Big Z traded to Miami

[CubFan]

Bruce Levin of ESPN Chicago twittered that the Cubs traded Zambrano for Volstad and a bag of balls https://twitter.com/#!/ESPNChiCubs/stat ... 3753904129 . Cubs will eat $15 million of the $18 million owed to Big Z. Volstad has not posted very good numbers while in Florida but I suspect he has a better attitude. It'll be interesting seeing how two explosive personalities work together. Too bad they couldn't get Miami to take on more of his salary but at least they are rid of what was guaranteed to be a circus atmosphere when the season started if Zambrano was still in Chicago. It would have been a ticking time bomb waiting to go off.

[deansdaddy]

Ozzie G and Big Z. Sounds like a sure fire new hit sitcom.

[TheRunner77]

Ozzie G and Big Z. Sounds like a sure fire new hit sitcom.

Add to that the drama at 3B and there are likely to be more fireworks behind closed doors than on the field.

[WillRoy]

Well, from a fantasy perspective, I really like the guy as a risk-reward play. Some might see such antics as bringing down the value, as well as the whole year statline. But he's still got great stuff. Haven't seen Norm or Tim around the forums, so I think I'm safe from someone bidding him up for me.

[Todd Zola]

But he's still got great stuff. .

This is open for debate. I'm not so sure.

[Milnertime]

Had good stuff is likely more apt.

Less swings and misses, lower velocity, coupled with his penchant for losing the strike zone...

Zambrano seems more like a waiver wire guy than a draft day guy, to me.

[deansdaddy]

Well - he may be on waiver wires by the end of May, but unless you play in fairly shallow leagues, he's sure to get drafted by someone in your league. His price would have to fall pretty far for me to take a chance and I wouldn't want him as anything more than a reserve. That said - I think there will usually be one or guys guys per draft who will be willing to gamble on a change of scenery spike from him. It just won't be me.

[mbendar]

Big Z went in the 29th round of my slow draft - given the no free agent nature of these drafts, you can argue that the +- is probably about 3 rounds. In general, Ryan's thoughts are probably the norm at this point. Someone has to be reliving Big Z's better days to draft him at any point before the early 20's (of a 15 teamer), and more likely in the mid-to late 20's.

With a solid spring though, who knows

Mark

[SteveB]

I think Z could have a resurgence this year and in real baseball terms be a plus on the FLA staff. From a fantasy roto perspective i just dont want that many innings of high whip and era. With the Ks dropping every year just not worth the bump he gets by moving to Miami.

[WillRoy]

I guess I shouldn't have used the phrase "Great". Great enough for my deep NL league though to take a shot if he's real cheap and possibly reap a nice profit (No big cubs fans, though a bunch of FLA guys...eep!).

[da_big_kid_94]

To me, there's a big problem with Zambrano - it's the same problem we see with Santonio Holmes - when I'm going good and I'm getting mine, all is well - but when things don't go well? He quit on his team .... how can you trust anyone who has quit on his team not to do it again? Because he's pitching for Ozzie Guillen now? Yeah - there's a calming influence. His situation seems to be further exacerbated because he doesn't seem to have the same stuff from two years ago. But HE seems to think it's still the same. To me, hoping this guy has a nice season with his past history is like asking Duchscherer or Harden to be named 2012 Comeback Player of the year.

[WillRoy]

I thought team sent him home (for good reason I remember tho).

[da_big_kid_94]

The team sent him home after he cleaned out his locker and left after he was pulled from the game on August 12 after giving up 5 bombs.

The quote from Mike Quade;

I don’t know where he’s at. He walked out on 24 guys that are battling their ass off for him. I don’t know where he’s gone, what he’s doing. I heard he might retire.

[Wrigley]

Soooooo glad he's gone.