Z CONTRACT: On Hold Due to Trib Sale

[Handlebar McSkullet]

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/6632584

[tkenm356]

The Cubs and Carlos Zamrbrano are closing in on a five-year contract worth more than $80 million, FOXSports.com's Ken Rosenthal reports.

Zambrano is a healthy season away from getting something like $140-$150 million for eight years, but all indications are that he's going to sign now anyway. It would be the largest deal ever for a non-free agent pitcher.

 

 

Ken Rosenthal / FoxSports.com

 

The Cubs' chances of signing right-hander Carlos Zambrano to a new five-year contract look better than ever.

 

Zambrano has waived his Opening Day deadline for completing negotiations with the club, according to his agent, Barry Praver.

 

"Our discussions have progressed to the point where we're going to extend the deadline for an indefinite period of time," Praver told FOXSports.com on Sunday.

 

 

Rosenthal reporting this is very close to getting done...

 

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/6632584

 

 

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/6632584

 

 

 

Any word form Rosenthall? :wink:

[soccer10k]

Any word form Rosenthall? :wink:

 

Actually, he's been quite silent on the whole situation. Not one word said or written. It's rather odd. :D

[Ding Dong Johnson]

The Cubs and Carlos Zamrbrano are closing in on a five-year contract worth more than $80 million, FOXSports.com's Ken Rosenthal reports.

Zambrano is a healthy season away from getting something like $140-$150 million for eight years, but all indications are that he's going to sign now anyway. It would be the largest deal ever for a non-free agent pitcher.

 

 

Ken Rosenthal / FoxSports.com

 

The Cubs' chances of signing right-hander Carlos Zambrano to a new five-year contract look better than ever.

 

Zambrano has waived his Opening Day deadline for completing negotiations with the club, according to his agent, Barry Praver.

 

"Our discussions have progressed to the point where we're going to extend the deadline for an indefinite period of time," Praver told FOXSports.com on Sunday.

 

 

Rosenthal reporting this is very close to getting done...

 

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/6632584

 

 

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/6632584

 

 

 

Any word form Rosenthall? :wink:

 

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/6632584

[Bruce Miles]

Here's a development that's cause for concern:

 

http://www.dailyherald.com/sports/story.asp?id=297447

[Laura]

Here's a development that's cause for concern:

 

http://www.dailyherald.com/sports/story.asp?id=297447

 

UGH

 

I'll predict that Lou isn't going to like the sound of that.

[CubinNY]

Here's a development that's cause for concern:

 

http://www.dailyherald.com/sports/story.asp?id=297447

 

UGH

 

I'll predict that Lou isn't going to like the sound of that.

You said it. Now, how do the Lilly, Marquis, and Derosa contracts look?

 

I don't like that Hendry waits until the last minute to get this stuff done. He's had all winter.

[Tracer Bullet]

Here's a development that's cause for concern:

 

http://www.dailyherald.com/sports/story.asp?id=297447

 

UGH

 

I'll predict that Lou isn't going to like the sound of that.

You said it. Now, how do the Lilly, Marquis, and Derosa contracts look?

 

I don't like that Hendry waits until the last minute to get this stuff done. He's had all winter.

 

I've never been a big supporter of JH, but I don't think he can take all the blame here. He's had a history of getting guys signed right before the season or shortly thereafter, and it usually works in the Cubs' favor. If he had gotten Z signed for $80m/5 years, almost everyone on this board would have been thrilled. So the fact that the Trib gets sold and that puts spending on hold shouldn't mean Hendry wasn't doing the right thing by waiting to sign Z.

[CubinNY]

Here's a development that's cause for concern:

 

http://www.dailyherald.com/sports/story.asp?id=297447

 

UGH

 

I'll predict that Lou isn't going to like the sound of that.

You said it. Now, how do the Lilly, Marquis, and Derosa contracts look?

 

I don't like that Hendry waits until the last minute to get this stuff done. He's had all winter.

 

I've never been a big supporter of JH, but I don't think he can take all the blame here. He's had a history of getting guys signed right before the season or shortly thereafter, and it usually works in the Cubs' favor. If he had gotten Z signed for $80m/5 years, almost everyone on this board would have been thrilled. So the fact that the Trib gets sold and that puts spending on hold shouldn't mean Hendry wasn't doing the right thing by waiting to sign Z.

There is/was no reason to wait until the end of ST to get the deal worked out. I don't give two hoots about Hendry's track record.

 

If the owners look at the current payroll and say "no more spending" the sunk costs of Lilly, Marquis, and DeRossa look bad when they could add up to or help with the costs of signing Z.

[CubColtPacer]

Here's a development that's cause for concern:

 

http://www.dailyherald.com/sports/story.asp?id=297447

 

UGH

 

I'll predict that Lou isn't going to like the sound of that.

You said it. Now, how do the Lilly, Marquis, and Derosa contracts look?

 

I don't like that Hendry waits until the last minute to get this stuff done. He's had all winter.

 

I've never been a big supporter of JH, but I don't think he can take all the blame here. He's had a history of getting guys signed right before the season or shortly thereafter, and it usually works in the Cubs' favor. If he had gotten Z signed for $80m/5 years, almost everyone on this board would have been thrilled. So the fact that the Trib gets sold and that puts spending on hold shouldn't mean Hendry wasn't doing the right thing by waiting to sign Z.

There is/was no reason to wait until the end of ST to get the deal worked out. I don't give two hoots about Hendry's track record.

 

If the owners look at the current payroll and say "no more spending" the sunk costs of Lilly, Marquis, and DeRossa look bad when they could add up to or help with the costs of signing Z.

 

The sunk cost had absolutely nothing to do with it. The ownership froze spending because the assests are in the process of being sold-the payroll could have been 90 million instead of 110 million and they still would have done the same thing. If the ownership had said no more spending because of too high of a payroll, they would have done so well before now.

 

The end of ST thing? Well, that hurts now-and Hendry could have definitely got him done before now, but from the way he was sounding he was not informed that the process of the ownership sale would delay contract negotiations. Blame McDonough on that one.

[Jon]

Looks like a negotiating ploy by Hendry. They were aware this was going to happen before the talks hit the home stretch in the last few days. He's just trying to get Z to settle for a little bit less in order to just get it done.

 

If it was going to be a real issue, Jim would've made sure it got done on Sunday.

[CubinNY]

Here's a development that's cause for concern:

 

http://www.dailyherald.com/sports/story.asp?id=297447

 

UGH

 

I'll predict that Lou isn't going to like the sound of that.

You said it. Now, how do the Lilly, Marquis, and Derosa contracts look?

 

I don't like that Hendry waits until the last minute to get this stuff done. He's had all winter.

 

I've never been a big supporter of JH, but I don't think he can take all the blame here. He's had a history of getting guys signed right before the season or shortly thereafter, and it usually works in the Cubs' favor. If he had gotten Z signed for $80m/5 years, almost everyone on this board would have been thrilled. So the fact that the Trib gets sold and that puts spending on hold shouldn't mean Hendry wasn't doing the right thing by waiting to sign Z.

There is/was no reason to wait until the end of ST to get the deal worked out. I don't give two hoots about Hendry's track record.

 

If the owners look at the current payroll and say "no more spending" the sunk costs of Lilly, Marquis, and DeRossa look bad when they could add up to or help with the costs of signing Z.

 

The sunk cost had absolutely nothing to do with it. The ownership froze spending because the assests are in the process of being sold-the payroll could have been 90 million instead of 110 million and they still would have done the same thing. If the ownership had said no more spending because of too high of a payroll, they would have done so well before now.

Which is why waiting until the last minute to get things done is not a good way to do business. Hendry and McDonough had to know something like this would happen and also had to have some knowledge of the process and how long it would take.

 

There is no way Hendry doesn't get the blame for this if Z doesn't get signed, sorry.

[CubColtPacer]

Here's a development that's cause for concern:

 

http://www.dailyherald.com/sports/story.asp?id=297447

 

UGH

 

I'll predict that Lou isn't going to like the sound of that.

You said it. Now, how do the Lilly, Marquis, and Derosa contracts look?

 

I don't like that Hendry waits until the last minute to get this stuff done. He's had all winter.

 

I've never been a big supporter of JH, but I don't think he can take all the blame here. He's had a history of getting guys signed right before the season or shortly thereafter, and it usually works in the Cubs' favor. If he had gotten Z signed for $80m/5 years, almost everyone on this board would have been thrilled. So the fact that the Trib gets sold and that puts spending on hold shouldn't mean Hendry wasn't doing the right thing by waiting to sign Z.

There is/was no reason to wait until the end of ST to get the deal worked out. I don't give two hoots about Hendry's track record.

 

If the owners look at the current payroll and say "no more spending" the sunk costs of Lilly, Marquis, and DeRossa look bad when they could add up to or help with the costs of signing Z.

 

The sunk cost had absolutely nothing to do with it. The ownership froze spending because the assests are in the process of being sold-the payroll could have been 90 million instead of 110 million and they still would have done the same thing. If the ownership had said no more spending because of too high of a payroll, they would have done so well before now.

Which is why waiting until the last minute to get things done is not a good way to do business. Hendry and McDonough had to know something like this would happen and also had to have some knowledge of the process and how long it would take.

 

There is no way Hendry doesn't get the blame for this if Z doesn't get signed, sorry.

 

Hendry's doing his job using a formula that would have worked again. It might not work because of something that's absolutely not his job-the sale and its implications. It's McDonough's job to tell Hendry if something on the ownership/business side of it is going to impair negotiations. From their quotes today, it appears that McDonough did not do that-either that, or the ownership changed their mind and McDonough did not know either. Whichever it is, it's not Hendry's job to be concerned about that-Hendry has no direct contact with the Tribune company, and the only reason Hendry would ever be concerned about it is if McDonough told him that it should change how Hendry does his job-which he apparently did not do.

[frostwyrm]

Sounds bad. McDonough says “Jim and I need to dialogue a little bit more." What is there to discuss? The situation is perfectly clear. The Cubs are fully committed to a win-now strategy. Z is essential to that strategy. If money is available you offer it and hope Z accepts. It's just that simple. The time to debate whether to re-sign Z was before committing $300M in backloaded contracts.

[KingCubsFan]

Here's a development that's cause for concern:

 

http://www.dailyherald.com/sports/story.asp?id=297447

 

UGH

 

I'll predict that Lou isn't going to like the sound of that.

You said it. Now, how do the Lilly, Marquis, and Derosa contracts look?

 

I don't like that Hendry waits until the last minute to get this stuff done. He's had all winter.

 

I've never been a big supporter of JH, but I don't think he can take all the blame here. He's had a history of getting guys signed right before the season or shortly thereafter, and it usually works in the Cubs' favor. If he had gotten Z signed for $80m/5 years, almost everyone on this board would have been thrilled. So the fact that the Trib gets sold and that puts spending on hold shouldn't mean Hendry wasn't doing the right thing by waiting to sign Z.

There is/was no reason to wait until the end of ST to get the deal worked out. I don't give two hoots about Hendry's track record.

 

If the owners look at the current payroll and say "no more spending" the sunk costs of Lilly, Marquis, and DeRossa look bad when they could add up to or help with the costs of signing Z.

 

The sunk cost had absolutely nothing to do with it. The ownership froze spending because the assests are in the process of being sold-the payroll could have been 90 million instead of 110 million and they still would have done the same thing. If the ownership had said no more spending because of too high of a payroll, they would have done so well before now.

Which is why waiting until the last minute to get things done is not a good way to do business. Hendry and McDonough had to know something like this would happen and also had to have some knowledge of the process and how long it would take.

 

There is no way Hendry doesn't get the blame for this if Z doesn't get signed, sorry.

FYI, there are two sides to a negotiation. We don't know what went on, perhaps Zambrano's representation stalled. Also, it's hard to blame him for the Tribune deciding to sell the Cubs. By all accounts, they kept Cubs management in the dark about it

[Laura]

Sun-Times also reports that contract talks have been put on hold due to the sale.

[C.C.]

Sun-Times also reports that contract talks have been put on hold due to the sale.

 

Doesn't sound promising...

[Brian]

time for heroin to the forehead.

[Vinestal]

Sun-Times also reports that contract talks have been put on hold due to the sale.

 

I read that as "Cubs decide not to sign Zambrano and allow him to become a freeagent". If our pitching is going to get better I guess its gonna have to come from the farm. He's gonna wind up somewhere else next year.

[seanimal]

This is bad, bad news if the Cubs pull a 180 on Zambrano.

[C.C.]

I agree. I'm not sure they are in a postion is dish out contracts if the team is up for sale...

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

I am not pleased....not pleased at all.

[C.C.]

Well whomever buys the Cubs this offseason hopefully will give Zambrano a big fat contract. I have a feeling the talks will be put on hold until the end of the season...

[Sammy Sofa]

Is Z so unreasonable that he wouldn't understand how something this huge for the entire team might throw off the schedule of his signing? I'm not saying Hendry couldn't have gotten this done sooner, but for all we know Z and his agent were also riding things out to the end to see they could get.

[RichHillIsABeast]

Thanks Trib! You've been awesome from day one. One last parting shot to the fans, huh? :x