7/31 Big Z & no-trade clause

Carlos Zambrano says he would waive his no-trade clause if the Cubs asked. There are reports that the Mets have inquired about the right-hander, who wants to get back in the rotation. However, FoxSports.com reported Saturday the Mets offer of Oliver Perez and Luis Castillo for Zambrano never had a chance and said Big Z will not be moved Saturday.

“I want to stay [with the Cubs] but I understand this is a business and whatever the Cubs want me to do — if they think I’m a problem here and they want to move me, it’s sad that I would move if they think I’m the problem,” Zambrano said Friday.

What if GM Jim Hendry asked Zambrano to waive his no-trade clause?

“If they come to me and say they want to trade me, I would say, ‘Yes,’” Zambrano said. “If they ask me, ‘Hey, we want to trade you,’ I wouldn’t say no. I would say ‘yes’ because obviously when they put something on the table, it’s because they don’t want you or they think there are better players and they need to move you.”

Does Zambrano need a fresh start somewhere else?

“It’s up to me,” he said. “It’s up to me to behave myself to be good on the field to be smart and to change things around.”

– Carrie Muskat