Cubs era over: Zambrano taking his talents to Miami
Cubs president Theo Epstein was doing some talking about Carlos Zambrano during a radio appearance Wednesday.
Apparently at the same time, another kind of talk was well under way: trade talk.
The Cubs were saying nothing Wednesday night, but sources confirmed a deal is close to being done to send Zambrano to the Miami Marlins for pitcher Chris Volstad.
As part of the deal, the Cubs reportedly will pick up between $15 million and $16 million of the $18 million Zambrano has coming on this year's contract.
There still are some final obstacles to the deal, such as physical exams, but once those are overcome, an interesting chapter in Cubs history will come to an end.
The immensely talented but self-destructive Zambrano saw his past two seasons with the Cubs marred by suspensions, the result of bad behavior. He made his last start as a Cub on Aug. 12, when he was ejected from a game in Atlanta, walked out on the team and indicated he was retiring.
Then-general manager Jim Hendry suspended Zambrano, and the Cubs placed him on the disqualified list.
During the general managers meetings in November, Epstein said Zambrano would have to “earn” his way back onto the club.
It would have been tough for Zambrano to face his teammates again, and Epstein had to know that.
But Zambrano had a soft landing place in Florida, where former White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen now is in charge, and he is a big fan of the embattled pitcher.
It also should be an interesting series at Miami in April, when the Cubs could face both Zambrano and former White Sox ace Mark Buehrle, who signed with the Marlins as a free agent this winter.
“The Carlos Zambrano of 2011 and years previous can't fit into the culture that we have here,” Epstein said during a WGN radio program Wednesday. “Change needs to happen, and change will happen.
“Either he'll change and buy in and fit into this culture — and I understand there are a lot of skeptics around about that, and I understand that — and frankly, I'm skeptical as well.
“He needs to prove to us that he can change and be part of this culture, or we'll change the personnel and move forward with people who are proud to be Cubs and treat their teammates with respect, treat the fans with respect and can be part of a winning culture in the Cubs' clubhouse.”
For his career, spent entirely with the Cubs, Zambrano is 125-81 (.607 winning percentage) with a 3.60 ERA. Last year he was 9-7 with a 4.82 ERA before he was sent home.
In Volstad, the Cubs are getting a 6-foot-8, 230-pound right-hander who was 5-13 with a 4.89 ERA for the Marlins last year.
For his career, he is 32-39 with a 4.59 ERA. All but one of his 103 career games has come as a starter. Volstad was the Marlins' first-round (16th overall) draft pick in 2005. He made $445,000 in 2011.
bmiles@dailyherald.com