Zambrano moving to the bullpen [Latest: Meltdown 6/25, suspended indefinitely by Cubs]

[sheethead]

Are they signing someone? Looper?

 

Link

 

Edit: Ah, I missed the Lilly part. Hope Ted is rusty on Saturday.

[brewtank34]

They needed help in the BP. Not a bad move. I dispise Zambrano and I'm glad he got demoted!

[amt2138]

Lilly will get Zambrano's spot, so I highly doubt a Looper or any starting pitcher signing.

 

 

Edit: Didn't see your edit, nevermind this post

[Invader3K]

This seems crazy. Just a couple years ago he was a feared starting pitcher, and now he's going to be a setup man.

[sheethead]

That is one expensive setup man.

[zzzmanwitz]

Cubs have gone from Above average rotation and bad bullpen to Average Rotation and Below Average Bullpen. Nice work.

[endaround]

Wow that's foolish. Zambrano hasn't been an ace in years but he's still an above average starter. Why not bring up John Gaub for example if you want a bullpen change?

[Invader3K]

I wonder how Zambrano is taking this. I would think he'd be pretty angry over being shunted to the bullpen, and in a way I wouldn't blame him.

[Nottso]

I predict a tough year for bullpen water-coolers...

[brains and braun]

Anybody have his contract at hand?

[zzzmanwitz]

From Cot's

 

http://mlbcontracts.blogs..._112114177768677294.html

 

Carlos Zambrano rhp

5 years/$91.5M (2008-12), plus 2013 vesting option, signed extension with Cubs 8/17/07

$5M signing bonus

08:$15M, 09:$17.75M, 10:$17.875M, 11:$17.875M, 12:$18M, 13:$19.25M vesting player option

full no-trade clause

award bonus: $75,000 for All Star selection

Zambrano receives 2013 player option if he is first or second in 2011 Cy Young vote or if he finishes in top 4 in 2012 Cy Young vote and is healthy at end of 2012

[brains and braun]

Thanks zzz...and yikes. Gotta believe this is temporary, but makes you think twice about huge deals.

[sheethead]

Well, maybe Big Z is just saving it up for that 4th place Cy Young finish in 2012. That would be super awesome.

[zzzmanwitz]

I know this is a little off topic, but since i went to Cot's, i looked at my favorite part of the site... the Future Payroll Obligations. The cubs are going to have an interesting offseason coming up.

 

http://spreadsheets.googl...aSrv4wMWdUYg&output=html

[pretendastronaut]

Is it temporary?

 

"Temporary?" Zambrano said. "He told me that probably Randy (Bush) or Jim Hendry was looking for an eighth inning guy. And when they find a guy and trade (for a) guy and get that guy here, I will be back to the rotation. Right now they need somebody to step up in the eighth inning. I don't like to be a reliever. I don't want to be a reliever, but this team needs somebody to step up and help the bullpen."

 

Piniella had a slightly different spin on the conversation.

 

"Temporary?" Piniella said. "We're trying to stabliize things and win some baseball games. This will give Jim (Hendry) and the front office more opportunities to hopefully do something (via a trade). If not, this could be not temporary."

 

Full Story

 

I have to give Zambrano credit for saying all the right things in that article, which is outside of the typical view of Zambrano.

[Invader3K]

Seems like there is a big disconnect between Zambrano and Piniella, especially after seeing Lou fretting over Big Z during their game against the Brewers last week. I could see this ending quite badly for the Cubs. Maybe Zambrano will get fed up and demand to be traded.

[pretendastronaut]

Seems like there is a big disconnect between Zambrano and Piniella, especially after seeing Lou fretting over Big Z during their game against the Brewers last week. I could see this ending quite badly for the Cubs. Maybe Zambrano will get fed up and demand to be traded.

 

 

 

There is speculation on NSBB that they're doing this to to give Zambrano reason to waive his no trade clause, though I think that's a rather overboard idea for this point in the season.

[bacon06]

The Cubs are better off bringing him off the bench as a pinch hitter.

[Invader3K]

I have to admit I'm enjoying reading the reactions on NSBB to this move.

[Flood Pants]

wow. would they dare trade him in the division? I'd despise Zambrano much less in a Brewers uniform. There's little evidence, other than a poor few games, to suggest that he'll be anything less than a top of the rotation starter this year.

[Funketown]

As bad as Zambrano has been, this is completely asinine. He's still a legitimate #3 starter. They're kidding themselves if they think some combination of Silva and Gorzelanny will be as good as him.

 

Dempster

Wells

Lilly

Silva

Gorzelanny

[rluzinski]

They are moving Zambrano out of the rotation to keep Silva in there? Are they insane!? The NL Central has some of the most poorly run franchises in the majors.

[TooLiveBrew]

I wonder if Zambrano's hurt/hurting. He left a recent start (can't remember which one, sorry) with 'forearm cramps'. He kept stretching his pitching-hand fingers out against his forearm, which made me wonder about ligaments.

[diener34]

I know this is a little off topic, but since i went to Cot's, i looked at my favorite part of the site... the Future Payroll Obligations. The cubs are going to have an interesting offseason coming up.

 

http://spreadsheets.googl...aSrv4wMWdUYg&output=html

How come Aramis is only on for 2.000 in 2012? I don't understand if that means he due 2 mil or something else.

[zzzmanwitz]

That only shows what the Cubs are obligated to pay. There is a $16 Million club option with a $2 Million buy out. The cubs will have to pay at least the $2 Million to Am-Ram.