More than a week after the sale of the Cubs' parent company putcontract talks with pitcher Carlos Zambrano in limbo, team presidentJohn McDonough still would not clarify the issues holding up theprocess nor say how concerned the organization is about possiblylosing Zambrano because of the delay.
"We're not jumping to any conclusions whatsoever," McDonough saidTuesday.
"Anything right now is just speculation. There's a process thatneeds to take place. That process will play itself out, period."
Until the sale of Tribune Co. was announced on Opening Day,general manager Jim Hendry and Zambrano's agent, Barry Praver, wereclosing in on a five-year extension believed to be worth $80 millionto $85 million. But after the Cubs spent a record $300 million forplayers and a new manager in the offseason, the brakes suddenly wereslammed on the Zambrano extension when an agreement was struck withSam Zell to buy Tribune Co.
Team officials, including McDonough, say Tribune Co. willcontinue to run the team until selling it after the season. Butunless a handshake deal has been struck privately with Zambrano andPraver pending the dust settling on the Zell sale, the same companythat broke the bank over the winter seems willing to lose perhapsits most valuable on-field asset to free agency.
Hendry said Monday he hoped a deal could be finalized andapproved in "the near future" and said he wasn't worried about it.
But McDonough said he couldn't say whether it might be a matterof days or months.
"I don't know what the timetable is going to be, and out ofrespect for the player and ... Jim and Barry Praver, it's just aprocess that's going to play itself out," he said. "There's notreally a timetable right now. I don't want to go into specifics, butthere's some issues at hand here."
Zambrano has made it clear he wants to remain a Cub, and Hendryhas made it clear he wants to keep the ace pitcher. And Hendry andPraver remain in touch.
"Jim has done a great job of appraising Barry Praver and Carloswhere we're at," McDonough said, "and they're aware of that."
CUB KILLER: Astros starter Chris Sampson ran his streak ofshutout innings against the Cubs to 12 before leaving after thefifth with a pulled calf muscle.
Sampson made his first major-league start against the Cubs lastJune 7 in Houston and got his first victory, allowing three hits inseven innings. On Tuesday, in his fourth big-league start, he gaveup three hits -- all singles -- with a walk, a hit batter and threestrikeouts.
"I don't know what it is," said Sampson, who tweaked his calfrunning out a ground ball in the fourth. "I just go out and pitch mygame, throw strikes and let the defense help. Other teams could havemy number. It's just one of those things."
"He had a good sinker going, but his confidence grew as the gamewent on,"
said Cubs left fielder Cliff Floyd, who had one of the singles."A young guy, you have to rattle those guys. If you let these guysget their confidence, it could be a tough day."
SHORT HOPS: Ten of the Astros' 16 hits in the first two games ofthe series have been for extra bases, including nine doubles.
- First baseman Derrek Lee remains a bright spot during the Cubs'struggles. He had two more hits Tuesday, his fourth multihitperformance in five games, and has hit safely in all eight games.
- Atencion, entusiastas de los Cubs: MLB.com and the Cubs havestarted a Spanish-language version of the team's Web site. Go towww.loscubs.com.
gwittenmyer@suntimes.com
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