Carlos Zambrano's brouhaha and apology

[erik316wttn]

My prediction:

 

Hendry will announce intentions to trade him ASAP, thereby lowing his trade value even further than it is. We end up eating 90% of his contract just to unload him and either take on a crappy contract in return or some AA-ball prospect who will never see the light of day.

[CubColtPacer]

Why do all of Hendry's contracts have NTC, Player Options, and dollar figures more than other teams were willing to give? Also, take into account that supposedly players love to play for the Cubs. Aggravating.

 

As dew said, that isn't really true. Ramirez and Fukudome both took less money to play with the Cubs. Dempster probably did as well. Z and Lilly were market value.

 

Hendry has outbid at times. Soriano is the perfect example. He was the only one to give the 3rd year that Bradley wanted. He gave more money to DeRosa and Marquis than anybody else would. But that hasn't been often and IIRC Soriano was the only one of those that had a NTC to go along with their bigger money deals.

 

For the person who asked, Samardzija needs to make the major league squad next year. That's also the last year of the deal (the Cubs have club options for 2012 and 2013 but it would be hard to imagine a scenario in which they would pick those up right now).

[dew1679666265]

My thinking with bringing up Atkins instead of Jackson is the idea that they might not want to promote Jackson for his first ML duty in a lost season with a poor offense that won't give sufficient run support.

I actually think that would be a good situation to bring him up under. He'd be able to get his feet wet at the major league level in a situation where there's no pressure to win, and the experience he gains this year might put him in a position to succeed from the very beginning next year. I think back to 2006 when the Cubs brought up Marshall and Marmol prematurely because of all the pitching injuries. They took their lumps that year, but then contributed to the 2007 division title. A lot depends on how well Jackson can mentally handle having some initial struggles.

 

Yeah, as I said I wasn't really advocating it and I definitely see your point. That would be the thought behind bringing up Atkins or Shark.

[dew1679666265]

My prediction:

 

Hendry will announce intentions to trade him ASAP, thereby lowing his trade value even further than it is. We end up eating 90% of his contract just to unload him and either take on a crappy contract in return or some AA-ball prospect who will never see the light of day.

 

I don't know that announcing we want to trade him would really lower his value much at this point. Teams are going to know the Cubs aren't happy with him.

 

That said, I would still prefer Hendry not announce his intentions to trade Z.

[mcgoobs]

So after Zambrano said in the offseason that he was going to keep his emotions in check this year, who had June 25th in their "when will Z have his first blowup" pool?

[Keener98]

And I like Derrek Lee but he's rapidly approaching Ryan Theriot level "casual fans like me for being nice to the press so I think I'm the spokesman for the team and everyone just ignore that I am sucking at baseball this year" annoyance. He's been Z's teammate for how long? If he was the patient wonderful guy he paints himself to be, maybe he'd have just let Z rant instead of reacting the way he did.

 

You have got to be kidding me. Why should DLee stand there and let Z rant and rave like a [expletive] lunatic? Z was questioning his effort and Im sure Z's act has worn very thin on the whole team. Lee had all the right to tell Z to shut the [expletive] up, its long past due someone did.

[C.C.]

''I've seen more crazy sh-- since I've been here than I've seen anywhere else in my career,'' said one veteran Cubs player.

[inari]

''I've seen more crazy sh-- since I've been here than I've seen anywhere else in my career,'' said one veteran Cubs player.

 

Hahahaha really?

[BeerHere]

My two cents:

 

I have absolutely no problem with DLee's reaction and if I had to guess I would say that he is sick of Zambrano's act.

 

If Zambrano were pitching as well as he has in the past, I think the team overlooks this tantrum. This year is clearly different. I think the team has coddled him a lot more than anyone knows. When Zambrano pinch hit a couple weeks ago and was swinging for the fences when he just needed a single - I think that was a manager giving in to the guy and letting him do something that makes him happy.

 

What bothers me most was his comment "If you won't play hard for me, I won't play hard for you." That tells me that maybe he grooved the inside fastball to Rios, and the even more hittable pitch to Quentin to make a point to his teammates. If that is the case....man.....that is beyond words bad.

 

Wasn't one of Bradley's blowups last year at the cell? Throw in this incident and Barrett punching Pierzyhfdlkankdfi! and sox fans have to be loving how this team consistently falls apart in their house. It is embarrassing, it really is.

Edited June 26, 2010 by BeerHere

[Guest]

Looks that way. Even the over-slot guys we drafted that are remaining out there aren't million dollar type players. They're 50-100K over slot players for the most part.

 

I'll admit I'm worried about Ricketts' as well already, especially after hearing some of AZPhil's comments about future plans(although we don't know how plugged in, Phil truly is) As far as the draft goes though(and I wasn't all that happy to begin with) I'm at least thinking that out of Crum, Harper, Harman, Geiger, Cox, Pinckard, Wells, and Szczur, one or two of those guys will be a surprise sign that's for alot more than what we were thinking.......Not to mention, Golden hasn't signed yet either, so he could conceivably cost us alot more than what we were thinking as well. I'm still hopeful we spend 5 mill or a tad more, which would at least make me feel a little better about Ricketts......

I'm not really worried about the Ricketts in general. But I do think our budget for the draft is fairly low.

 

I think the only way we sniff $5M is if we overpay a bunch of guys. I just don't see any of those guys being worth the $500K it would take to push us towards that total from where we're currently at, unless my math is off (which it could be).

 

I'm a day late here but I agree. Sure, they can spend a lot of money but they'd be on guys who are probably not on anyone's radar to earn that type of bonus (e.g. Huseby and Watkins)...

[BeerHere]

Looks that way. Even the over-slot guys we drafted that are remaining out there aren't million dollar type players. They're 50-100K over slot players for the most part.

 

I'll admit I'm worried about Ricketts' as well already, especially after hearing some of AZPhil's comments about future plans(although we don't know how plugged in, Phil truly is) As far as the draft goes though(and I wasn't all that happy to begin with) I'm at least thinking that out of Crum, Harper, Harman, Geiger, Cox, Pinckard, Wells, and Szczur, one or two of those guys will be a surprise sign that's for alot more than what we were thinking.......Not to mention, Golden hasn't signed yet either, so he could conceivably cost us alot more than what we were thinking as well. I'm still hopeful we spend 5 mill or a tad more, which would at least make me feel a little better about Ricketts......

I'm not really worried about the Ricketts in general. But I do think our budget for the draft is fairly low.

 

I think the only way we sniff $5M is if we overpay a bunch of guys. I just don't see any of those guys being worth the $500K it would take to push us towards that total from where we're currently at, unless my math is off (which it could be).

 

I'm a day late here but I agree. Sure, they can spend a lot of money but they'd be on guys who are probably not on anyone's radar to earn that type of bonus (e.g. Huseby and Watkins)...

 

Ricketts talked a big game though about spending in the draft and building the team from within. If that were me, I would make absolutely certain that my words were followed up. It is easy for me to say that though not having to write the checks. I don't hold Ricketts responsible for the team on the field, but the draft was his first real opportunity to prove his words and I didn't see it.

[CincyCubsFan]

''I've seen more crazy sh-- since I've been here than I've seen anywhere else in my career,'' said one veteran Cubs player.

 

I'd put my money on Byrd for that one. Classic.

[BeerHere]

And I like Derrek Lee but he's rapidly approaching Ryan Theriot level "casual fans like me for being nice to the press so I think I'm the spokesman for the team and everyone just ignore that I am sucking at baseball this year" annoyance. He's been Z's teammate for how long? If he was the patient wonderful guy he paints himself to be, maybe he'd have just let Z rant instead of reacting the way he did.

 

I couldn't disagree more. The fact that they have been teammates for so long has nothing to do with it. Zambrano has shown up teammates on the field before, he did it again yesterday. He's sucker punched his catcher and gone ballistic in the dugout before. Someone needed to stand up and tell him to shut the [expletive] up. Others were probably afraid to do it. IMO sending Z to the pen at the start of the year was a shot across the bow but the message is clear to me - if you're going to act like a ass you're responsible for the consequences.

[J.R.]

What more does Tom Rickettes have to see..80 more games? Blowup this team and Lou and Hendry now!!!

 

He's distracted.

 

Speaking of who runs the team, if the Cubs new hands-on chairman isn't too busy gripping a camera to take pictures of giraffes on his African safari, somebody might want to call Tom Ricketts to let him know his $91.5 million "ace,'' imploded again. There are no potential revenue streams from Zambrano's outburst but it could affect the season.

 

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-spt-0626-haugh-carlos-zambrano--20100625,0,5203584.column

[E.J.]

Jesus. He's on vacation. So what? Even the President takes vacations.

[Guest]

J.R., I don't understand your frustration over Ricketts going on a safari in the middle of the season. What can he really do to step in in this particular scenario?

[Clem Fandango]

Another editorial piece...

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/chicago/mlb/columns/story?id=5329769

 

A couple of these lines made me chuckle.

 

Hendry, the St. Jude of no-trade clauses...

 

With a no-trade clause, a boatload of money due to him, a so-so reputation and declining statistics, not to mention skills, I wouldn't count on someone taking Zambrano off the Cubs' hands, aside from Orioles GM/collector of lost Cubs Andy MacPhail.

Edited June 26, 2010 by The Logan

[J.R.]

Does the President go on vacation in the middle of a crisis?

[Fred Hornkohl]

Hell, P.K.Wrigley spent the last 30 years or so of his life on vacation !!

[inari]

Does the President go on vacation in the middle of a crisis?

 

Dude. What the hell is Rickett's going to do?

[E.J.]

Does the President go on vacation in the middle of a crisis?

 

The Cubs are in the middle of a crisis? They suck, but I wouldn't exactly call it a crisis. They're not in danger of contraction.

[illiniguy]

Does the President go on vacation in the middle of a crisis?

 

The Cubs are in the middle of a crisis? They suck, but I wouldn't exactly call it a crisis. They're not in danger of contraction.

I kind of wish they were.

[A-Cal]

Z has expressed interest in the White Sox, right? Hendry should just put him through waivers, ala Alex Rios, and have Kenny Williams scoop up another bloated contract. Z can then go on to finish top 3 in the AL Cy Young next season.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

First of all, blaming Lee for any part of this is the most asinine thing I've read. Zambrano used to be one of my favorite Cubs, but his act has worn thin. Just because he rants like that all the time doesn't mean, someone like Lee has to sit back and let it go. Zambrano is an [expletive] and Lee probably had enough. I really can't blame him for that. Blaming Lee for any part of this is stupidity.

 

Secondly, my guess is Zambrano could have a little more trade value than we think. The potential to be good is still there and good pitching is always at a premium. Look at some of the contracts that get given to one season wonders. One thing Zambrano has over a lot of pitchers is relatively good health. He also has a no-hitter on his resume. Some team may be tempted to go for a player like that, especially on a reduced contract.

 

Third, I'm not certain the no-trade clause will be a problem. It might, but there's a strong likelihood that Z wants out too. Lou said he's going to have to apologize. Also, Z may realize he's not respected or wanted by his teammates and prefer a fresh start somewhere else.

 

I think the best case scenario is that the Cubs eat enough of the contract to make it more like 2/24 left on the deal. At his age, I think there would be quite a few teams willing to take that one. The Mets immediately come to mind. At that price, I think the Cubs could get a package of b-level prospects...nothing that would make the average fan excited but some guys that may be able to provide something down the road.

[erik316wttn]

Jesus. He's on vacation. So what? Even the President takes vacations.

 

I'm pretty sure that's all GWB did. That and lie about WMD's.