Photo courtesy of zimbio.com. Ubaldo Jimenez (pictured above) has had a nightmarish past two years. Sunday added to the woes. Can he ever regain his form from April-July of 2010?
By Josh Kramer
Back on July 8, 2010, Ubaldo Jimenez was hands down the best pitcher in baseball. He was sitting pretty with a 15-1 record and a 2.20 ERA. Jimenez was just a couple of days away from representing the National League as the starting pitcher in the All-Star Game, and appeared to be on track to break records. Nearly two years later, Ubaldo’s world has been flipped upside down.
On April 1, 2012, Ubaldo Jimenez hit a new low. Going against his former teammates for the first time, Ubaldo took aim at Rockies star Troy Tulowitzki. There is no way to be 100% sure that Jimenez beamed Tulo on purpose, but his reaction did not provide any comfort for those on either side. Jimenez seemed ready to throw down with his former teammate whom most are aware was never his favorite person. I know that players get hit by pitches every game. Even at times pitchers drill opposing hitters on purpose. It is a part of baseball and has been for well over 100 years.
But this is Spring Training. The Rockies and Indians both officially open up the 2012 campaign later this week. I do feel Rockies Manager Jim Tracy overreacted a bit when he said, “It’s the most gutless act I have seen in 35 years of professional baseball. I have lost all respect for him. To do something like that and walk down off the mound, and if there’s any suggestion whatsoever that the ball got away, I don’t want to hear any of that (expletive). He intentionally threw at him. He should be suspended. I am going to be very disappointed if he doesn’t get suspended. He deserves to be.”
Amid all of this controversy and Ubaldo’s five-game suspension, his insane decline as a pitcher has been lost. Continue reading
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