Will Carlos Zambrano ever turn things around?

This morning I read an article on Cubbies Crib about Carlos Zambrano and it reminded me about two cards that I have in my collection.

I purchased these cards in January as a Valentine's Day present for a girl that I had been dating. Before you make fun of me, let me tell you that she's a die-hard Cubs fan and Zambrano was her guy. Long story short... we stopped seeing each other right before V-Day and now these cards are resting in my collection.

So, my question to all of you is... Will Carlos Zambrano ever turn things around?

If you look at his past, he's a three time all-star who consistently won 14 to 18 games a season. He frequently was in the top 10 in each of these categories: innings pitched, win-loss %, ERA, wins, strikeouts, and hits per 9IP.

Then in 2009, he had an off year. He posted a record of 9-7 with a 3.77 ERA, which wasn't terrible, but it wasn't typical of Mr. Zambrano either. In fact, he told the media that he'd quit if things didn't turn around in 2010.

Well unfortunately for Cubs fans, he hasn't turn things around. In fact, things have gotten worse. Three weeks ago, Zambrano and teammate Derek Lee got into a heated confrontation in the dugout. Since then, he's been put on a restricted list and sent to some type of treatment program. Originally, I thought he was suppose to return after the all-star break... but it doesn't look like that's going to happen.

Up until this season, I didn't know much about Zambrano. In fact, I still don't very much except for the negative media exposure. I think it's great that he has passion for the game and it doesn't bother me when a player wears his/her heart on their sleeves (as long as it's in a respectful manner). However anger issues and tantrums are another story.

So... let's get back to his future and my cards. I ask again...

Will Carlos Zambrano ever turn things around?

I'm not sure what I'll do with these autographs. I think eventually, I'll trade them for some A's or Padres autographs. But, for now... I'll just wait to see if he can learn from his mistakes and get back to where he was at a few years ago.