The fiery Zambrano, now 38, threw 61 innings with the Dogs last season. He posted a bloated 5.16 ERA over that span, though he did manage 7.5 strikeouts against 2.5 walks per nine. None of that was enough to put Zambrano back on the big league radar, however.

At his best, the man known as Big Z was one of the majors’ most effective starters. The longtime Cub, a three-time All-Star and someone who once pitched a no-hitter, was particularly good from 2003-10. He racked up 1,548 innings during that stretch, ranked 10th among starters in fWAR (28.7) and recorded a 3.42 ERA/3.89 FIP.

Also a former Marlin, with whom he concluded his MLB playing days in 2012, Zambrano put up a 3.66 ERA/4.01 FIP with 7.52 K/9, 4.13 BB/9 and a 48.4 percent groundball rate in almost 2,000 innings at the sport’s highest level.

Not to be forgotten, Zambrano’s also one of the most threatening hitters in the history of his position. Pitchers are often automatic outs, but not Zambrano, who totaled 24 home runs and batted .238/.248/.388 across 748 plate appearances.

Zambrano was at times one of the game’s best pitchers, having thrice finished in the top five of the Cy Young voting in the National League. He compiled nearly two thousand innings of 3.66 ERA ball at the game’s highest level. Of course, Zambrano is also now 37 years of age. There are certainly hurlers who’ve proven capable of being quite useful at that age, but Zambrano is a bit rusty. He last pitched in the majors in 2012 (with the Marlins), last threw in the affiliated ranks in 2013 (with the Phillies), and announced his retirement in 2014.

More recently, Zambrano has dabbled with a return to competitive action. He took seven starts in the Mexican League last fall, pitching to a 5.18 ERA in 33 innings but recording more walks (17) than strikeouts (11). The numbers were even less promising in a just-completed 29 1/3-frame stint in the Venezuelan Winter League. Zambrano coughed up 24 earned runs on 47 hits while compiling a 10:12 K/BB ratio.

Those showings don’t leave much cause for optimism, but Zambrano says he’s fully committed now to giving it a real go. The scouts will surely find him if he shows any spark, though Zambrano’s possible path back to the majors may also be complicated by his history of confrontational behavior. If nothing else, Zambrano certainly ought to help the Dogs draw. He’ll join a roster that also includes another name of note for Chicago-area fans in Shawon Dunston Jr.

Let’s take a look at the latest from the game’s central divisions:

• Brewers GM David Stearns talked about his team’s promising start and what it might (or might not) mean for his deadline planning, as Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel writes. Stearns is undeniably pleased with the fact that his club sits atop the NL Central standings, and didn’t shy away from the possibility that the wins could continue to come sooner than had been anticipated. But he also suggested that the imperative of sustainable building would largely remain the same. “The plan is to consistently win major league games over a period of years,” he said. “If that process begins a little bit sooner than people expected, that’s great. And we’ll react accordingly. But it doesn’t change our strategy; it doesn’t change our plan.”
• With the White Sox reportedly beating out the Cardinals to sign Cuban prospect Luis Robert, Bernie Miklasz of 101sports.com wonders whether St. Louis should have been more aggressive in its bidding. You’ll need to read through his entire argument to see how you feel, but the gist is the view that the organization ought to have been willing to stake a greater bet on a potential impact talent — particularly given the fact that it had a unique opportunity with many big spenders unable to go after Robert and plenty of available resources given the team’s meager draft assets this summer.
• The Tigers’ efforts to transition Anthony Gose from outfielder to pitcher became official today, as he was activated at Class A Lakeland to work out of the pen. While he didn’t escape from his first inning of action unscathed, Gose did make quite an impression. Per Lakeland assistant GM Dan Lauer, on Twitter, Gose was clocked at 99 mph with his debut heater.

The “Big Z” retires with a 132-91 record, 3.66 ERA, 7.5 K/9 and 38.2 rWAR over 1959 innings in the bigs, with 11 of his 12 seasons spent with the Cubs and his final year (2012) spent with the Marlins.  (Zambrano also made four starts in the Phillies’ minor league system in 2013.)  He threw a no-hitter against the Astros in 2008 and his career achievements include three top-five finishes in NL Cy Young Award voting, three All-Star appearances and three Silver Slugger Awards.  That last honor was particularly well-deserved since Zambrano was one of the better-hitting pitchers in recent memory, posting a .238/.248/.388 slash line and 24 homers over 744 PA.

While slightly leaving the door open for a possible comeback attempt, Zambrano’s recent attempts at throwing didn’t work out.  “I was telling one of the [Cubs] scouts that I was playing catch the other day after five months, and I felt like I was throwing a rock,” Zambrano said.  “I think I’m going to stay home, see what happens next year. God has the last word.”

Zambrano, 33, was no stranger to controversy over his career, known for several confrontations with umpires and twice getting into dugout altercations with teammates (Michael Barrett and Derrek Lee).  The Cubs put him on the restricted list in August 2011, effectively ending his career in Chicago.

According to Baseball Reference, Zambrano made just under $114MM over his career.  We at MLBTR wish Zambrano a happy time in retirement.

Here's some news from around baseball…

• Red Sox GM Ben Cherington said that the team has "real interest at different levels" in re-signing its six free agents, Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe reports.  Cherington has "had conversations" about bringing back Jacoby Ellsbury, Stephen Drew, Mike Napoli, Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Joel Hanrahan and John McDonald, though Abraham reports that the team has most extensively discussed a new deal with Napoli.
• The Red Sox aren't expected to make acquisitions during the GM meetings this week, Cherington said.
• Yankees GM Brian Cashman has "no idea" if Hiroki Kuroda is interested in returning to the club, Andy McCullough of the Star-Ledger reports.  “My conversations with his agent, the only information I’ve gotten from that is he hasn’t made any decisions, what he wants to do as far as next year’s concerned," Cashman said.  Kuroda has been rumored to be weighing re-signing with the Yankees, pitching in Japan or retiring, though a return to southern California to be closer to his family probably isn't out of the question either.
• Robinson Cano's next contract might not meet his expectations simply because the Yankees are the only team with the need and finances to come close to his demands, Bill Madden of the New York Daily News writes.
• Jason Bay isn't sure if he will play in 2014, Sportsnet.ca's Shi Davidi tweets.  The 35-year-old Bay was released by the Mariners in August and only has a .688 OPS in 1361 PA over his last four seasons, most of which were shortened by injury.
• Agent Barry Praver said that his clients Manny Ramirez and Carlos Zambrano were hoping to again play in the Major Leagues, Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports (Twitter links).  Ramirez is staying in shape and would be open to playing in Japan, while Zambrano is pitching in the Venezuelan winter league.
• Wily Mo Pena is expected to re-sign in Japan, Sportsnet's Ben Nicholson-Smith reports (Twitter link).  Pena signed a two-year, $5MM deal with the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks following the 2011 season and enjoyed a big 2012 before suffering through an injury-plagued 2013 campaign.  Nicholson-Smith notes that Pena had interested suitors in both Japan and North America.  Pena turns 32 in January and hit .250/.303/.445 with 84 homers in 1845 career PA with the Reds, Red Sox, Nationals, Diamondbacks and Mariners from 2002-11.

• Mets chief operating officer Jeff Wilpon says that his team would have made an offer to Jose Dariel Abreu if he were a corner outfielder rather than a first baseman, Newsday's Marc Carig tweets. The Mets could certainly use a powerful corner outfielder, but they also have little stability at first base, where Ike Davis and Lucas Duda were disappointing last season. Wilpon also told Carig the Mets had a "glut" of first basemen, but none of them performed particularly well last year, perhaps with the exception of depth piece Josh Satin. One wonders why these players might have impeded the Mets from making a major signing.
• Wilpon says the Mets have received calls from teams trying to trade for a first baseman, tweets Carig.
• Former Cubs star Carlos Zambrano wants to keep pitching, Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune reports. "He’s playing winter ball and wants to continue his career," says agent Barry Praver. Zambrano, who last appeared in the big leagues in 2012 with the Marlins, pitched in the Phillies system in 2013, but his comeback attempt stalled due to shoulder issues.

• Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com tweets that it is a fait accompli that Brian McCann will be playing for a new team in 2014 due to the presence of Evan Gattis and Christian Bethancourt in Atlanta as well as the Braves' tight budget.
• Pitcher Carlos Zambrano, who most recently played with the Marlins and Phillies organizations, is healthy and wants to play again in 2014, according to his agent Scott Shapiro (via a Heyman tweet). Big Z will play winter ball in Venezuela to prepare for next season, he adds.
• Paul Hagen of MLB.com wonders if Jose Fernandez's campaign might be the best ever put together by a rookie pitcher.  The Marlins phenom had a 2.23 ERA with 9.9 K/9 and 3.0 BB/9 in the 27 starts leading up to tonight's game.

Steve Adams contributed to this post.

Zambrano, 32, was a mid-May signing for the Phillies and threw 35 1/3 innings for their minor league affiliates, posting a 2.04 ERA with 7.6 K/9 and 4.3 BB/9. However, he left the mound for Triple-A Lehigh Valley with shoulder pain on June 28 and hasn't pitched since. The Phillies said they decided that his chances of rehabbing and pitching competitively for the major league club this year were slim. 

Big Z had an agreement in place with the Long Island Ducks earlier this year, but the Phillies swooped in with an offer for a minor league deal days after his contract with the Ducks was announced. Zambrano has a career 3.66 ERA in the major leagues in 1,959 innings.

• Dodgers fans are probably still reeling from last night's beating, the team's worst home loss (Twitter link) since the franchise played in Brooklyn. But with the club's offense pointing upwards of late and with just six games to make up in a scuffling NL West, Mark Saxon of ESPNLosAngeles.com writes that L.A. still could be looking to buy pitching. He says that the Dodgers cannot depend on a mix of Chris Capuano, Stephen Fife, Ted Lilly, and Matt Magill at the back of the rotation, and would be even more foolish to place their faith in Brandon League, Peter Moylan, and Matt Guerrier with late-inning pen roles. 
• While the Phillies continue to hang around just under .500, speculation has focused on whether the club might deal top arms Cliff Lee and Jonathan Papelbon. Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com wonders whether the club might be more likely to look to deal infielders Chase Utley or Michael Young, in spite of the no-trade protection that both enjoy. With Utley and Young set to become free agents after the season, a clear fall away from contention would make it difficult to pass up a youth infusion. On the other hand, GM Ruben Amaro Jr. says that his "intention would be to keep [Utley] in our uniform for the rest of his career, if possible." Should the Phils look to deal, Knobler suggests that the Yankees could be in on both players, with the Royals potentially interested in Utley. 
• One player that Philadelphia was hoping might provide a boost was mid-season signee Carlos Zambrano. Zambrano's inconsistent performance in minor league action had already dampened any real enthusiasm for his ascension to the bigs, but he took the Triple-A mound last night hoping to convince Amaro that a call-up was warranted in advance of his July 1 opt-out date. Instead, Zambrano left the game with what Amaro called "serious pain" in his shoulder. As Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com reports via Twitter, the injury means that Zambrano's already-uncertain big league return will now definitely not occur for the foreseeable future.
• Embattled Cubs reliever Carlos Marmol, who currently sits in DFA limbo, may be able to draw some kind of trade return after all. Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe tweeted yesterday that three unnamed teams have shown some interest in Marmol. 

Here are some more items from around the majors…

• The Angels might make pending free agents Jason Vargas or Scott Downs available at the trade deadline if they decide to sell, MLB.com's Alden Gonzalez opines, though there won't be any major moves.  "I'm told nothing will cause them to blow up the roster and start all over again," Gonzalez writes, since the front office still believes the club can be contenders in 2014 and beyond and the Josh Hamilton/Albert Pujols contracts make it difficult to truly rebuild.
• The Angels have nothing to show for their efforts in acquiring big-name pitchers (Scott Kazmir, Dan Haren and Zack Greinke) at the trade deadline in three of the last four seasons, MLB.com's Lyle Spencer writes.  Making matters worse for the Halos is that they dealt several top prospects in those trades, giving away such notable talents as Jean Segura, Patrick Corbin, Tyler Skaggs and Alex Torres.
• The Twins have exceeded expectations this year but "it's hard to see a scenario in which they'll be buyers" at the trade deadline, MLB.com's Rhett Bollinger writes as part of a reader mailbag.  A hot streak over the next month could change plans, though with the Tigers unlikely to be caught atop the AL Central, Bollinger suspects the Twins will stick with their rebuilding plan.
• Bud Norris noted that he hasn't discussed a long-term deal with the Astros and he wouldn't be surprised if he is traded, the right-hander tells MLB.com's Brian McTaggart.  "If the trade deadline is here and I'm still in an Astros uniform, I'll be happy with that," Norris said.  "I understand something could happen, but at the end of the day, my focus right now is still in Houston, and that's where it's going to stay."  The Pirates, Orioles and Giants have all reportedly considered acquiring Norris and more suitors are likely to follow.
• Phillies GM Ruben Amaro was non-committal about whether or not the Phils would call up Carlos Zambrano before his July 1 opt-out date.  Amaro told reporters (including Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer) that Zambrano has "been inconsistent" in the minors and that he doesn't see the righty as a relief pitcher.

• The Cubs' bullpen has struggled this season, but in the aftermath of this summer's trading season, the team's rotation could end up being just as weak, Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times writes. Last season, the Cubs performed poorly down the stretch after the departures of two productive starters in Ryan Dempster and Paul Maholm. This year, Wittenmyer says, Matt Garza and Scott Feldman could be those pitchers' 2013 equivalents.
• Phillies starter Jonathan Pettibone struggled Saturday, but GM Ruben Amaro Jr. says that Carlos Zambrano won't be replacing Pettibone right away, Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com writes. "Not based on what I saw his last outing, not in my mind," says Amaro. "I’d like to see him pitch again [in the minors]. We’ll keep a close eye on his starts and how effective he is. But he’s not ready yet in my mind." Zambrano has an out clause July 1. He allowed two runs in five innings in his first outing for Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Thursday, striking out five and walking four. His fastball did not exceed 88 MPH.
• Speaking of Amaro, Bob Brookover of the Inquirer argues that "the bad has outweighed the good" in Amaro's stint as GM, and that it's unclear whether Amaro is the right person for the job. Amaro's signing of Joe Blanton and trade for Hunter Pence rank among his worst moves, Brookover says.
• Pirates GM Neal Huntington says James McDonald's future with the team could be in jeopardy, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review's Karen Price writes in a pair of tweets. "As the clock ticks we’ll have to make a determination as to where James best fits in this group, on this club, or does he fit," says Huntington. "That’s a question to be answered ultimately by James McDonald." McDonald, once viewed as a potential franchise building block after promising seasons in 2010 and 2011 and a great first half in 2012, has fallen out of favor after collapsing down the stretch last year and posting a 5.76 ERA with 20 walks in six 2013 starts. He has also struggled in his rehab starts since landing on the disabled list with shoulder discomfort.
• If the Blue Jays had already acquired Jose Reyes and Emilio Bonifacio from the Marlins, they wouldn't have signed Maicer Izturis, Richard Griffin of the Toronto Star argues. Izturis signed a three-year, $10MM deal in November, and the Jays acquired Reyes and Bonifacio days later. Izturis has hit .222/.258/.308 this season.

• One reason for the Red Sox's success this year, as compared to last, is improvements in their advance scouting, says Tim Britton of the Providence Journal. Manager John Farrell was hired earlier in the offseason than his predecessor, Bobby Valentine, had been, and so Farrell had a stronger pool of coaches from which to hire. Farrell and GM Ben Cherington both say interest in advance preparation was an important criterion as they hired their coaching staff. Brian Butterfield, the Sox's third base coach, prepares the team's infield shifts and is a key figure in the team's advance-scouting efforts.
• Veteran pitcher Carlos Zambrano, who signed a minor-league deal with the Phillies in mid-May, does not enjoy relieving, Mike Still of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes. "I signed here to be a starter," says Zambrano. "Last year was miserable when I went to the bullpen, I didn't enjoy it." Still notes, however, that Zambrano is willing to pitch in any role with the Phillies. Youngsters Tyler Cloyd and Jonathan Pettibone have helped keep the Phillies' rotation steady in the absence of Roy Halladay, and the Phils also have a rehabbing John Lannan waiting in the wings. Their plans for Zambrano are unclear. Zambrano has a July 1 opt-out date.

10:14am: The Phillies have officially announced the signing of Carlos Zambrano to a minor league deal. He will report to extended Spring Training in Clearwater, Fla. Zambrano is represented by Praver/Shapiro, as shown in MLBTR's Agency Database. 

The 31-year-old Zambrano had previously agreed to a contract with the Long Island Ducks of the Atlantic League but never signed the contract as he continued to look for employment with a Major League team.

After spending parts of 11 seasons with the Cubs from 2001-11, Zambrano was traded to the Marlins (along with quite a bit of cash) for Chris Volstad. Notoriously hot-headed, Zambrano drew negative press in Chicago for fighting with teammates Michael Barrett and Derrek Lee. In his final years with the Cubs, he was suspended once by the league and once by the team for his antics. As a member of the Marlins, he posted a 4.49 ERA, 6.5 K/9, 5.1 BB/9, 0.61 HR/9, and 49.1% groundball rate in 132 1/3 innings (20 starts and 15 relief appearances).

Zambrano's name comes with quite a bit of baggage, but he's also a very accomplished Major League pitcher. "Big Z" owns a career 3.66 ERA, 7.5 K/9 and 4.1 BB/9 in 1,959 big league innings. He's made three All-Star teams, has three Top 5 Cy Young finishes and has a no-hitter under his belt as well. One of the best-hitting pitchers of the past decade, Zambrano also has three Silver Slugger Awards and a .238/.248/.388 batting line with 24 career homers.

Chris Cotillo of CLNS Radio first reported the news (on Twitter), which was soon confirmed by Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (also via Twitter).

Photo courtesty of USA Today Sports Images.

• Jair Jurrjens will make his Orioles debut against the Rays on Saturday to fill in for the injured Wei-Yin Chen, sources tell Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (via Twitter).  The pitcher posted a 3.14 ERA with 6.3 K/9 and 2.6 BB/9 across eight starts in Triple-A and had an opt out date of June 15th.  The Orioles can open a 40-man roster spot for Jurrjens by transferring Brian Roberts to the 60-day DL, notes Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com.
• More and more teams are realizing that it makes sense to gamble earlier lock up young players for the long-term and Joel Sherman of the New York Post thinks the Yankees need to reconsider their policy of going year-to-year.  The Yankees are trying to lower their payroll and one way to do so is to gain cost certainty with deals like the one Anthony Rizzo received from the Cubs.
• Blue Jays president and CEO Paul Beeston isn't ready to give up on the team this season, writes Chris Toman of MLB.com.  He also isn't ready to give up on the coaching staff.  "We started out at 12-24 and made a managerial change, but we're not going to do that right now," Beeston said. "I think you look back at 1989 and just look back at what can be after what was. I think we have a very good team and a better team than our record."
• Speaking of Toronto, the Blue Jays are the leaders to sign Venezuelan shortstop Yeltsin Gudino, writes Ben Badler of Baseball America.  Gudino is a well-rounded talent who has also received serious interest from the Rangers and A's in the past.
• Kubatko ran Carlos Zambrano's name past someone in the Orioles organization and got a less-than-enthusiastic response based on the pitcher's past behavior and baggage.  
• Rizzo's absence is being felt in the Red Sox organization as the club has long-term questions at first base, writes Alex Speier of WEEI.com.

May 8: Righty Carlos Zambrano has signed with the Long Island Ducks of the independent Atlantic League, tweets Chris Cotillo of CLNS Radio.  MLB.com's Carrie Muskat has confirmed the signing (also via Twitter).

As Ducks president and GM Michael Pfaff recently explained to MLBTR's Zach Links, the team prioritizes winning but wants to "help players with their careers, help them continue their careers, and help them get back to the major leagues."  That's surely Zambrano's plan.  The 31-year-old righty joined the Marlins via trade in January 2012, posting a 4.49 ERA, 6.5 K/9, 5.1 BB/9, 0.61 HR/9, and 49.1% groundball rate in 132 1/3 innings (20 starts and 15 relief appearances).  Zambrano, a three-time All-Star, was a workhorse for the Cubs from 2003-07, averaging 215 innings per season.  

From the '07 fight with teammate Michael Barrett, the five-year, $91.5MM contract signed that year, all kinds of odd ailments, the no-hitter in '08 against the Astros at Miller Park, the '09 on-field tantrum that led to a six-game suspension, problems with Cubs management, the move to the bullpen and back, the issue with Derrek Lee in '10 that led to a team-mandated suspension, his placement on the disqualified list in '11, to the salary dump trade to Miami, Z's final years as a Cub were tumultuous to say the least.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.