Cubs Trade Carlos Zambrano; Acquire Chris Volstad

Carlos Zambrano

Earlier this week GM Jed Hoyer finally rid the Cubs organization of Carlos Zambrano in a one-for-one swap with San Diego.  Theo Epstein said a while ago that Zambrano would be given a fair chance to earn his job back in Spring Training, but now he won't get that chance.  Epstein probably didn't think that Hoyer and himself would be able to trade him.  But they did, and the Cubs will receive 25-year-old right-handed starter Chris Volstad in return.  The Cubs will pay $15 of Zambrano's $18 million due in 2012.

Although this move, while wildly uneconomical, was probably the right move for the Cubs, part of me is saddened that the famous antics of the Big Z will no longer grab headlines in Chicago.  Part of the whole deal seemed fitting for the Cubs.  Zambrano playing in Chicago seemed to bring up a punch line.  Failed expectations, dysfunctional play, 100 years without a championship, and now the 'ace' takes swings at the Gatorade cooler -- every year?  It was that teeth-clenching type of frustration at times, but it was relentless entertainment.  Right when you thought he had cleaned up his act, there he was again abusing that poor, innocent energy drink dispenser or barking at Derrek Lee.

Recently it's been easy to forget that he was once a relied-upon ace.  2011 was actually his first season with an ERA over 4.00.  Back in the day, though, he was one of baseball's up-and-coming star pitchers.  At age 22 he broke onto the scene for good with the 2003 dream team Cubs.  He pitched over 200 innings and would again each year until 2007 and won 13 games, a total he would surpass each year until 2008.  He hasn't done either since, instead finding himself in the doghouse, the bullpen, and the disqualified list (a list I didn't know existed in baseball until he made it on) at various times over the past three seasons.  He simply needs a change of scenery.  Finally he gets one.

Chris Volstad

Instead of getting some random single-A prospects with no chance of making it to the bigs, the Cubs get a legit starter with over 100 major league starts under his belt.  His ERA over the past three seasons, each full seasons as a starter, is 4.88.  Not necessarily impressive; that's actually worse than league average.  However, he is still young and has room to improve.  After three seasons in Florida his development appears to have slowed; a change of scenery could end up being very good for him as well.

Standing tall at an intimidating 6'8", Volstad attempts to pound batters inside but it's much more effective on righties.  Lefty batters have been an issue for Volstad since the beginning.  Righties are also a major problem for him when he gets behind in the count.  When behind in the count, Volstad goes to his fastball 74% of the time.  Batters are hitting .310 off it.    His changeup, off which hitters are hitting only .221, is his best pitch but he only throws one 15% of the time.  His put-away pitch as of right now is a decent curveball but I hope new pitching coach Chris Bosio helps him mix in the changeup more.  That would also make the fastball more effective.

I'm excited to see what Volstad will do.  There's much more room for improvement with him than Zambrano at this point.  It's been a fun decade with the Z, but this was the right opportunity.  In Volstad I'm very pleased with the return.  Don't stop now, Jed and Theo.