Víctor Zambrano

Infobox MLB player
name = Víctor Zambrano


width = 200
caption =
team = New York Yankees
number = --
position = Pitcher
birthdate = birth date and age|1975|8|6
birthplace = Los Teques, Venezuela
bats = Switch
throws = Right
debutdate = June 21
debutyear = 2001
debutteam = Tampa Bay Devil Rays
statyear = 2007
stat1label = Win-Loss
stat1value = 45-44
stat2label = Earned run average
stat2value = 4.64
stat3label = Strikeouts
stat3value = 529
teams =
*Tampa Bay Devil Rays (by|2001-by|2004)
*New York Mets (by|2004-by|2006)
*Toronto Blue Jays (by|2007)
*Baltimore Orioles (by|2007)

Víctor Manuel Zambrano (born August 6, 1975 in Los Teques, Venezuela) is a Major League Baseball pitcher who is currently in the New York Yankees minor league system. He is a switch-hitter and throws right-handed.

Zambrano has a good repertoire and he pitches aggressively, using his 92-95 MPH sinking fastball, a changeup, and occasionally a quality slider. He is a converted infielder who fields his position well and he does a decent job holding on runners. However, his effectiveness is hampered by a lack of control — in by|2003 he led the American League in walks, wild pitches, and hit batsmen, and in walks and wild pitches again in by|2004, despite being traded to the National League at midseason. The New York Mets acquired him, along with reliever Bartolomé Fortunato, in a highly criticized [ [http://www.shns.com/shns/g_index2.cfm?action=detail&pk=BBN-MCNULTY12-07-12-06 Scripps Howard News Service ] ] deal for top-ranked [ [http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/features/at100.html Baseball America - All-Time Top 100 Prospects ] ] pitching prospect Scott Kazmir and minor league pitcher Joselo Diaz.

On May 6, by|2006, Zambrano suffered a torn flexor tendon in his pitching elbow, disabling him for the rest of the 2006 season. [ [http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2436519 ESPN - Zambrano sidelined for season with torn tendon - MLB ] ] Doctors unexpectedly found a torn elbow ligament during surgery on May 15, resulting in the second Tommy John elbow surgery of his career. Zambrano was expected to be sidelined well into the by|2007 season, and he was non-tendered by the Mets, and became a free agent in December 2006.

On January 30, 2007, Zambrano signed a minor league contract, with an invitation to Major League spring training with the Toronto Blue Jays. [ [http://toronto.bluejays.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070130&content_id=1790489&vkey=news_tor&fext=.jsp&c_id=tor The Official Site of The Toronto Blue Jays: News: Toronto Blue Jays News ] ] He appeared in only eight games (two of them starts), before he was released on July 9. After signing a minor league contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates, his contract was purchased by the Baltimore Orioles on September 9, 2007. For the rest of the 2007 season, he appeared in 5 games for the Orioles, made 2 starts, and was 0-1 with a 9.49 ERA. Following the 2007 season, he was released by the Orioles on October 1. On February 5, by|2008, he signed a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training with the Colorado Rockies. On June 7, 2008, the Rockies released him. He signed with the Yankees on July 31, 2008.

Through the by|2007 season, Zambrano has compiled a 45-44 record with 529 strikeouts and a 4.64 ERA in 706.3 innings pitched. He is a .123 hitter (nine-for-73) with three runs and three RBI.

Often mistaken to be related to Chicago Cubs pitcher Carlos Zambrano. Both Carlos and Victor Zambrano are Venezuelan. Although both lived just an hour away from each other as children, they never knew each other.

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