Miami trading for Carlos Zambrano this offseason involved little risk, as the Cubs covered all but $3 million of his $18 million salary and the Marlins only had to part with Chris Volstad in the swap. Unfortunately that low-risk move hasn’t paid off, as Zambrano went 5-9 with a 4.54 ERA and 83/67 K/BB ratio…
The Athletics, Orioles, Pirates and Indians are pursuing Chase Headley most aggressively, ESPN.com’s Jayson Stark reports. The Pirates and Indians seem less motivated to complete a deal now, but the A’s and Orioles haven’t backed off. The Diamondbacks, Phillies and Yankees checked in on Headley, and the Dodgers were seriously interested until they traded for Hanley Ramirez. Here are the rest of Stark’s rumors…
The Braves are telling teams they’re shifting their focus away from the rotation to possible bullpen and bench upgrades, Stark reports.
The Marlins are working hard to trade Carlos Zambrano and Carlos Lee, Stark writes. Ricky Nolasco is also available.
The Rangers are mainly focused on Zack Greinke and James Shields, but the odds of a trade involving Shields are diminishing because Evan Longoria is on his way back to the Rays’ lineup.
The Cubs are offering to absorb all but $2MM of Alfonso Soriano’s contract, Stark writes. The left fielder earns $18MM per season through 2014 and the Cubs might take it all on for the right prospect.
The Phillies are still considering trading Shane Victorino, but they are likely to wait a few days before making a decision on his future.
The Padres have told teams they are likely to trade Huston Street if they can’t sign him to an extension. The Padres are expected to attempt to lock Street up to a one-year extension.
Reds GM Walt Jocketty “feels a need to do something” and has asked around for a middle-of-the-order hitter, Stark reports.
MIAMI (AP)—Carlos Zambrano will get a much-needed fresh start with the Miami Marlins.
The Chicago Cubs traded their former ace Wednesday for Marlins right-hander Chris Volstad, pending physicals and approval by Major League Baseball, a person familiar with the negotiations said. The person confirmed the deal to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the teams hadn’t announced a deal.
Zambrano wore out his welcome in Chicago because of repeated meltdowns and tantrums. The most recent came when he cleaned out his locker and talked about retiring after giving up five homers and being ejected during a loss to Atlanta on Aug. 12. He was suspended without pay and then it was decided he would sit out the rest of the season.
In Miami he’ll be joining another former Chicagoan, Ozzie Guillen, who expressed interest in acquiring Zambrano when he was hired as the Marlins’ manager in October after stepping down as the White Sox’s skipper. Zambrano joins a franchise on the upswing after a winter spending spree resulted in the signings of All-Stars Jose Reyes, Mark Buehrle and Heath Bell.
Zambrano finished last year 9-7 with a 4.82 ERA. The Cubs expected more when he signed a $91.5 million deal over five seasons through 2012, including a $17,875,000 million salary last season and $18 million in 2012. As part of the trade, they’ll likely pay much of his salary.
Volstad went 5-13 last year with an ERA of 4.89, and his career record is 32-39. He has given up 69 homers over the past three seasons, which could mean trouble for him at Wrigley Field.
Zambrano is 125-81 with a 3.60 ERA after breaking in with the Cubs in 2001, and he threw a no-hitter against the Astros. But he had difficulty controlling his temper.
In 2007, he got into a fight with teammate Michael Barrett, first in the dugout and then in the locker room. Barrett ended up with a bruise under his eye and a cut lip.
In 2009, he went on tirade against an umpire, throwing a baseball into the outfield, pretending to eject the umpire and slamming his glove against the dugout fence, a tantrum that led to a suspension.
In 2010, Zambrano was placed on the restricted list for six weeks and sent to anger management after a verbal altercation with then-teammate Derrek Lee.
CHICAGO (AP) — Chicago Cubs’ right-hander Carlos Zambrano will sit out the rest of the season after his 30-day suspension ends after games of Sept. 11.
The Cubs said Friday they’ll pay Zambrano after the suspension ends but there’s insufficient time for him to get ready to pitch again. The Cubs also said a grievance filed on Zambrano’s behalf will be processed by the players’ union, Major League Baseball and the team during the offseason.
Zambrano cleaned out his locker and talked about retiring after giving up five homers and being ejected during a loss to Atlanta on Aug. 12. His ejection followed two inside pitches to Chipper Jones.
He said he intended to be at the ballpark the next day, but his agent Barry Praver told him not to “because we were in the middle of discussions with the union and the Cubs.” The Cubs placed Zambrano on the disqualified list the next day and said he would receive no pay and have no part in team activities for 30 days.
Zambrano was also put on a restricted list last season after he became incensed by what he thought was poor defense against the White Sox and got into a shouting match with then-teammate Derrek Lee. Zambrano underwent anger management counseling, returned to the team and pitched well.
The Cubs expected more when Zambrano signed a $91.5 million deal over five seasons through 2012, including a $17.85 million salary this season and $18 million in 2012.
Zambrano is 125-81 with a 3.60 career ERA after breaking in with the Cubs in 2001. He has thrown a no-hitter against the Astros. He was 9-7 this season before the suspension, but his pitching has often been overshadowed by his outbursts.
In 2009, he went on tirade against an umpire, throwing a baseball into the outfield, pretending to eject the umpire and slamming his glove against the dugout fence, a tantrum that led to a suspension.
In 2007, he got into a fight with teammate and catcher Michael Barrett, first in the dugout and then in the locker room. Barrett ended up with a bruise under his eye and a cut lip.
© 2011 The Associated Press
CHICAGO (AP) — Embattled Cubs pitcher Carlos Zambrano says he’d like to pitch again for Chicago and was simply frustrated when he told club personnel he wanted to retire after his most recent start.
In his first public comments since the team banished him following another meltdown, Zambrano told Comcast SportsNet Chicago in a phone interview Monday that he wants to remain a Cub.
“Of course, man” Zambrano said. “Hey, the Cubs have been to me like family. The organization is my family. I’ve seen people go and people come and I’m still there. … I want to keep pitching for the Cubs. It was a moment of frustration Friday night, and I pitched so bad I wanted to retire, you know, I don’t want to be making $18 million and pitch like crap.”
Zambrano cleaned out his locker and talked about retiring after giving up five homers and being ejected from Friday night’s 10-4 loss to Atlanta following two inside pitches to Chipper Jones. He says he intended to be at the ballpark the next day, but his agent Barry Praver told him not to “because we were in the middle of discussions with the union and the Cubs.”
The Cubs placed Zambrano on the disqualified list Saturday and said the right-hander would receive no pay and have no part in team activities for 30 days after the latest in a long line of incidents.
That includes a fight with former catcher Michael Barrett and a dugout confrontation with then-teammate Derrek Lee last season that led to him being placed on the restricted list for six weeks and sent to anger management.
This season, he called the Cubs “embarrassing” and a “Triple-A team” while calling out closer Carlos Marmol for giving up a tying hit to Ryan Theriot on a slider after a loss to St. Louis in June. But it’s not like Zambrano has been doing his part at 9-7 with a 4.82 ERA. The Cubs certainly expected more when he signed a deal adding $91.5 million over five seasons through 2012, including a $17.85 million salary this season and $18 million in 2012.
For that matter, so did Zambrano.
“I feel bad with me, with the performance, with what I am doing or I was doing in the season it’s frustrating,” he said. “It’s frustrating every time I go to the mound and I give up eight runs. It’s not me, and I want to do my best.”
That’s why, he said, he mentioned retirement. He said it was out of frustration and he didn’t expect it to leave the clubhouse.
Zambrano said he has a good relationship with manager Mike Quade even though “some of the decisions that he made I didn’t like” and called general manager Jim Hendry “a great person.” Even so, he didn’t understand why he was being punished. He said he deserved it following the blowup with Lee, but this time?
“This one I really don’t understand,” Zambrano said.
Hendry and Quade weren’t the only fed-up Cubs. Several players, including Alfonso Soriano, made it clear they were, too.
Zambrano said he has heard from Soriano, Marlon Byrd and Carlos Pena since the incident and that he understood their frustration with him. He also insisted he wasn’t trying to hit Jones.
“I have to pitch inside, and the pitch was a cutter,” he said. “If I want to hit someone, I hit him. I think I have good target when I want to hit someone.”
As for his future, Zambrano isn’t sure what will happen. He did make it clear he hopes to stay put, though.
“If the Cubs welcome me, I’ll be with the team again,” he said. “If they decide to do something else, I’ll have to play for somebody else. In the bottom of my heart, I will be a Cubbie forever.”
© 2011 The Associated Press
ATLANTA (AP) — The Chicago Cubs placed Carlos Zambrano on the disqualified list Saturday and said the right-hander would receive no pay and have no part in team activities for 30 days.
Zambrano cleaned out his locker and left the team after giving up five homers and being ejected from Friday night’s 10-4 loss to the Braves. He did not return to the team Saturday.
General manager Jim Hendry said Saturday that Zambrano’s actions, including a brush-back pitch to Chipper Jones that led to the ejection, were “intolerable.”
“This was the most stringent penalty we could enforce without a release,” Hendry said.
Cubs pitcher Ryan Dempster had similarly strong words.
“He’s made his bed. Let him sleep in it,” Dempster said.
“It’s not like it’s something new.”
Hendry said Major League Baseball and the players’ association would discuss Zambrano’s statements about his baseball future.
Cubs manager Mike Quade said Friday night that Zambrano told team personnel he might retire.
“There’s not much worse than running out on your teammates in the middle of a ballgame,” Hendry said on a conference call.
Hendry said he apologized to Braves general manager Frank Wren for the actions by Zambrano on the same night Atlanta honored former manager Bobby Cox.
Zambrano was ejected by plate umpire Tim Timmons in the fifth inning after throwing two inside pitches to Jones, the second going all the way to the backstop. The brush-back pitches followed homers by Freddie Freeman and Dan Uggla.
“It was uncalled for, the pitch to Chipper Jones,” Hendry said.
“I feel that anything at all to detract from Bobby Cox’s night other than usual competition is totally intolerable.”
Asked if he knew where Zambrano was on Saturday, Hendry said: “I have no idea.”
Jones said Hendry’s comments were “a class move. I appreciated it.”
Added Jones: “I like Carlos. I’ve always liked Carlos. He’s an intense competitor. Unfortunately, sometimes that hurts him.”
Cubs third baseman Aramis Ramirez said Zambrano would be welcomed back by his teammates, but only if he made changes.
“If he changes his attitude, he’s more then welcome,” Ramirez said.
“He’s got to think a little bit more. He’s one man. It’s not just one time. A lot of people have tried to help him. He won’t let them.”
Zambrano was placed on the restricted list for six weeks and sent to anger management last season after a verbal altercation with then-teammate Derrek Lee.
In 2009, he was suspended following a tirade against an umpire in which he threw a baseball into the outfield and slammed his glove against the dugout fence.
Outfielder Marlon Byrd said he talked with Zambrano.
‘He said that he’s doing better today,” Byrd said. “That’s it.”
Asked about Zambrano being placed on the disqualified list, Byrd said: “That’s business. They have to do what they have to do.”
In 2007, Zambrano signed a deal adding $91.5 million over five seasons through 2012. He was to earn $17.85 million this season and $18 million in 2012.
He is 9-7 with a 4.82 ERA.
Zambrano’s name was mentioned in trade rumors before the July 31 deadline. He said on July 28 he wanted to remain with the Cubs.
“I do want to stay here but at the same point I want this team to make some changes,” Zambrano said. “If we want to win here, we need to make some changes. If I have to go, I have to go but I still have the Cubs in my heart.”
A message was left Saturday seeking comment from Barry Praver, Zambrano’s agent. Hendry said Praver indicated Zambrano is not retiring.
© 2011 The Associated Press
ATLANTA (AP) — Chicago Cubs manager Mike Quade said pitcher Carlos Zambrano cleaned out his locker and “walked out” on the team after giving up five homers in Friday night’s 10-4 loss to the Atlanta Braves.
Quade said Zambrano was talking about ending his playing career.
“I’m really disappointed,” Quade said. “His locker is empty. He walked out on 24 guys … I don’t know where he’s gone or what he’s doing.
“He’s talking about retiring … but I can’t have a guy walking out on 24 guys.”
Zambrano was ejected by plate umpire Tim Timmons in the fifth inning after throwing two inside pitches to Chipper Jones, the second going all the way to the backstop. The brushback pitches followed homers by Freddie Freeman and Dan Uggla.
Jones and Jose Constanza also connected against Zambrano (9-7), who gave up eight runs and eight hits. The five homers allowed set a career high.
Quade said he didn’t talk with Zambrano.
“I’m running a ballgame and I’ve got 24 guys I care about, so I didn’t have time to speak to him,” Quade said. “I come in here and I see an empty locker. I figure he’s decided he’s had enough.”
When asked if Zambrano would be welcome back, Quade said, “I don’t know.”
“All I know is, it was a bad night,” Quade said. “And that’s allowed.
“He had a bad night. But he had a real bad night after it was over. You don’t leave your teammates.”
Outfielder Marlon Byrd said he would reach out to Zambrano.
“Hopefully the rumors aren’t true and he’ll be back tomorrow and we can talk about it,” Byrd said.
Byrd said he didn’t think Zambrano walked out on him.
“If he goes home for good, then it’s a different story,” Byrd said.
Freeman and Uggla hit back-to-back homers in the fifth to give Atlanta an 8-1 lead. Following a visit from pitching coach Mark Riggins, Zambrano threw one pitch inside to Jones and was immediately tossed after the Atlanta star had to jump back to avoid another inside pitch.
As Jones stood at the plate, staring at Zambrano, the Braves came out of their dugout. Timmons rushed toward the dugout, cautioning the players not to come out any farther.
Zambrano looked back at Jones as he walked off the field, then was shown on TV smiling before leaving the dugout for the clubhouse.
Zambrano dropped to 2-5 with a 6.08 ERA in 13 career starts against Atlanta. The right-hander has dropped his last five decisions against the Braves.
Starlin Castro homered and Alfonso Soriano had two RBIs for the Cubs, who had won nine of 11.
Uggla went 3 for 3 and scored three times. His streak, which began on July 5, is the longest in the majors this season. He has raised his batting average from .173 to .229.
Tommy Holmes holds the franchise record with a 37-game hitting streak as a member of the Boston Braves in 1945.
Atlanta grabbed control with three runs in the third. Zambrano retired the first two batters before Freeman singled and Uggla was hit by a pitch. Jones then hit a drive to center for his 10th homer, making it 5-1.
Atlanta rookie Mike Minor (2-2) gave up three runs and nine hits in 5 2-3 innings. The left-hander allowed three hits in the sixth, including a two-run double by Soriano. Braves left fielder Martin Prado almost caught Soriano’s drive, but the ball bounced out of his glove when he crashed into the wall.
© 2011 The Associated Press
