Chicago Cubs: How Carlos Zambrano Is Helping by Turning His Back on the Team

Carlos Zambrano went into his last start for the Cubs against the Braves making $18.875 million this year.  After giving up five home runs and eight earned runs in 4.1 innings pitched, he cleaned out his locker and said that he's retiring.  

Zambrano has been a major headache in recent years for the Cubs and their fans due to his temper.  This season Zambrano has a 9-7 record for a bad Cubs team and an ERA of 4.82 with 101 strikeouts.   

Money

I'm sure new owner Tom Ricketts wouldn't mind if Carlos Zambrano retired.  That would take nearly  $19 million off the books for next season.  The Cubs are paying Zambrano like an elite pitcher right now, which clearly he isn't.  

The Cubs would have more than $50 million coming off the books if he retires and that would make the Cubs even bigger players in the free agent market this upcoming offseason.   

Attitude

Zambrano clearly has an issue with anger and doesn't have a problem taking it out on his teammates as the video shows him getting into it with former Cubs first baseman Derek Lee.  

Zambrano has gone crazy on things in the Cubs dugout, destroyed things and has put his teammates in danger with his anger issues.  Zambrano obviously isn't a leader and is a cancer to any team he would be on.  

Youth Movement

The Cubs may want to look at going with more of a youth movement instead of being major players in the free agent market and trying to get a bunch of big names and just go after one (Prince Fielder).  They could use the rest of that money to lock up their young talented players like future All-Star Starlin Castro.

The Cubs have some young players that could be big players in the majors in a few years. The only thing is if Cubs fans will be able to wait that long to have a team that is productive and near the top of the NL Central.