Zambrano traded to Marlins for Chris Volstad (P. 8)

[Backtobanks]

From MLBTR:

Unloading Carlos Zambrano

By Tim Dierkes [August 16 at 1:00pm CST]

I would say the Cubs have no chance of unloading combustible righty Carlos Zambrano this offseason, but the Vernon Wells trade showed that even the game's worst contracts can be moved. The big difference there: Wells was coming off a solid 31 home run season and doesn't come with clubhouse baggage.

 

Cubs GM Jim Hendry has been through this once before, ditching a little bit of Milton Bradley's contract and actually getting some value out of Carlos Silva in 2010. There was no way the Cubs weren't going to dump Bradley that offseason, and it's possible their thinking is the same regarding Zambrano.

 

 

We don't need to run through Zambrano's history; suffice it to say that he has big-time negative trade value. Contract and attitude aside, Zambrano the 30-year-old pitcher still has some use at the back end of a rotation. He's consistently posted SIERAs in the 4.30 range, something for which plenty of teams pay around $4MM. However, teams signing the Kevin Correias of the world are hoping for innings, which Zambrano has not provided lately. And unlike most back-end starters signed on the free agent market, Zambrano has the potential to be a clubhouse distraction.

 

That's why Zambrano cleared waivers even before his latest incident: he has major negative trade value. He could only be dealt for a player the other team wants nothing to do with, and the Cubs would have to send money or take a bad contract to match up with his $18MM salary for 2012. Here are 11 trade ideas, assuming Z is willing to waive his no-trade clause without compensation.

 

•Zambrano and $12.5MM to Astros for Brandon Lyon. The reliever had bicep surgery in June and is out for the season. If the Astros are unsure about his 2012 outlook and would prefer to add Zambrano to the back end of their rotation without paying any additional money, this could work.

•Zambrano and $12.5MM to Blue Jays for Mark Teahen. The Cubs could attempt to use Teahen as a supersub next year. But to Toronto, does Zambrano offer any advantage to Teahen?

•Zambrano and $2MM to the Dodgers for Juan Uribe. If the Dodgers are having buyer's remorse on Uribe, this could be a way to wash their hands of the deal after 2012 instead of '13. But since Uribe still has some positive value, the Cubs would have to add a player or additional money.

•Zambrano to Giants for Barry Zito and $46MM. I'm putting this here because the idea is a favorite of many Cubs fans and was even tossed out there by ESPN's Buster Olney today. Let's think this through though, because it makes little sense for either side given the huge contract difference. The Cubs would exchange one year of a problem veteran pitcher for three? Releasing Zambrano would be simpler. From their point of view the Giants would have to send even more money to compensate for having to have Zito through '13. And on the Giants' side, would they really want to be free of Zito so badly that they'd send another team over $40MM to make him go away?

•Zambrano and $6MM to the Giants for Aaron Rowand. This, I can see, because the Giants might like to keep the money a wash and at least have the chance of getting some back-end innings out of Zambrano next year. If not, they could release him as they might Rowand. Plus, the years match up.

•Zambrano and $1MM to the Mariners for Chone Figgins. I can also picture this trade, as the money is very similar and Hendry and Jack Zduriencik swapped problems before. Figgins is under contract for an extra year, but the Cubs could release him if things don't work out.

•Zambrano to Orioles for Brian Roberts. Roberts is owed $2MM more than Z, but he may still have value if his concussion symptons go away. Plus, he was once a target of Hendry's. However, former Cubs exec Andy MacPhail isn't expected to be in charge of the O's this offseason, and in general Zambrano is just a headache compared to whatever Roberts might give them.

•Zambrano and $8MM to Red Sox for Daisuke Matsuzaka. In the best case, Dice-K might be able to provide a couple of months of post-Tommy John innings next year, so maybe Boston would prefer to try Zambrano in some capacity instead.

•Zambrano to White Sox for Alex Rios and $20MM. The White Sox would reduce the years of their burden if not the money, while the Cubs could pray Rios bounces back next year or else cut him loose.

•Zambrano to White Sox for Adam Dunn and $26MM. The problem with both White Sox scenarios is that it's hard to see them sending so much money across town. Whereas from the Cubs' point of view, they'd probably just release Zambrano rather than increase the commitment. That said, Dunn makes sense for the Cubs at first base next year if the money is a wash.

•Zambrano to Yankees for A.J. Burnett and $15MM. $15MM would even out the money, but since Burnett probably has more value as a pitcher than Zambrano, the Yanks would probably either want to send a lot less or just keep the better pitcher. We could play this game with Rafael Soriano too, but the Yankees would need a bigger gain than just Zambrano and a financial wash.

•Bottom line: a few of these scenarios are feasible, with the best ones involving the least amount of money being sent and the Cubs getting a truly low-value player in return.

Photo courtesy of Icon SMI.

[WrigleyField 22]

I say offer up 18M minus a minimum contract (essentially what we'd be paying him if we waived him and he signed with another team) and take the best prospect(s) anyone is willing to part with. Money wise it will be like we waived him, but we get a prospect, even if its a low ceiling guy.

[Tryptamine]

I say offer up 18M minus a minimum contract (essentially what we'd be paying him if we waived him and he signed with another team) and take the best prospect(s) anyone is willing to part with. Money wise it will be like we waived him, but we get a prospect, even if its a low ceiling guy.

 

In what way would this be good? We're paying Zambrano to pitch, yet we've opened up a 2nd hole in the rotation. So now we have another hole on the roster and no extra money to fill it. I'll pass.

[WrigleyField 22]

Because I've accepted that if we can't move him, we'll cut him. And every other team knows it too. I mean, fine we don't have to start at 18M, but its gonna take 14M+ IMO.

[TruffleShuffle]

i just hope we get rid of him soon so that every desirable player who's put on the trade market isn't met with a sarcastic "z for ___ straight up" post.

[SouthSideRyan]

i just hope we get rid of him soon so that every desirable player who's put on the trade market isn't met with a sarcastic "z for ___ straight up" post.

 

Oh that was sarcasm??

 

That makes a lot more sense!

 

Good jokes guys!!

[Guest]

If Zambrano for Burnett + 15M was truly an option, I would be all over that.

[SweetZombieJesus]

At this point the cubs would be lucky to trade Zambrano and eating the entire contract for Aaron Miles whilst also having to pay 3 mill dollars for his services again.

[SouthSideRyan]

At this point the cubs would be lucky to trade Zambrano and eating the entire contract for Aaron Miles whilst also having to pay 3 mill dollars for his services again.

 

Why would we be lucky to do that?

Edited August 17, 2011 by SouthSideRyan

[RynoRules]

If Zambrano for Burnett + 15M was truly an option, I would be all over that.

 

 

Yup. I just don't see how that makes the Yankees appreciably better, especially since starting picthing is their biggest weakness.

[Sammy Sofa]

If Zambrano for Burnett + 15M was truly an option, I would be all over that.

 

 

Yup. I just don't see how that makes the Yankees appreciably better, especially since starting picthing is their biggest weakness.

 

I'm assuming it's hinged on the idea that the Yankees would want to shed Burnett's contract since he's signed through 2013. Bit of a longshot, to say the least.

[Little Slide Rooter]

At this point the cubs would be lucky to trade Zambrano and eating the entire contract for Aaron Miles whilst also having to pay 3 mill dollars for his services again.

 

Why would we be lucky to do that?

 

Replacing a lazy latin player with a gritty white one. duh.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

If the Cubs are such idiots for wanting to cut him, surely somebody will offer something of value for him if we pick up the salary, or they'll agree to pick up some of the salary.

[davearm2]

If the Cubs are such idiots for wanting to cut him, surely somebody will offer something of value for him if we pick up the salary, or they'll agree to pick up some of the salary.

Curious what kind of offers you think Zambrano would be getting if he was a free agent.

[Sammy Sofa]

Guys who are still FA in the middle of the season don't get offered big contracts, so that question kind of answers itself.

[davearm2]

Guys who are still FA in the middle of the season don't get offered big contracts, so that question kind of answers itself.

I meant in the offseason

[Sammy Sofa]

I'd think around $4-6 million a year for 2-3 years. Probably lots of incentives.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

I'd think around $4-6 million a year for 2-3 years. Probably lots of incentives.

 

I'd think on the high end of that. Maybe something like 2/$16.

[Little Slide Rooter]

I was just looking at the Yankees pitching staff. You have CC Sabathia. Then you have Ivan Nova, whose been great. Bartolo Colon and Freddy Garcia have been pleasant surprises, but both are old and injury prone, and Garcia is actually on the DL, and then there's AJ Burnett whose been awful and in danger of losing his spot in the rotation. You can't tell me that they wouldn't want an upgrade in the rotation. Wandy Rodriguez would likely be their 1st choice out of those on waivers, and maybe Brett Myers behind him, but you can't tell me that they have no interest in Big Z, no matter what they say, especially if the Cubs are picking up a big chunk of the tab.

[Backtobanks]

I was just looking at the Yankees pitching staff. You have CC Sabathia. Then you have Ivan Nova, whose been great. Bartolo Colon and Freddy Garcia have been pleasant surprises, but both are old and injury prone, and Garcia is actually on the DL, and then there's AJ Burnett whose been awful and in danger of losing his spot in the rotation. You can't tell me that they wouldn't want an upgrade in the rotation. Wandy Rodriguez would likely be their 1st choice out of those on waivers, and maybe Brett Myers behind him, but you can't tell me that they have no interest in Big Z, no matter what they say, especially if the Cubs are picking up a big chunk of the tab.

 

Yeah, all of this negative Zambrano talk hides the fact that he's a good pitcher who is an innings-eating horse. He's totally overpaid and certainly not an ace, but you can't tell me he couldn't be an upgrade as #4 or #5 (or maybe #3) on most pitching staffs with the Cubs paying most of his salary. Of course, then you need to decide what you're going to give up for him and do you want to deal with his emotional antics.

[Shilzzz]

Trading Zambrano sounds like a bad independent, straight to netflix (does this happen?) romance movie. Or a sweet documentary.

[Have a seat, Neifi]

Trading Zambrano sounds like a bad independent, straight to netflix (does this happen?) romance movie. Or a sweet documentary.

Lol. I immediately thought of Crossing Delancey and Finding Nemo myself.

[KingKongvs.Godzilla]

If Zambrano for Burnett + 15M was truly an option, I would be all over that.

 

+ 888,000,000.

[Little Slide Rooter]

If Zambrano for Burnett + 15M was truly an option, I would be all over that.

 

+ 888,000,000.

 

If Z for Burnett were to happen, I can't imagine them sending us 15 mil as well. Maybe 5 if we were lucky.

 

Is Z and Soriano for Dunn and Peavy too absurd to even think about?

[Little Slide Rooter]

I was recently chatting with a friend of mine who is a Cubs fan living outside of Detroit, and apparently, Tigers fans are quickly losing patience with 22 year old Rick Porcello. Anyway, he was listening to a sports radio show and a caller suggested sending Porcello to the Cubs for Z and a prospect or 2 if the Cubs were willing to take on all or most of Zs salary. The shows host pretty much laughed the caller off.