Just saw Ken Rosenthal on TV, and he had his usual collection of inside information.
Rosenthal says that contract talks with the Cubs’ Carlos Zambrano are "about a week away from being tabled." All along we’ve been hearing how he’d likely remain a Cub, even with the impending sale of the team. Zambrano’s only had one good start in four tries this year; perhaps the Cubs want to see that ace again before committing. It seems silly that such a huge contract could be affected by four starts, but you never know. If Zambrano reaches the open market, the Cubs will likely be outbid.
Rosenthal also mentioned that instead of extending setup man Scott Linebrink’s contract, he might become their best trading chip. They could look to upgrade at third base or left field, or even try to acquire their center fielder of the future. Most folks feel that Kevin Towers would find a way to replace him on the cheap.
UPDATE: There is now an accompanying article for these rumors.
