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By Zachary Links | at
Email a copy of 'Cubs GM Says Zambrano Will Stay' to a friend
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YanksFanSince78
I don’t think Z is as difficult to trade as others might think. He’s basically owed 2/36 mil as I don’t think his 2013 option will vest. This offseason doesn’t offer a lot of great Sp options on the open market. After Cliff Lee you have…
Carl Pavano (Opening day age @ 35) who will probably snooker some team out of a 2 or 3 year deal at $8 to $10 mil annualy.
Jorge De La Rosa (OP @ 30), Bronson Arroyo (OP @ 34), Ted Lilly (OP @ 35), Hiroki Kuroda (OP @ 36) and Jake Westbrook (OP @ 33) represent the best of what’s left after Lee. None of them will probably get contracts greater than 2 years or $15 to $20 mil but none of them are front of rotation type of guys. Zambrano is still of that caliber.
Of his 20 starts this year his record was impressive @ 11-5 w/ a 3.19 ERA and 8/k per 9 and 8/H per 9 IP. His walk rate was high at 5/BB per 9 and that might hurt him but he kept the ball in the park with a low 1:18 HR per IP ratio. He has age on his side as his opening day age is only 29. Other than the need to control his temper the only other legitimate concern I have is that his velocity on his FB was at a career low 90.2 mph. He has a little more gumption than Javier Vazquez but you have to wonder how he would compete outside of the NL.
Still I can see a few trade scenarios where a good trade can be worked out.
2B Carlos Guillen (1/$13 mil), SP Andres Gallaraga ($400k) for Zambrano (2/$36 mil) and $10 mil cash.
Tigers add a net total of $13 mil spread over the next 2 years. The Cubs shed $13 mil and pick up a 2B and SP. Tigers add a solid mid rotation arm to go along withh Verlander to make a solid 1-2 punch ahead of youngsters Porcello and Scherzer.
BlueCatuli
Cubs have a second basemen that is cheaper and plenty of pitchers comparable to Gallaraga that make that amount. I don’t see how the Cubs benefit from that at all except shedding cash. Aside from that, Zambrano has been adamant about enforcing his full no trade clause.
Henry Castellanos
I’d love to see Zambrano start yelling at Miggy Cab for not diving at groundballs 15 feet away from him
clark182
Hopefully this is Hendry being smart for once and not backing himself in a corner by saying Zambrano will be traded and thus being better able to maximize the return for Zambrano in either dollars the Cubs don’t have to eat or prospects.
Unfortunately I don’t think it is Hendry being smart and he means what he says. Yep, he’s pitched extremely well in zero pressure situations. Just wait until the pressure is on and somebody makes an error in a key situation, he’ll revert right back to his old self. Good luck on that one.