Is Carlos Zambrano Finished in Chicago?

It appears Carlos Zambrano’s days in Chicago could be numbered.  When asked this weekend if he expected Zambrano to pitch for the Cubs again, club owner Tom Ricketts replied that he would “have a hard time imagining that”.

Ricketts’ reply stems from Zambrano’s latest tirade.  After he was ejected from his start last weekend, Zambrano proceeded to clear out his locker and tell teammates he was retiring from baseball.

Big Z has had his share of issues in the past, but Chicago didn’t take his latest outburst lightly.  The Cubs placed Zambrano on the 30 day disqualified list; a punishment the club said was the harshest they could deliver without cutting their starting pitcher.

Zambrano came out with apologies soon after, saying that he hoped to rejoin the Cubs if they’d have him back following his ban.

But many believed it could be the last straw for Chicago as the front office and teammates alike questioned Zambrano’s intentions and mental stability.  With Ricketts’ statement yesterday, Zambrano’s future with the Cubs seems to be in serious jeopardy.

Zambrano was signed by the club as an amateur free agent in 1997.  He debuted for Chicago as a 20 year old and has spent the last 11 seasons in the Cubs’ rotation, compiling a 125-81 record and 3.60 ERA over that span.

Prior to the 2008 season, the Cubs signed Zambrano to a 5 year $91.5 million deal.  2012 marks the final year of that agreement and Zambrano is scheduled to make $18 million next season.

Chicago was willing to eat much of Zambrano’s remaining salary to facilitate a trade this summer, and if Ricketts’ comments are any indication, it appears they may push hard for a similar deal this offseason.

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