Carlos Zambrano Snaps Bat After Jordan Lyles Strikeout

Carlos Zambrano was at it again Tuesday night, snapping his bat during a fit at the plate after whiffing on a Jordan Lyles curveball to end the fifth inning of his Chicago Cubs' 7-3 loss to the Houston Astros.

Maybe he was pissed because it was Lyles' first ever major league start in which he happened to dominate seven shutout innings? Perhaps.

This tantrum is the latest in a fairly long line of outbursts during Zambrano's decade-long career. Around this time last season, he was suspended indefinitely by general manager Jim Hendry after going batshit crazy on Derrek Lee in the dugout. Here's a nifty timeline of Big Z's Shenanigans over the years.

Despite being a pitcher by trade, he takes an amazing amount of pride in his hitting. As he should with a .346 average and .538 slugging percentage on the season.

Wally Backman Thinks You Suck

We thought we'd share one more Wally Backman tirade with you this afternoon. We've been thinking, and we decided that he is what would happen if Earl Weaver and Kenny Powers had a baby. No disrespect meant to Earl or Kenny.

This video was shared with us by John Fitzgerald from the minor league baseball documentary Playing for Peanuts. He gave us the perfect lede:

"Here's a clip of Wally going ballistic on his team in a postgame speech... The best part is that his team started the season with six wins, then they lost, dropping them to 6-1."

As with many things Wally Backman-related, this is not safe for work, kids, or the religious. Enjoy!

Wally Backman Amazes and Frightens Us

These days, Wally Backman is rarely referred to as a "former New York Mets second baseman." No, now he is better known as the lunatic South Georgia Peanuts skipper with hilarious anger management and self-control issues.

Seriously, he needs his mouth washed out with a stiff bar of soap. And for me to say that is pretty incredible considering I have the vocabulary of a sailor.

Obviously, every manager in the history of America's Pastime has disagreed with one call or another made by an umpire. Sometimes that call is a disputed home run.

Your Mom is an Underachiever

Chicago White Sox general manager Ken Williams is not impressed.

He echoed his and manager Ozzie Guillen's displeasure with the efforts of the team on Wednesday, calling the players "underachievers" and accusing them of not "playing up to their capabilities" after being swept by the Minnesota Twins in what used to be a heated pennant race.

Williams made a handful of genius observations, including the one where the Sox should clean up their defense after making 108 errors this season. Really? He also suggested that their offense needs some improvement after being shut out 13 times. Very insightful.

I just can't stand it when GMs call players on their team "quitters" at the end of the season; not everyone makes the playoffs. Jim Hendry gets a pass though, that was sorta valid. So far, Guillen and the entire coaching staff are welcome back for the 2010 season.  From Williams:

You give 100% effort to close this season with dignity and the best fashion you can and so far we haven’t done that. I know who’s quit and who hasn’t.

Yikes.

Anyway, here's a quote from catcher A.J. Pierzynski, who will probably get beaned in Chicago's weekend series against the Detroit Tigers, if not for this remark, for his stupid hair.

Just frustrating because [the Tigers] are trying to let us back in it and they're trying basically to whoever wants it, us or Minnesota, Detroit is trying to give it away. They keep losing games and they're keeping us in it by not winning. That's what's so frustrating. Because it seems like it's there but we can't do anything about it.

Plunk!

[Hardball] | [Foul Balls] | [Obama Chronicles]

Raul Ibanez Will Come After You

Raul Ibanez is not happy about your allegations.

The Philadelphia Phillies left fielder, incredibly offended that anyone suggest he's ever taken steroids, has made it clear he will retaliate if he hears you talking any more crap about him.

"I'll come after people who defame or slander me. It's pathetic and disgusting," he told the Philadelphia Daily News.

One More Ejection for Bobby Cox

Bobby Cox still enjoys attending 162 baseball games a year for free, so he went ahead and agreed to a one-year contract extension with the Atlanta Braves, who will keep the animated skipper around for a 24th season through 2009.

The 67-year-old most ejected manager in baseball is also the winningest skipper in Braves history. Cox, who led Atlanta to a 1995 World Series Championship amid 14 consecutive division titles from 1991-2005, said he still has "a great passion for the contest of baseball and it’s still a lot of fun."

[Atlanta Journal-Constitution]

Milton Bradley: Kind of a Dumbass

Milton Bradley, being his charming self, did everything imaginable to get ejected before injuring himself on Sunday.

Instant karma? You be the judge.

Watch the video at the Fanhouse...

[Yahoo! Sports]