CHICAGO — While Ted Lilly has enjoyed a career season, Carlos Zambrano has questioned how much longer his career will continue.
Both pitchers will start for the final time in 2009 in Wednesday's day-night doubleheader against the Pirates, with Lilly getting the call in Game 1. Although Lilly and Zambrano both have lost time to injuries this season, Lilly's campaign has been about as smooth as Zambrano's has been tumultuous.
Lilly, the Cubs' lone All-Star representative, has a 3.02 ERA, far better than his previous career best of 3.69, set in 2002. He has hit few rough patches along the way, recording 21 quality starts in 26 outings and holding the opposition to two earned runs or fewer 18 times.
"Lilly's done a really, really nice job," manager Lou Piniella said. "He's been our most consistent pitcher."
The perception of Zambrano's season has been quite different.
He has made two trips to the disabled list and after the second one, admitted he'd "been lazy," about doing the abdominal exercises that would have helped keep his back strong. The Wrigley Field fans have booed Zambrano after some of his less effective outings.
After Zambrano threw a two-hit shutout against San Francisco on Friday to improve his September ERA to 2.81, he told the Chicago Tribune he would retire after next season if he fared similarly to how he has in 2009.
Does Piniella believe that?
"Look, he's a prideful guy," Piniella said. "I think there's been a valuable lesson. You know, as you get a little older — and he's not old — but as you get a little older, you've got to work harder. He's pitched a lot, and he's got to work harder. And if he's learned a valuable lesson from this, it's going to be much the better for him and for the Chicago Cubs."
Zambrano, 28, is signed through 2012. His start on Wednesday will be his 28th of the season, making 2009 his first full year with less than 30 starts.
On the other hand, when Zambrano has been on the mound, he has been about as effective as in the past. His 3.69 ERA is his best mark since 2006 and puts him in the top 20 in the National League. Zambrano has notched a quality start 63 percent of the time this season, exactly in line with his career total.
"Zambrano here in the past month or so is starting to throw the ball the way we anticipated," Piniella said. "The game he pitched in San Francisco the other day was by far his best game of the season, and hopefully he'll finish up nice and strong [Wednesday] against Pittsburgh. He's been working hard. He's been focused, and that's going to be what it's going to take next year."