In the 2011 season, the Chicago Cubs are a miserable 29-40. Rabid Cubs fans would never admit it, but they've reached the point where their only real option is to sell expensive players and begin rebuilding, which makes them the perfect candidate to sell some players by the deadline.Jesse Schindler already discussed the possibility of Kerry Wood coming to the Yankees in Part II titled: WHY WOOD SHOULD BE ON THE RADAR. Believe me, I'm quite fond of of this idea.
Wood’s a proven success in the Bronx, has a one year contract right now, so the Cubs will take whatever they can get. Even if he wants to be known as a lifelong Cub, I'm pretty sure the way things are going in Chi-town, he'd be more than willing to waive his no-trade clause and have a chance at winning his first career ring. He wants to keep his family situated in Chicago, but he could take a three month long “business trip” and sign right back with the Cubs (or White Sox if he wants to be on a team that isn't a disaster) when the playoff run is over.
Since Jesse covered this idea recently, I want to suggest the addition of another piece in the trade: Carlos Zambrano. Yes, it's true that reports are out suggesting that the Yankees have ZERO interest in Zambrano (Read HERE), but I am not so sure that's true. I think Zambrano would be a good fit. Now if you're a Yankees fan and reading me on Facebook, you probably just deleted or blocked me. I understand what just went through your head: “What?!?! That guy who is just one step short of braining an ump with a bat?!?! Are you insane?!”
Bear with me here. Big Bart's recent injury and Ivan Nova's general inconsistency has reminded us all that even though this pitching staff has performed far beyond what anyone imagined, it is still very much a work in progress. Who knows if Nova can handle the spotlight, if Colon and Garcia can stay healthy all season, or if Brian Gordon is the real deal. Talks about the Yankees trading for an elite pitcher have died down due to Colon's unfathomable comeback, Garcia's puzzling (he’s hardly changed his approach from last year) success, and the fact that the trading block this year is expected to be mostly junk, with the exception of a possible Jose Reyes dealing. However, adding one more veteran arm with post-season experience could be huge for a team relying so heavily on guys who still come with some question marks.
So why Zambrano? Well, first I'd like to address the question… why NOT Zambrano? The answer to that is obvious because the man is a ticking time bomb, and could throw a temper tantrum if he so much as gets a bad strike call. He's snapped bats over his knees, yelled at umpires, and smashed Gatorade containers in the dugout... Wait... smashed Gatorade containers? Where have I heard this before?
Think back to the days of the Warrior Paul O'Neill, he was the “heart and soul” of the late '90s dynasty according to the late George Steinbrenner. His behavior was controversial, but there's no denying that he brought energy to the team and got everyone fired up, and in the end everyone loved him for it. 1-8 record against Boston be damned, this has been a great season so far, but in the few moments when our beloved Bombers have disappointed, there was one thing clearly noticeable on the field: a lack of energy in my opinion. Zambrano could be a catalyst, both on the mound and in the clubhouse. He's not afraid to get pumped up whether he shows it through positive or negative energy. Big Z may sound exactly like the kind of guy who would be disastrous for clubhouse chemistry, but odds are just as good that he'd be exactly the kind of boost they'd need to break out of slumps quicker, or turn around a post-season series.
Now that I've addressed the reasons of why it would be a bad idea to sign Z, let's move on to why he's a good, realistic target. Similar to Kerry Wood, the Cubs would be insane to expect Montero or a Killer B in return; Cashman would laugh his ass off all the way home if they asked for that. If the Cubs were willing to deal Zambrano, it would be a straight salary dump. The Cubs owe him nearly $36 million for the 2011 and 2012 seasons. As I said, the Cubs are looking to rebuild, and if they can clear $18,000,000 from their 2012 payroll, they'll have huge money to work with in the off season. There have been rumors about the Cubs making a run at Albert Pujols this off-season; so wouldn't a Zambrano trade help their chances quite a bit? Of course, his massive salary would make the deal a gamble, but as Casey recently said, Cashman likes to take gambles, and if he thinks this one would pay off, he'll be willing to pull the trigger.Zambrano has had a less than stellar start to the 2011 season, posting a 5-4 record and a 4.59 ERA. This may make him seem like a less appealing trade option, but I have a feeling he's missing Larry Rothschild and a reunion could work wonders for him. Casey calls Rothschild “Yoda” because of how well he is able to coach his pitchers mentally. Zambrano has the stuff; his performance is almost solely dependent on his mental game. The Yankees could grab him for cheaper than he's worth, and end up with another ace to add to the ever improving rotation.
It is for the same reason that I think he would be willing to waive his no-trade clause. As much as players love the money, none of them like to go out and suck. If a reunion with his old pitching coach could help him get the results he has the talent to get, he wouldn't hesitate to come to New York. Additionally, Zambrano has voiced his disdain for his current club publicly, comparing them to “a AAA team” and saying, “We stink, that's all I've got to say.” Clearly, he's not too happy with his current position, so does anyone think he would turn down a chance to win a World Series?
This is less important because of the existence of the DH in the American League, but Zambrano is one of the best hitting pitchers in recent years. He's a three time Silver Slugger (finished 2008 with a .337 average/.892 OPS) and is batting .313 this season. If the Yanks don't want to trade for Zambrano, this certainly isn't going to change their minds, but having a ninth potent bat in the lineup in a World Series away game could be that tiny little bonus that swings things in our favor.
Like it or not, Zambrano is a clear target for a trade. He'd be dirt cheap, could be packaged with Kerry Wood to cover all bases, and could help anchor an elite rotation. Assuming Phil Hughes recovers and Colon stays healthy beyond his current DL stint, we could be looking at a post-season rotation along the lines of:
- Zambrano
That's not just a decent rotation we are talking about, it is a World Series Championship rotation. Not a single one of those pitchers can legitimately be called anything less than a #2 guy. Big Z would keep the kids in the minors to develop, but also not create a need to deal them for help now. He's the closest thing the Yankees have to a good trade target. It would be a risk for public relations and the team's success, but it might be the best option we've got...
--Grant Cederquist, BYB Staff Writer
--Jeana Bellezza, BYB Associate Editor
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