Chicago Cubs general manager Jim Hendry announced on Monday that pitcher Carlos Zambrano was placed on MLB’s restricted list, and will not rejoin the team until the All-Star break is over.
According to Hendry, the negotiations were very amicable, with both Zambrano’s agent Barry Praver and Hendry working with the player’s union to come to a resolution without rancor.
When Zambrano does return, Hendry indicated that it will be up to Cubs manager Lou Piniella and pitching coach Larry Rothschild when and where Big Z will pitch. Hendry did acknowledge that it would likely be the bullpen.
During Saturday’s game against the cross-town rival White Sox, Zambrano stormed into the dugout shouting at anybody and everybody, with most of his visable anger directed at first baseman Derrek Lee, for failing to dive for a ball hit down the first base line.
The Cubs sent Zambrano home and Hendry immediately suspended him.
Under the terms of the collective bargaining agreement, teams cannot indefinitely suspend a player and must come to an agreed-upon resolution, which the parties did on Monday.
Last year’s situation with Milton Bradley was different, because there were only two weeks to go in the season.
Hendry was asked by the media if at any time Zambrano indicated a desire to be traded, and Hendry said that this had not occurred.
The Cubs GM said that he believes Zambrano is remorseful, and that he had talked to some teammates. Earlier in the day, Alfonso Soriano said that Zambrano would need to apologize to the team, but that he had been unable to reach the Cubs right-hander on the phone.
Ryan Dempster has also previously indicated that Zambrano would need to apologize to his teammates.
As part of the deal, Zambrano will receive unspecified help to deal with anger and other issues he is going through.
Zambrano has clashed with teammates in the past, most notable when a fight occurred between he and catcher Michael Barrett in the middle of a 2007 game.
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