Chicago Cubs: Why Carlos Zambrano Coming Back Is a Bad Idea

Chicago Cubs owner Tom Ricketts announced on Friday that Carlos Zambrano would be given an opportunity to come back to pitch for the team in 2012. That is a mistake in my opinion.

Yes, I know he is under contract for this season, and yes, I also know that the Cubs need starting pitching.

But they don't need the headaches this guy causes. They don't need his temper tantrums, his bizarre behavior, and they certainly don't need bad clubhouse chemistry.

You would think that after what Theo Epstein went through during the collapse in Boston last season, that the importance of leadership and discipline would be understood.

So, maybe this is Ricketts butting in where he doesn't belong. Perhaps he told Epstein and Jed Hoyer that he will not eat Zambrano's contract.

Now, to be fair to Ricketts, the Cubs owner did say that it was Epstein's decision and that the Cubs' president was going to give Zambrano "a chance to earn his way back on the team."

Still, no matter what, at the very least, the decision about whether or not to bring "Big Zzzzz" back should have been left up to votes by the returning players, only after scouring the market to find out if he had any trade value at all.

Because if he did have trade value, to where the Cubs either didn't have to assume the entire contract or got a good prospect in return, then that's the way they should have gone in my opinion.

After all, we are tired of Zambrano's act and he hasn't been a very good starting pitcher on a consistent basis in awhile.

If we knew for a fact that there was zero interest in Zambrano, or if we had reason to believe he could be an ace again, then I would sing a different tune.

But it's too early for Epstein and Hoyer to know for sure that no team would want him, and there is nothing in Zambrano's recent history to suggest he will ever be an ace.

Hey, the Miami Marlins have shown an interest in spending money, and Ozzie Guillen is close to his Venezuelan counterpart.

Meanwhile, Epstein has earned our trust, as his past decisions have had more successes than failures, so I will give him the benefit of the doubt for now.

Perhaps it is simply logical to assume that no team would be willing to pay Zambrano $18 million next season, or anywhere close to that much.

And it may be logical to also assume that no team will give a top prospect in return for Zambrano even if the Cubs were to take on the majority of his massive contract.

But when I think of Zambrano and his tried act, logic goes out the window. I was looking forward to a new start, without the lazy attitude and bad defense of Aramis Ramirez, and without the B.S. from Zambrano.

Sure, it would also be nice to see Alfonso Soriano walk out the door, but that's asking too much. No team with any brains would take on that albatross of a contract.

Oh wait, there is always the Baltimore Orioles. Hmmm...

But back to the point of the article.

Kerry Wood may have said it best when he suggested that if Zambrano were to come back to the team, he would have to "do it the right way."

Now, I hope that Wood, who is a free agent, will indeed come back to help stand up to Zambrano and say to his face that he and his teammates are sick of his volatile behavior.

But even if Woody is back, and Zambrano says all the right things, do we really believe he is serious? After all, what do you think he's going to say? That he will continue to be a baby who will hold his breath until his face turns blue if he doesn't get his way?

Of course not. Talk is cheap. Even if Zambrano's contract is not.

Look, for this to make sense, Zambrano will have to be on his best behavior and he will have to be effective as a pitcher.

He will need to truly be accountable for his actions, and not require a bib and a playpen this season for his return to be of value to the Cubs.

I don't know about you, but I don't like those odds.