Sports Notes, 8/19/07, Carlos Zambrano edition

-- Let’s see … $91 million dollars … 83 cents for an original glazed from Krispy Kreme … that buys … wow, a lot of doughnuts.

-- So, it turns out that Carlos Zambrano is worth $3.7 million a year more than Aramis Ramirez. Who would’ve thunk it?

-- Actually, it’s easy to make fun, but that number might be right on the money. This year Ramirez has been worth at least as much to the team as Zambrano, but for their careers Zambrano’s passion alone puts him over the top. This is a good deal that keep a staff ace on a playoff contender for five years.

-- After all, Zambrano is a true staff ace and an all-star who goes more than 200 innings year in and year out. A staff-ace-caliber pitcher who goes 200 innings without getting hurt every year is worth his weight in gold. (I’m talking to YOU, Kerry Wood and Mark Prior.)

-- In fact, any other staff-ace-caliber pitcher who goes 200 innings every year without getting hurt is worth Carlos Zambrano’s weight in gold.

-- Now, back to the field. Our oversized hero takes the mound tonight with a chance to prove himself worthy of his equally large contract in a pivotal series. Going into this series, the Cubs needed to win at least three of four to push back the surging Cardinals and stake themselves as a true contender for the NL Central. With a win tonight, they’ll be in line for a sweep. Zambrano is facing off against 6-13 Kip Wells, a guy who’s having a down year even by his standards. This is an absolute must-win – not for the Cubs so much as for Carlos.

-- But how do you think Michael Barret feels right now? The fallout from the fight is, he gets shipped 2,000 miles away and Zambrano gets a five-year deal. I give it about three weeks before a wily veteran like Greg Maddux starts to give Barrett wet willies in the dugout.