Carrie Muskat of MLB.com is reporting that Chicago Cubs manager Lou Piniella will move the team's Opening Day starter, Carlos Zambrano, to the bullpen. The Cubs are due to get Ted Lilly back from injury on Saturday against the Brewers.
This looks a lot like a full crap-the-pants moment from the Cubs. We'll wait for the "dust" to settle before seeing what this means... but HOLY COW!
Manager Lou Piniella went on to say that this isnt' a "panic move," but has indicated to Chicago media that it might be permanent.
There are a couple routes that this move could take the Cubs. By sending Zambrano to the pen, they might be looking to move him and begin an implosion in the final seasons of both Ted Lilly and Derrek Lee's contracts.
This might also be Piniella reaching his breaking point with the incredible failure being performed annually by Hendry. The Cubs' general manager failed to address the offense of the team last year, when he added Milton Bradley. This year, he sent Piniella north with a bullpen full of rookie and John Grabow.
No matter how you look at it, this move shows that the Cubs are not in the same class as the St. Louis Cardinals and are far away from competing in the National League.
