Webgem
Jan 12th 2007, 8:03 am
The Cubs have no good options to replace Zambrano, the clear ace of a so-so staff and one of the top pitchers in baseball. Oh, and he's only 25 years old. That's why GM Jim Hendry will make a big push to get Zambrano signed before he dips his toes in the free-agency pool.
"I'm sure we'll be sitting down with Carlos' representative at or right before spring training," Hendry said. "We've always been fair to the guys we'd like to keep, as our past would indicate."
Hendry re-upped Derrek Lee (five years, $65 million last April), Kerry Wood (three years, $32.5 million in January 2004) and Aramis Ramirez (five years, $75 million in November) before any of them could get on the open market.
But Zambrano is—or will be—something special, perhaps going for as much as $20 million per season once this year is over.
Think not? Over the last three years, he has a 46-21 record with a 3.14 ERA while pitching for some bad teams. In comparison Zito, who is three years older, was 41-34 with a 4.05 ERA for playoff teams. For perspective, Buehrle, one year younger than Zito, was 41-31 with a 3.95 ERA.
Zambrano's agent, Barry Praver, refused to comment until he meets with Hendry later this month or early next, but it is clear he would like Zito-type money. It is just as clear Hendry would like the "hometown discount" Lee, Wood and Ramirez gave him.
Hendry most likely is thinking more along the lines of recent signees Roy Oswalt and Chris Carpenter than Zito. Oswalt stayed in Houston for $73 million over five years and Carpenter stayed in St. Louis for $63.5 million over five years.
In the end it may come down to how badly Zambrano would like to stay in Chicago and whether he wants to take the security of signing this spring over the risk of injury if he waits for a bigger payday. Friends of Zambrano say he wants to remain a Cub as Lee and Ramirez did, and the Cubs badly need to keep him.
If the Cubs offer to pay him $16 million per season for six years, they will have committed nearly $400 million this off-season while trying to turn around a 96-loss team.
"I'm sure we'll be sitting down with Carlos' representative at or right before spring training," Hendry said. "We've always been fair to the guys we'd like to keep, as our past would indicate."
Hendry re-upped Derrek Lee (five years, $65 million last April), Kerry Wood (three years, $32.5 million in January 2004) and Aramis Ramirez (five years, $75 million in November) before any of them could get on the open market.
But Zambrano is—or will be—something special, perhaps going for as much as $20 million per season once this year is over.
Think not? Over the last three years, he has a 46-21 record with a 3.14 ERA while pitching for some bad teams. In comparison Zito, who is three years older, was 41-34 with a 4.05 ERA for playoff teams. For perspective, Buehrle, one year younger than Zito, was 41-31 with a 3.95 ERA.
Zambrano's agent, Barry Praver, refused to comment until he meets with Hendry later this month or early next, but it is clear he would like Zito-type money. It is just as clear Hendry would like the "hometown discount" Lee, Wood and Ramirez gave him.
Hendry most likely is thinking more along the lines of recent signees Roy Oswalt and Chris Carpenter than Zito. Oswalt stayed in Houston for $73 million over five years and Carpenter stayed in St. Louis for $63.5 million over five years.
In the end it may come down to how badly Zambrano would like to stay in Chicago and whether he wants to take the security of signing this spring over the risk of injury if he waits for a bigger payday. Friends of Zambrano say he wants to remain a Cub as Lee and Ramirez did, and the Cubs badly need to keep him.
If the Cubs offer to pay him $16 million per season for six years, they will have committed nearly $400 million this off-season while trying to turn around a 96-loss team.