Ozzie Guillen and Cubs pitcher Carlos Zambrano recently spoke on the phone and discussed the possibility of the hurler joining the Marlins, according to Ignacio Serrano of El Nacional (Spanish link). Serrano spoke with Félix Luzón, a friend of Zambrano's who was present during the call.
Luzón says that nothing is official but a deal could be reached where the Cubs cut the 30-year-old loose and give him the $18MM that he is owed in deferred payments. Cubs manager Mike Quade recently said that he would ideally like to have Zambrano back in 2012, but didn't sound optimistic about it happening.
Translation of the article was provided by Nick Collias.
Quade commenting on which players he would like to have next year is like a guy whose wife is at the divorce lawyer’s office telling you about the pool he thinks they should put in next summer.
Is that why you’re sour, bob?
Ozzie and Zambrano o this will go well.The Marlins do not need more Drama
I’ll wait until March to comment on how good I think they’ll be, but isn’t it pretty much certain that the Marlins are going to be the most fun team next year? LoMo, Zambrano, Hanley and Ozzie? Get reality TV cameras in that clubhouse, please!
showtime is gonna dump the giants for them nxt year lol “The Franchise with The Marlins” haha that be sweet
Oh THAT would be must see TV. It would combine two great passions among Latino’s and provide something for both sexes. Baseball themed Novellas.
Imagine if Pujols went there too
That team would take over twitter.
How is this not tampering? Zambrano is under contract with the Marlins. If Ozzie didn’t get permission, he needs to be fined heavily.
This is exactly correct. Both Ozzie and Z act like they above the rules of the game all the time, its so annoying. I’d rather neither of them be in the game at all.
But yes, having a team with a pitcher with clear anger management/emotional issues pairing with a manager who has no idea about anything will be entertaining as all hell for one season until it predictably blows up.
(sorry for the negativity but theyre both just total clowns in my opinion)
That was my first reaction too. Especially since Zambrano is back on the Cubs 40 man. But then again, Ozzie to the Marlins was just about the worst kept secret ever, so I guess tampering is only a problem if someone is put off by it. I’m guessing Chicago would do backflips if someone took him off their hands.
This is what I was thinking when I read the article.
Glad I wasn’t the only one who had this thought.
if ozzie wasn’t under contract with the marlins yet when they talked I don’t think it would be tampering
*Cubs
Tampering??
ya, that was my first thought too. This has to be ruled out by previous CBAs.
the fact that its Zambrano initiating, maybe the cubs can file a grievance
Lets see.. The Fish hammer Morrison for pretty much harmless talk, yet here is Quillen already stirring the pot with this clubhouse cancer?
Sit back and get ready fellow Fish Fans.. Our good old friend Tommy Hutton may just retire before the season starts with these bolt heads now in charge, especially talking about bringing in one of his useless, clubhouse tearing buddies into town.
They need Omar Minaya as their GM
All depends on the terms. The Cubs may well release him either way, but I’m not inclined to pay him MORE money by deferring with interest — especially as the Cubs aren’t likely to be good next year. I’d rather pay the $18MM to dump him in a year we’re not going to be good and not have any deferred commitments to him when we have a chance to contend and there might be better free agents to look into than this offseason.
On the other hand if it can be deferred without interest, then that’s something to at least think about. I’d probably still be inclined toward just getting it over with though.
The only response to dignify such an possibility is: Lol.
The Cubs can’t let Z have his way. Either he honors his contract and pitches for Chicago til it ends or they find a way to void the deal.
Who’s punishing who then? I don’t think anyone in the Cubs organization would mind not having him around in 2012 despite what Quade had to say.
I really hope LoMo gets traded soon….preferably to the A’s where he can pair with the young pitchers and Weeks to create a young core, but also with Brandon McCarthy/Braden/Anderson for making fun of Trevor Cahill on twitter.
I’d prefer him on the jays
See post above
Ah Vernon….the only guy guy other than Zito in the league that makes Soriano’s contract look halfway decent.
Fair enough. My thoughts here were mainly that Vernon is a better defender than Soriano and since they are going to wind up paying Soriano anyway, it might as well be for someone that can play the field better with similar pop. Angels could toss in some cash if need be
i could see it now…ozzie going to take z out when he doesnt want to be and an all out brawl on the pitchers mound. god i hope this happens haha
Morrison, Ozzie, Zambrano Oh my!
We knew they were temperamental, but who knew they were tamperamental! Am I right?
Thoughts?
Cubs trade…
Carlos Zambrano
Alfonso Soriano
to the Angels for…
Bobby Abreu
Vernon Wells
I don’t see why the Cubs would be interested in that. It saves the Cubs money in a year they don’t need to save it and then it is a loss to them. In return they get two outfielders when most of their top prospects are outfielders. Vernon Wells is even HARDER to move than Soriano would be and–if it’s possible–even less worth the salary.
The problem with Zambrano will solve itself in one year, max. I think a good GM can move Soriano this year. And let’s be honest: No GM in the world is going to want to start his tenure by being the guy who trades for Vernon Wells.
That’s a solid point. My spin on a move like this is the new regime purging a few of the lousy moves made by the old management, not “trying to acquire Vernon Wells”.
I know the Cubs have some solid OF prospects and the fans are eager to see them, but Abreu would just be there for next year. My thinking is that he could possibly build up some value in the first half and they could potentially deal him and Marlon Byrd (both free agents after 2012) at the deadline for some prospects. Then they could give the prospects a chance in CF and RF and save a year of service time for each in the process. The Cubs aren’t likely to contend next year anyway
As for LF, they are going to wind up paying Soriano for the next three years for slightly above average pop, no walks, and bad defense, they might as well pay Wells for the same thing except better defense and less injure-prone.
Thoughts do not change just because you repost this trade, but this time, without the explanation.
haha thanks man, I am aware, I just thought people would be more likely to discuss it without having to read the explanation.
The only way a team takes Vernon Wells in a deal is if Weaver or Haren are coming too, and that’s never going to happen.
Sorry if this is harsh, but I really hope Zambrano fails. I’m not going to hope things are better because of a change of scenery, he’s a jerk and doesn’t deserve to play this game and get paid so handsomely for it with his horrible attitude. And it’s not because he may go to the Fish, since people think I have it out for them.
Yeah, let’s make the Marlins the most dysfunctional team in the big leagues …
Ozzie and Big Z. Can uthink of a better duo?
Lou Pinella and Milton Bradley?
Shea Hillenbrand and John Gibbons…
Are the marlins trading for milton Bradley and k-rod too?
If the Cubs are stuck with Zambrano and have to pay the 18 mil in deffered payments I would pay him in rolls of pennies and mail him his salary C.O.D.
Hahahahaha
No chance you cut Zambrano loose and pay him 18 million so he can play for someone else. If I were GM of the Cubs I would tell him you have four options. You play for the Cubs, you take a trade, void your contract and go to who you want to, and your other option will be to sit out the year which if it is your choice then you don’t get paid.
zambrano can be a team’s #5 at the worst, and the cubs are sunk with his contract already. just hang onto him and wait for someone to come to you. there are enough bad contracts to match up with around baseball, especially given he’s in the last yr of his contract & it’s a virtual lock we’ll be paying his salary no matter what. denny neagle’s contract didn’t get voided so z’s definitely won’t be either. if he wants to go to miami and guillen wants him too, i’m sure something can be worked out. z, byrd & $20M for coghlan?
that would be interesting coghlan for big z and byrd. that would give the cubs a lh bat and a 3bman. posable lead off hitter for a club that needs one. i like it but does that work for the fish?
The thought of the Braves facing Zambrano several times a year makes me very happy…
You all said the same thing about Javy Vazquez last offseason…
how about Nolasco(sp)?
cubs pay 8mil and nolascos contract, while the fish pay 10 mil for big z?
any thoughts on this?
I don’t believe Zambrano lived up to his contract with the Cubs and should be compensated. In my book he broke his contract when he chose actions that led to his suspensions.
Is that considered tampering of Guillen has spoken to a member of another team?
Let’s see…because no one, including the Marlins, would give the Cubs anything other than perhaps a 2:1 coupon for Giordano’s.
everyone knows the cubs want him gone to the point theyre willing to pay him 18 million to go away. teams know the cubs dont want Z destroying a new cubs team so theyre gonna hold onto their prospects
Deferred payment might be the key, besides they don’t want him anyway
Because any team willing to take a chance with Z would want to assume as little risk as possible and the prospect return would be so poor it wouldn’t be worth talking about. I’m not sure if mlb would even approve of a trade where 100% of the salary was picked up by the original team.
I think that’s a pretty fair trade
The cubs will get something for him via trade or it would be very nice if they can talk him into voiding his contract with the cubs with their blessing and maybe 5 mil for doing so then let him sign with marlins for league minimum. The cubs dont need to just eat 18 mil and release him they are not that desperate ………………..despite what everyone here thinks that they know he has some value still.
Gino’ East and it’s a deal.
considering that giordanos filed for bankruptcy…i would say thats an over pay for big Z
Zambrano can’t control himself — in any environment. Wherever he goes the problems in his head tag along. He’s a nuclear blast waiting to happen, and it is hard to imagine a wild child like Ozzie Guillén being any kind of a deterrent.
Miami: hide your Gatorade machines!
until he faces the Braves again
If you bleed orange and black what do you KNOW about cubby blue?
The cubs can definitly get something for Z he does have some value but is not completely useless.
If the guy can get medicated he can still win 15+ games per year on a decent defensive team that can swing a good stick.
Are you insane? The whole idea of trading him is NOT because he can’t contribute on the field. However, what he CAN contribute on the field (which has declined every year) is SOOOOOO overwhelmed and negated by the distractions OFF the field that trading him, FOR ANYTHING OR RELEASING HIM FOR NOTHING, makes the team better because it would be an addition by subtraction. He has become the pink elephant in the room but the difference is he has become all that ppl in Chicago want to talk about. Guys like Soriano, Zito and Wells, as bad as there contracts have become, at least know enough to shut up and just play and contribute the best they can, even if it’s nowhere near what was expected of them.
It would be nice if Z would just agree to a settlement but the chances of him doing that or the player union allowing him to amount to highly unlikely.
He has a no-trade clause, so he really controls any return the Cubs would get. Face it, they will not get much for him, and will end up paying most of his deal.
I guess you and I disagree on his value. I think his value is negative. Maybe if the Cubs add a couple prospects on their end, then some team will absorb perhaps $2 million of that $18 million.
He has a no-trade clause. He can say, I will only accept a trade to the Marlins, otherwise, he will see everyone at spring training. That will seriously decrease any return they will see.
why downgrade to Ginos?
Take a hard line Ricketts, Lou Malnati’s or no deal.
To each his own.
Whoa Whoa Whoa
Chicago’s Pizza and no delivery charge
im a die hard giants fan. fact. i know little about the cubs. fact. does zambrano have talent? yes he does. would i want him on my team? it depends. if the cubs eat virtually all of the salary, MAYBE. if im interested in acquiring Z, id wait till he blows up again and the cubs release him. then id sign him to a deal based on incentives. if he gets past whatever he’s got going on in his head, then i get a good pitcher for relatively cheap without giving up anything. if not, i can release him for dirt cheap. either that or he stays in chicago (where it seems from everything ive ever read) he has worn out his welcome. or chicago finds someone very desperate for pitching.