Big-spending Cubs sign Big Z
Friday, August 17, 2007, 11:10 AM - Baseball
Cubs sign Zambrano to 5 year $91.5 million contract. A baseball article.
The Cubs moved into baseball's upper echelon of spenders Friday when they signed Carlos Zambrano to a five-year, $91.5 million contract extension, which will make him baseball's highest-paid pitcher on a per-year basis.

Zambrano's $18.3 million average annual salary surpasses the average of $18 million San Francisco's Barry Zito is receiving on a seven-year, $126 million deal he signed last off-season.

During the same off-season, the Cubs gave outfielder Alfonso Soriano the fifth-largest contract in baseball history, $136 million for eight years, an average of $17 million.

Friday's signing concludes months-long negotiations halted just before Opening Day, when Cubs owner Tribune Co. announced its intention to sell the team.

"It wasn't a rocky road. Carlos never wavered on what he wanted to do," general manager Jim Hendry said.

"One thing that remained constant," agent Barry Praver said, "was Carlos' burning desire to remain a Cub."

Zambrano said he kept the door open after talks were put on hold, then revived about a month ago.

"I trusted the Cubs and the word Jim Hendry gave me in spring training," Zambrano said. "He said he would do anything possible to bring me back."

The contract includes a complete no-trade clause and a possible sixth year at $19.5 million, depending on Zambrano's health and Cy Young ranking in the fifth year.

Zambrano was not given a thorough physical exam before signing, even though he is winless in his last three starts. On Tuesday against Cincinnati, he was pounded for 13 hits and six runs while failing to strike out anyone.

Hendry revealed the sides were almost close enough on terms to announce it the day Zambrano last pitched. - See Big-spending Cubs sign Big Z for the complete report.

Bonds New King of Swing After No. 756
Friday, August 10, 2007, 09:42 PM - Baseball
Bonds
Now he is second to none.

Barry Bonds joined the pantheon of the baseball gods Tuesday night at AT&T Park by hitting his 756th homer, passing the legendary Hank Aaron to take over perhaps Major League Baseball's most hallowed record: first place on the all-time home run list.

The homer, Bonds' 22nd of the season, ended Aaron's more than 33-year reign as MLB's home run king.

Aaron has held at least a tie for the top spot on the homer list since he knotted Babe Ruth on April 4, 1974, Opening Day of that season at Cincinnati's Riverfront Stadium.

"Right now, I'm very happy that it's all over with," Bonds said long after the Nationals defeated his Giants, 8-6. "I'm really happy with my teammates. That's the most important thing. And the fans, like I said, the fans here are my family. No one will ever take that away. No one can ever take that away."

The road to 756, paved with record-setting performances as well as controversy and suspicion about how Bonds got there, reached its destination at 8:51 p.m. PT with one out and none on in the fifth inning.

Bonds' record blast came off Nationals left-hander Mike Bacsik, who wasn't born yet when Aaron's once record-setting shot came off Dodgers left-hander Al Downing on April 8, 1974, in Atlanta.

Bacsik became the 446th pitcher to allow at least one homer to Bonds during the course of the lefty-swinging slugger's 22-year career.

It was one of his trademark blasts, traveling 435 feet into the bleachers just to the right of center, setting off a wild scrum for the ball.

Matt Murphy, a tourist from Queens, N.Y., traveling with a friend to Australia, came up with it, the Giants announced, and Murphy left the ballpark declining to speak to the media. - See Bonds New King of Swing After No. 756 for the complete article.