Zambrano could rejoin Cubs by end of month
The Cubs will most likely make sure Carlos Zambrano's return comes on the road.
Zambrano, who is on the restricted list after undergoing treatment for anger-management issues, is scheduled to throw at least 1 inning of a simulated game Monday at the team's spring-training facility in Mesa, Ariz.
From there, he will head to the Cubs' Class AAA Iowa affiliate, where he will begin pitching in games, perhaps as early as Wednesday.
Manager Lou Piniella said Sunday it's unlikely Zambrano would be back in time for the upcoming weekend's series with the St. Louis Cardinals at Wrigley Field.
It's more likely he'll rejoin the team, as a relief pitcher, in either Houston or Colorado on the road trip that begins July 26.
General manager Jim Hendry said pitching coach Larry Rothschild and the organization's pitching people would put together a program for Zambrano and that when he returns depends on how he throws.
The Cubs suspended Zambrano for his dugout tirade June 25 at U.S. Cellular Field.
Castro impressing: Tyler Colvin moved up to the leadoff spot, and Starlin Castro moved up to second in Sunday's batting order. Castro has impressed manager Lou Piniella of late, and it looks like the 20-year-old gets more comfortable every day as a big-leaguer.
"You know what?" Piniella said. "He's a nice young player. He's been learning on the job up here. (Coaches Ivan) DeJesus and (Alan) Trammell have done a nice job with him.
"To the kid's credit, he's shown some doggedness. He's doing a really nice job for a young player. I've got no complaints whatsoever."
Castro entered Sunday with a July batting line of .333/.400/.556, as he was 15-for-45. He had not committed an error since July 6.
"I feel a lot better, a lot different from the beginning," Castro said through DeJesus. "I feel I'm playing the same way I was playing when I started playing at Double-A. I feel the more I play, the better I feel."
Castro has been on third base for two recent suicide-squeeze plays. He wound up stealing home Thursday night and scoring Saturday. He also made a daring, but instinctive, play Saturday, going from second to third on a ball hit to the shortstop. The squeeze came with the next batter, Ryan Theriot, up.
Minor matters: The Cubs say they are happy with the progress right-hander Jeff Samardzija has made at Class AAA Iowa since being sent there in late April.
Jim Hendry said Samardzija would remain in Iowa's starting rotation after beginning his Triple-A stint as a reliever. Samardzija is 6-1 with a 2.85 ERA and a 1.29 WHIP in 25 games (5 starts) at Iowa.
In other minor-league developments, Hendry said pitcher Hayden Simpson, this year's first-round draft choice, has mononucleosis and that the Cubs will not rush him. The plan was for Simpson to pitch sparingly anyway this year, as he had a busy season of college ball at Southern Arkansas.