This is not terribly unexpected, but Jon Paul Morosi reports that the union expected to file a grievance on behalf of Carlos Zambrano by the end of the day today in response to the Cubs placing him on the restricted list.
We all have our opinion about Zambrano -- and I bet that most of us think that he’s out of line and wouldn’t put up with his crap for ten minutes if we didn’t have to -- but before you jump on the union here, understand that it is their job to be an advocate for the player, not a judge. Just as a guy who mows down a street fair in a Buick while hepped up on goofballs is entitled to a defense, so too is a player when he runs afoul of his team, no matter what we think of him.
And, setting aside Zambrano’s history and his obvious flair for the dramatic, it’s not crazy to think that a month-long suspension -- which amounts to a multi-million dollar fine in his case -- is excessive punishment for what amounts to a two-hour temper tantrum at the outside.
My guess is that it’s all negotiated down to some sort of shorter suspension and, like has happened so many times in the past, Zambrano is back with the team soon, talking about how he’s readjusting his attitude and all of that.