In a headline that makes a Cub fan gulp, Carlos Zambrano has indicated that the Cubs must give him a contract now "OR ELSE" he will be gone after 2007. What better way to bring negotiations to a climax, huh? My take on this is that this is Zambrano letting his real feelings show. He has himself pumped up. He is a proud man, and he feels he has earned a new contract with a whole lot of money (and he has). Whether his ego and agent will be satisfied in a deal between now and arbitration is a very important question for the Cubbies. It would be ironic for them to quibble over the last million or two, given what has gone on in the market for lesser talents. My guess and hope is that they reach a deal extending for four years, with increasing pay increments and bonuses galore.
See the ESPN story: http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2763803&campaign=rss&source=ESPNHeadlines

Two new sources have been added to the CubsNet.com aggregator: MLB Rumors and Chicago Cubs Rumors, both from Yahoo! Sports.

I'd be really interested to know Paul Sullivan's source (don't ask him; I've tried that before; he doesn't take kindly to such requests). Or, if he even has a source.

A little over two weeks ago, Sullivan reported in the Chicago Tribune that the "Cubs are desperately hoping to re-sign center fielder Juan Pierre." Sullivan further suggested that Pierre will be able to get a multi-year contract on the open market worth more than $10.5M per year (more than double what Pierre is making this season).

Sullivan now reports:

Tracy Ringolsby of the Rocky Mountain News reports that Joe Girardi was in fact briefly fired on Sunday by Florida owner Jeffrey Loria, but Loria quickly recanted. (HT: Baseball Primer Newsblog.) However, some in the Marlins organization do not like Girardi's micromanaging. Meanwhile, "Girardi has had friends making it known in Chicago that he would like the Cubs job. The Cubs, however, aren't interested."

FoxSports.com reports that the Cubs are in talks with the Orioles for a deal that would send Prior to Baltimore and Tejada to Chicago but "talks are stalled, a source says, over the Cubs' insistence that the Orioles give up left-hander Erik Bedard along with Tejada if they want Prior – and the Cubs' refusal to include top outfield prospect Felix Pie or a top pitching prospect in return."

Both teams are also in discussions with Boston for a three-way deal that would send Manny Ramirez to the Orioles and Tejada to Chicago.