Chicago Cubs

As most of you have read, Carlos Zambrano has reportedly been moved to the bullpen for the Chicago Cubs.

How one comes to the conclusion that Zambrano is the weakest link of a starting rotation featuring Carlos Silva and Tom Gorzelanny is a question no baseball follower can answer.

Zambrano has made six straight Opening Day starts for the Chicago Cubs and has been the proclaimed ace of this staff for the same amount of years, but the one negative tattooed on his positive stuff is his mental capacity to accept even the tiniest of irritations.

In one of the more bizarre moves you'll read about, the Cubs announced today that Opening Day starter Carlos Zambrano will be moved to the bullpen.

Zambrano, 1-2 with a 7.45 ERA so far in 2010, figures to be the primary set-up man for closer Carlos Marmol.

The Cubs' bullpen has been atrocious this season, and there is no question that a move had to be made. 

You can't fault manager Lou Piniella for trying to shake things up, but taking away a three-time all-star from your starting rotation is not the answer.

Carlos Zambrano was one of the many names this offseason that was being passed around as possible trade bait.  Now it looks like he'll be making a move...internally.

According to the Chicago Tribune's Paul Sullivan, Zambrano will be moving to the bullpen to accommodate the return of injured pitcher Ted Lilly.  Carlos Silva, the man who was seemingly destined for the pen when the time came, will continue to start.

On a day that has Michael McCaskey retiring and getting replaced by his younger brother George, and the day after the Bears schedule is released, the Blackhawks lose to the seventh-seed Nashville Predators, and LeBron James gushes about how awesome Chicago is, we have news that trumps all those stories. 

Cubs beat writer Paul Sullivan has reported via his Twitter page that three-time all-star starter Carlos Zambrano will be moving to the bullpen when Ted Lilly returns to the rotation this weekend.

"Because of his stuff," Chicago Cubs manager says Opening Day starter Carlos Zambrano is moving to the bullpen beginning Friday.

So now the Cubs have Alfonso Soriano making $18 million to play seven innings in left, and Zambrano making $17.875 million to pitch 3-5 innings per week.

Jim Hendry: EPIC FAIL.

Manager Lou Piniella went on to say that this isn't a "panic move," but has indicated to Chicago media that it might be permanent.

On WSCR "The Score" this morning, Cubs analyst Bob Brenly was asked about Alfonso Soriano's reaction to not running hard out of the box on a double in Monday's game.

To set the stage, Soriano admired what he thought would be a home run in the batter's box on a hit that should have been a triple.

When asked about it, Soriano said he hit the ball hard and that's all that matters.

On the Danny Mac Show, Brenly responded to Soriano's comment by calling him "selfish" and saying that he would have pulled the Cubs left fielder from the game.

If you tune into any one of the Cubs' four upcoming games against the New York Mets, you may get the impression that the umpires misread the calendar and bumped up the first pitch.

But, no fear, Cubs fans, the umps did indeed start the game on time, and, no, they aren’t playing any tricks on you.

That job is left for Lou Piniella, whose latest tinkering of the Cubs lineup may leave you experiencing a slight bout of déjà vu and a sudden onset of nausea.
 

Ike Davis, the name alone brings shivers down Met Fans spines. Today he will be making his first start of the season and hit sixth behind the hot Jeff Francoeur.

While the season may only be a little over two weeks old, some believe that this move was already overdue.

Davis batted .480 with three home runs and 10 runs batted in in 25 at bats during spring training.

So much for home cooking.

The Cubs (5-7) started off their first homestand of the 2010 season in strong fashion, just missing out on a sweep of the Milwaukee Brewers.

Then the one-win Houston Astros came to town and did just enough to take two of three from a punchless Cubs squad.

While it’s not time to panic, I wouldn’t smack you over the top of the head for being worried.