Carlos Zambrano’s no-hitter

While 100 years wasn’t enough to break a championship drought, it only took thirty-six years for the Cubs to break another record. Three weeks before the team’s dismal first-round shutout in the playoffs, Carlos Zambrano became the first Cubs pitcher in three-plus decades to throw a no-hitter as the North Siders visited the hurricane-displaced Astros in their adopted home of Milwaukee on September 14. Throwing 110 pitches with a season-high ten strikeouts and just one walk, Zambrano’s performance was a short-lived glimmer of hope that blessed the fielders with a rare night off.

Best of Chicago 2008

Rich Harden

In his twelve starts with the Cubs this season, the starting right-hander boasted a 5-1 record with an intimidating 1.77 ERA. At only 26 years old, he immediately became one of the National League’s top starters after the Oakland Athletics traded him over midseason—in those twelve games he pitched, he struck out a whopping eighty-nine batters. If he can stay healthy—and that’s an absolutely huge if—a one-two punch of Zambrano and Harden might be the best pitching duo in baseball.

Audience choice
Geovany Soto

Best of Chicago 2008