This has to be it for the Cubs and Carlos Zambrano. If the right-hander is to be believed, this is it for him period.
After giving up a career-high five homers and getting ejected for throwing at the Braves’ Chipper Jones, Carlos Zambrano cleaned out his locker and told a Cubs trainer he was retiring, the Chicago Tribune reports.
“He didn’t have it tonight,” manager Mike Quade said. “I’m really disappointed. His locker is empty. I don’t know where he’s at. He walked out on 24 guys that are battling their (butts) off for him. I don’t know where he’s gone or what he’s doing. I heard he’s retired, or talking about retiring.”
If Zambrano walked away, he’d forfeit the remainder of his $17.875 million salary for this year and his entire $18 million salary in 2012. That’s a lot to give up, but Zambrano almost certainly cost himself some cash tonight no matter what he does now. The Cubs would seem to be well within their rights to suspend him indefinitely for his actions.
Zambrano’s loss tonight dropped him to 9-7 with a 4.82 ERA this season. The 30-year-old is 125-81 with a 3.60 ERA in 11 seasons, all of them coming with the Cubs.
For more quotes from Quade, check out the video at CSN Chicago.