Yes, you.
It’s with a heavy heart that I report that it’s done. Carlos Zambrano has been traded to the Miami Marlins for pitcher Chris Volstad.
To review, the Miami Marlins now feature Ozzie Guillen, Logan Morrison, Hanley Ramirez, Jeffrey Loria, and Carlos Zambrano. That’s a whole lotta crazy in one organization.
I won’t go into all the reasons I wanted Z to stay because it’s only going to make me cry. Instead, let’s talk about Chris Volstad. The 25-year old righty posted a 4.89 ERA in 2011, went 5-13 and had a WHIP of 1.42 with 117 Ks.
No word yet on the money terms. More information as it comes in.
I’ve seen the Cubs paying anywhere from $15M to all but the league minimum of Z’s $18M contract.
Maybe I would see that, too, if Tweetdeck was working. Dammit,
in before the derp patrol so i don’t lose my mind…
z and aramis were my favorite cubs. feels like an end of an era to me.
Agree with you, Gravedigger. Zambrano and Ramirez were too of my favorite guys, too. I’m hoping Kerry Wood is re-signed so there’s one last link to those heady days of 2003…
Remember when Z punched his manger in the face?
Or how about when he slammed his glove down like a little boy after giving up a homer in a playoff game? You have to remember the time he ran out of the dugout on a day he wasn’t pitching and yelled at the ump over a bad strike call! No? Yeah, that’s cause it was Ted Lilly, leader, bulldog, blah blah blah.
Meanwhile Z gets labeled slacker, crazy, a distraction…
WTF Cub fans? WTF?
Post of the day.
maybe of the year
I miss Teddy.
>> Volstad will not be a free agent until after the 2014 season. <<
So glad to see that the length of time that the Cubs have to hang onto a lousy player was determined as the key to their future success and the new criterion in player acquisitions.
Sabermetrics is soooo (how you say in America?)… yesterday?
As much as I liked Big Z (and that was a decent amount), I’m okay with this. Mostly because of the amount of crazy now centrally located in Miami. That is a good time waiting to happen.
Also, I can’t wait to see who the Chicago scribes talk about now with their favorite target gone. Who will take Big Z’s place?
I’m okay with Volstad. Sure, his numbers aren’t great, but he threw at Nyjer Morgan twice in the same game. What’s not to love?
I’m really stunned by this.
I’ve only been able to come to one conclusion about why they decided to dump Zambrano…the rest of the team didn’t want him back. A month ago Theo and Sveum both made indications that they would give Zambrano a chance to earn his way back on the team, so they were either lying about it or something made Theo change his mind. That’s the only thing I can think of.
I really thought the Cubs might be in a position to get at least one decent prospect for Zambrano at the trade deadline this year.
Instead we are going to pay $17 million this season to have Chris Volstad go out to the mound every 5th game and get torched.
That’s too bad.
I cannot beleive that Z is gone. Julie, I hope you don’t mind added some rum (or Jack Daniels) to your diet coke (that you are no longer drinking)!! Sad…so, best believe that Z is going to come to Wrigley and DESTROY THE CUBS!! No hitter and hit for the cycle!!! Only Z!!
We can add the rum to my aspartame-free Crystal Light.
Bleah…
Make it vodka and I’m in.
The Chicago Cubs Prohibition Act, known informally as the Volstead Act, was the enabling legislation imposed by Tom Ricketts, Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer that established the prohibition of tantrums and lackadaisical play on the field, in the dugout and in the clubhouse.
Players who had demonstrated a proclivity for those traits were sent elsewhere for shiney, happy, squeaky clean replacements more befitting of the image preferred to be portrayed by ownership.
“We don’t want no ingrate trouble-makers casting aspersions on impressionable fans anywhere near these parts”, Tom Ricketts was heard to say.
With that, the Official Flavor of Wrigley Field became vanilla and all of the seats were painted beige.
Interesting….I agree with Doc’s assessment. Players must not of wanted him back. Hell, Theo dealt with “Manny being Manny” for how many years before he was dealt??? Let the new regime reign!!
I really thought they would take the Manny approach with Z…the Red Sox didn’t want Manny back in 2008, but they held on to him and then traded him during the season and got something back in return.
Manny still produced, though. Z has not for most of 2 seasons now.
The Dodgers only put up with Manny until he stopped producing and got caught cheating. Z was a different matter- I think you are right that some players wanted him gone. He reminded them of how many of them were going through the motions and cashing their checks. He called out players who needed calling out,(some still Cubs) and let everyone know how much he cared. Some player’s agent must have informed Theo and company, that either Z went or their client would walk. I want to know the spin Len/Bob will put on it- we already know what the Chicago sports media will say….
That makes me laugh and feel awful at the same time…
Link to the meetup at Kitty O’Shea’s at Cubs Con:
http://twtvite.com/lt7qyq
You don’t need a ticket to join in!
Well, the other shoe has finally dropped – I loved Big Z’s heart enough to put up with his faulty impulse control, and the excitement of him at bat helped to counter his perpetual crampiness(does anyone else in MLB have that problem?.)
I’ll miss him, the big nut – hopefully every party in this deal will benefit from changing scenery, but a 15 win season as a #3 starter does not seem unreasonable…
I’m sad to see Carlos go-but it seemed like a slow moving train wreck. He’s got so much talent, but can’t seem to harness it or his temper. I hope he does well with the Marlins and (because of my DirecTV MLB package) I will watch when he pitches for them.
I’m just hoping that Dumpster is the next one on a bus out of Chicago. Unfortunately, I think he’s a 10 and 5 guy so it will have to be his choice to go.
He’s not going anywhere.
Geez, the guy goes from closer to starter without a hitch, has one lousy year after 3 good ones and you want to run him out of town?
Frank brings up some pretty valid arguments about his dislike of Ryan Dempster and his attitude over the last few years. I don’t fully agree with him, but Dempster is now the second highest payed player on the team…and he really isn’t worth it.
I don’t think Dempster’s going anywhere. He “fits” the Cubs’ new mold perfectly.
Is it just me or have the Cubs suddenly become much more “Caucasian”?
I’m not sure about that…they’ve brought in a few Latin American players and in 2 out of the 3 trades so far they’ve traded away white guys.
I was thinking the same thing and then went back and looked to find it really the case. But funny how that idea struck me, too…