2:14pm: The Cubs called the Yankees about Zambrano, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports, but the Yankees have no interest.
1:52pm: The Cubs are "trying to nudge the Yankees into taking Carlos Zambrano, offering up money to offset his salary," tweets ESPN's Buster Olney. The Cubs are offering to pay big bucks on Zambrano or Alfonso Soriano in general, tweeted SI's Jon Heyman earlier.
In June, Zambrano told Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports he'd waive his no-trade clause if the Cubs asked. After the deadline he'll be owed $23.8MM through 2012, and that's the bigger issue given hs middling performance. In my opinion, the Cubs would have to send about $14MM to make Zambrano's contract palatable, as that'd make him the equivalent of a $5MM a year pitcher.
