.

Timmy


Zarzour read the letter a few times over. "Ah, little brother," he said.

Now boarding first-class passengers on Flight 126, bound for Orlando. Now boarding, first-class passengers to Orlando.

Josh Hamilton picked up his bag and put an arm around Zarzour. "Alright, Big Z, let's get to Florida and kick some Major League butt. Remember our goal, Big Club by September."

At that, the two young baseball prospects high-fived one another and boarded their flight to year two of their professional careers. Zarzour stuck the letter from his younger brother safely back into his jacket pocket, a personal treasure he'll keep for a long time.

"Take care of Timmy, Lord," he whispered to himself. "He needs all the help he can get..."

[Ragin Cajun]

Gotta go back and reread this...don't remember anything alluding to problems in the past. And did Z and Josh work out the ego thing that Josh had?

[AZTarHeel]

Originally Posted by Ragin Cajun

Gotta go back and reread this...don't remember anything alluding to problems in the past. And did Z and Josh work out the ego thing that Josh had?

This is the first mention of Timmy's arrest ... I believe Z and Josh Hamilton are getting along much better. Guess I should clear that up at some point in a future post ...

[AZTarHeel]

From: "Andrew Zarzour" AZarzour72@earthlink.net
Sent: Thursday, March 30, 2000 9:09 AM
To: "Robbie Maine" RoMaine@ncsu.edu
Subject: Checking in

Hey Robbie, whats up dude? It was so cool to see you down here in Vero Beach a few weeks ago. I can't believe you drove all the way from Raleigh on a whim one night just to see us play. Hope we put on a good enough show for you and your friends. Dude, I must say that Molly is quite cool and if I may, quite attractive as well. Nice job, my friend. And she's a junior, too - you always did like older women. She's going to change my perception of the ladies at NC State. I always thought they called it Moo U because of the lack of quality females. Ha, just kidding.

Well, we're about all wrapped up here as far as Spring Training. Soon, I'll be off to Albuquerque to begin another stint with the Triple A Dukes. I really enjoyed New Mexico last summer. It's just such a different world there in terms of scenery. Hopefully I won't start as shaky there as I did last year.

You had asked about me and Josh Hamilton and how we were getting along these days. Much better, thankfully. We didn't really talk or hang out much last year in Albuquerque once we got there. We just ran with different folks, and he was more into partying at the time than me.

But we worked out a lot in Raleigh in the off-season, well when we wasn't playing in fall or winter leagues. I think our friendship got repaired through that time and we really pushed each other hard. He told me a lot of what was going on with him last season, and I feel for him. The pressure of being one of the top prospects in the whole world really started eating at him, especially when I was getting a lot of the pub and posing with Tim Duncan and all that. But we're good, and he's going to have a great season, I can feel it. I see him as the left-fielder of the future for LA.

Right now, the Big Club is going with Dreifort, Martinez, Nomo, Park and Ismael Valdes as the starting pitchers. Chan Ho didn't really have a great spring and neither did Nomo. I think Nomo is still getting over getting beaned in the face by that line drive last summer. I can understand that.

I really like Trevor Hoffman as our new closer. The mug can flat out pitch your socks off. His stuff is dazzling. He's been friendly with me and told me I'd make a good closer if I ever wanted to move to the bullpen. I can't see that happening, but you never know. That was quite the compliment.

I think the Big Club will be pretty good and should push for another NL West title. It will be interesting to see what happens with Mike Piazza and Paul Lo Duca at catcher. Paulie had an amazing spring and believes he's an every day player. But you're just not going to bump off Piazza from the rotation that easily. The managers have talked of moving Paulie to first base but of course Eric Karros is over there. We'll see.

Right now, the other LA starters are Eric Young at 2B, Todd Zeile at 3B, Edgar Renteria at SS, Todd Hollandsworth at LF, Steve Finley at CF and Raul Mondesi at RF. Look for Wilton Guerrero to push for every day time. Devon White, off the record, looks done. He had a horrible spring.

If you check your latest Baseball America, you'll see our boy Josh Hamilton listed as the No. 2 prospect in baseball. Coaches say his power has improved. I believe it. He's 5-star all the way and made me look silly during intrasquad games in Vero. For those who count stars, I'm now a 4-star guy but I'm listed as the No. 13 prospect in the league (No. 9 pitcher). That sounds 5-star to me but what do I know. My coaches told me I had better control and was throwing harder this spring than I was last fall. That's a relief. We'll just see what happens when the games matter. I get the call first when our Triple A season opens in a few weeks.

Take care, Robbie and have fun with Molly! If you get the urge for another road trip, Albuquerque is only three days away. Get on I-40 near the NC State campus and just keep coming West for a couple of sunsets...

Your friend,

Andrew "Big Z"

[AZTarHeel]

Dukes leaving Albuquerque for Portland

March 31, 2000

Robert Lozinak, owner of the Albuquerque Dukes, announced yesterday that he has sold the Minor League franchise.

The new owners, Marshall Glickman and Mike Higgins of Portland, Ore., say they plan to move the Dukes to their home town for the 2001 season. The franchise will be known as the Portland Beavers starting next spring.

The estimated price for the club, which is a Triple A affiliate of the Los Angeles is somewhere in the neighborhood of $10 to 12 million, sources say.

This will leave Albuquerque without a professional baseball team for the first time since 1959. Lozinak originally bought the Dukes in 1979 for $340,000.

The final run for the Dukes will begin Monday, April 3. Albuquerque, under first-year manager, Tom Gamboa, will welcome the visiting New Orleans Zephyrs. Andrew Zarzour, the 7-2 phenom from North Carolina, is expected to be Albuquerque's Opening Day pitcher.

A group of baseball supporters say they have already begun working to bring another franchise to Albuquerque...

[Ragin Cajun]

Go Zephyrs (I'm from Louisiana originally).

Big Z heading back to the great northwest huh?

[AZTarHeel]

Big Z earns lots of K's in Dukes' opener

Wednesday, April 5

The Dukes' last stand in Albuquerque began on a winning note Tuesday night.

Starting pitcher Andrew Zarzour tossed a shutout across 8.1 innings, and Albuquerque blanked the visiting New Orleans Zephyrs 4-0. Josh Hamilton hit a two-run double in the fifth inning to help break the game open for the home team.

Zarzour, a 19-year-old left-hander who had an up-and-down summer with the Dukes in 1999, was on top of his game from the start Tuesday. He struck out 11 and walked just three. He never really got in trouble, scattering seven hits. The Zephyrs only got one runner to third base all night.

"I think the people of Albuquerque are a bit stunned and saddened about losing their team," Zarzour said. "We just wanted to give them something to cheer them up. It was a great all-around effort from everyone. I think we've got a chance to be really good here this season."

Albuquerque continues its series with the Zephyrs tonight. The first pitch will be thrown at 7:05 p.m.

[ifspuds]

Originally Posted by Ragin Cajun

Go Zephyrs (I'm from Louisiana originally).

Big Z heading back to the great northwest huh?

As a Dodgers fan from Portland, I can tell you that the Dukes became the Portland Beavers and a Padres affiliate, while the Dodgers put their AAA affiliate in Las Vegas. In other words, Big Z won't pitch for the Portland franchise.

I was very disappointed that Portland didn't become the Dodgers affiliate.

[Ragin Cajun]

Originally Posted by ifspuds

As a Dodgers fan from Portland, I can tell you that the Dukes became the Portland Beavers and a Padres affiliate, while the Dodgers put their AAA affiliate in Las Vegas. In other words, Big Z won't pitch for the Portland franchise.

I was very disappointed that Portland didn't become the Dodgers affiliate.

Big Story Spoiler...lol
Love the USBA team name by the way, although I'm pretty sure a Ragin Cajun has never originated from New Orleans.

[AZTarHeel]

Originally Posted by Ragin Cajun

Big Story Spoiler...lol
Love the USBA team name by the way, although I'm pretty sure a Ragin Cajun has never originated from New Orleans.

Of course Zarzour will be pitching for the Big Club by next season anyway, right? we can dream ...

[AZTarHeel]

Andrew? ... Andrew? ... Can you hear me? ... Andrew?

Um... Yes... I can hear you. Why are you slapping me in the face?

Andrew, do you know where you are right now?

Well ... I appear to be laying in the dirt ... I don't feel so good...

Yes, that's right. Do you know how you got here?

Let me see ... Baseball game. Pitching ... Covering first base ... I think I got run over or something ... My head hurts ...

... Oh, I remember now. I was covering first base, and the base-runner guy plowed into me. I took a nice tumble ... How long have I been out?

Not long. Just a few seconds. You gave us quite a scare. ... I'd give your roll a 9.8 but your dismount was pretty awful.

Very funny. Is this game on TV?

No, you're fine. But the local station might have gotten some video. Don't worry about it. We'll talk to them about not showing your dismount. ... You ready to sit up now?

Yeah, I think so. ... So what happened to the moose?

What was that?

You know, the moose that was running the bases a few minutes ago. I want to pet him.

OK, you just take it easy there, big fella. Let us worry about the moose, OK? (Turning to the trainer). You're right Al, let's schedule that exam and X-ray just to be safe...

So, if you have more than one, is it mooses or meece or just moose. I think I just like to say moose... Moose, moose, moose...

[AZTarHeel]

Zarzour shelved for a couple weeks after concussion

April 21, 2000

DES MOINES, IA — The bigger they are, the harder they fall.

The Albuquerque Dukes' top starting pitcher will be sidelined for up to two weeks while recovering from a concussion sustained in yesterday's game against the Iowa Cubs

Andrew Zarzour, a 7-foot-2 left-hander, was covering first base after a high chopper was hit toward second. He got the out, lunging with all his might to make the tag. But then Zarzour stumbled, and as he fell, collided with the Cubs' base-runner. He then rolled a few times before coming to rest along the first-base line. Apparently, he hit his head either on the runner's shoulder, the ground or both.

Doctors ruled late last night that Zarzour suffered a concussion on the play. He left the game (it was the third inning) and likely will miss his next two or three starts.

"He'll be alright," first-year Albuquerque manager Tom Gamboa said. "He was a little loopy there for a bit but he should make a full recovery. We'll definitely miss him the next couple of weeks. He's been as sharp as anyone in our rotation."

Zarzour has had a splendid season thus far. In four starts, he's 3-0 with a 2.79 ERA. He's fanned 34 batters and walked 10. He's surrendered 10 runs in all, nine of which were earned runs...

__________

Note: Dodgers are middling right now (9-10 record) after about three weeks. Chan Ho Park (ERA of 13+) and Hideo Nomo (ERA of 15+) have been pretty dreadful in their first few starts. Trevor Hoffman will miss a week with elbow soreness. Reliever Frank Lankford will miss 6-7 weeks because of injury... CF Steve Finley also has been banged up and won't be 100 percent for awhile ...

[Ragin Cajun]

Man, this could have been the year for the call up. Hope this injury doesn't set his stats back.

[AZTarHeel]

From: ZarzourFamily99@earthlink.net
Sent: Sunday, April 30, 2000 • 10:43 PM
To: AZarzour72@earthlink.net
Subject: Feeling better?

Hi son, this is mom. Hope life is treating you well in the great Southwest. Glad to hear your headaches have passed. What's this I hear about you having delusions of moose right after you got knocked out?

Do you know when you're going to pitch again? Dad and I just want to be sure to be near the Internet that night. I'm still curious what person sits there during games and updates stat after stat, right down to each pitch. We in Bunn sure love it.

Your little brother seems to be doing OK. His grades are better this semester, and he seems happier. I think he really misses you and was glad you spent so much time with him over the holidays and during the winter.

He won't admit it but I think he's getting a lot out of his community service time with the fire and rescue squads. One fireman has really taken Timothy under his wing. He's from Brooklyn originally and is working/living in Bunn until his fiancee finishes up her degree at NC State. I think they're going to get married and move back to New York sometime this summer or fall. Anyways, he's taken a real liking to your brother and has even brought him along on some calls.

Wouldn't that be something if our Timothy ended up a firefighter or something! He certainly is the restless soul of the family but you can't deny his passion when he gets into something. I've always said that if the Lord gets a hold of him, he'd make a great Baptist preacher. We've got to get him back to church first, however.

Well, that's about all from this end. Farm life is tough but we're doing well. Can't wait to see you again. Good luck when you get back into the rotation. We'll be praying for you and supporting you from NC.

All my love,

Mom

••• What's the deal with the Dodgers? I thought they were supposed to be better than this. We watched a little of the game yesterday on Fox, and Nomo looked scared out there to me. They said he was now 1-4 with an ERA near 8.00. Yikes.