Carlos Zambrano has grown up and apologized—a month later—and not face-to-face with anyone he wronged—unless he had done something to Pedro Gomez of ESPN.
On Monday, Zambrano apologized for his dugout tirade a month ago after the first inning versus the Chicago White Sox in which Zambrano felt runs were given up because of shaky defense. Gold Glover Derrek Lee took some of the heat, even though no one had a chance to catch Carlos Quentin’s home run in the left field stands.
Zambrano has been on the restricted list following a three-game suspension after the outburst. Zambrano additionally professed his love for Chicago and for the Chicago Cubs for helping him receive therapy in the interview.
The Cubs have heard it all before.
Zambrano claimed he was trying to “fire the team up.” I’m not exactly sure how a man with a five-year, $91 million contract calling his team “horsesh%t” is really going to fire a team up, but, that’s just me.
Zambrano sat down with ESPN, aka LeBron James Sportsnet, for what I’m assuming was titled “The Tantrum.” He claimed, which Lee confirmed, that he texted Lee two days later apologizing for the incident.
I’m sure Lee took Zambrano’s “Whaadup, D-LEE? Sorry bout dat yelling thang, LOL,” very seriously.
Apparently phones are no longer used for speaking via voice to people or arranging a face-to-face of some kind.
Zambrano will have a chance to apologize to the rest of his Cub teammates as he will return to the team Friday in Colorado.
What Zambrano should really apologize for is completely destroying any trade value he had. In a year, when the Cubs’ window has closed on the Aramis Ramirez, Alfonso Soriano, Lee, and Zambrano era, and rebuilding must begin, any teams even somewhat interested in Zambrano will have the upper hand.
Now teams know the Cubs want Zambrano out, and even though he is just 29 years old and has a career ERA of 3.58—never having had an ERA above 4.00 in a season, including last year when he had a 3.77 ERA with a 1.38 WHIP, striking out 152 batters in 169.1 innings pitched—teams will do nothing but low-ball the Cubs for him.
Teams can now argue that he is a headcase. He has a huge contract, he was moved to the bullpen this year, and the Cubs want him out.
When a team knows another team wants a player out, why would they give them a fair trade?
It’s too late to apologize, Carlos.
The trade deadline is quickly approaching, and the Cubs tried to show other teams Zambrano could be a starter again. But yet another tantrum in the life of Carlos Zambrano has cost the Cubs.
With Roy Oswalt currently the best option as a starting pitcher for playoff teams, imagine if Zambrano had turned things around.
You think the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, White Sox, Detroit Tigers, Minnesota Twins, or Philadelphia Phillies couldn’t have used him?
He’s only 29 years old, if he only acted older than five, perhaps the Cubs could have gotten something for him.
Trading Zambrano has become just another “wait til next year” for the Chicago Cubs.
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