Carlos Zambrano to file his grievance today

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This is not terribly unexpected, but Jon Paul Morosi reports that the union expected to file a grievance on behalf of Carlos Zambrano by the end of the day today in response to the Cubs placing him on the restricted list.

We all have our opinion about Zambrano — and I bet that most of us think that he’s out of line and wouldn’t put up with his crap for ten minutes if we didn’t have to — but before you jump on the union here, understand that it is their job to be an advocate for the player, not a judge.  Just as a guy who mows down a street fair in a Buick while hepped up on goofballs is entitled to a defense, so too is a player when he runs afoul of his team, no matter what we think of him.

And, setting aside Zambrano’s history and his obvious flair for the dramatic, it’s not crazy to think that a month-long suspension — which amounts to a multi-million dollar fine in his case — is excessive punishment for what amounts to a two-hour temper tantrum at the outside.

My guess is that it’s all negotiated down to some sort of shorter suspension and, like has happened so many times in the past, Zambrano is back with the team soon, talking about how he’s readjusting his attitude and all of that.

Dodgers place pitcher Noah Syndergaard on injured list with no timetable for return

dodgers syndergaard
Katie Stratman/USA TODAY Sports
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CINCINNATI — The Los Angeles Dodgers placed pitcher Noah Syndergaard on the 15-day injured list Thursday with a blister on the index finger of his right throwing hand.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said the timetable for Syndergaard’s return is unknown despite the 15-day designation.

“The physical, the mental, the emotional part, as he’s talked about, has taken a toll on him,” Roberts said. “So, the ability to get him away from this. He left today to go back to Los Angeles to kind of get back to normalcy.”

Syndergaard allowed six runs and seven hits in three innings against the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday night, raising his ERA to 7.16.

Syndergaard (1-4) has surrendered at least five runs in three straight starts.

Syndergaard has been trying to return to the player he was before Tommy John surgery sidelined him for the better part of the 2020 and 2021 seasons.

Roberts said Syndergaard will need at least “a few weeks” to both heal and get away from baseball and “reset.”

“I think searching and not being comfortable with where he was at in the moment is certainly evident in performance,” Roberts said. “So hopefully this time away will provide more clarity on who he is right now as a pitcher.

“Trying to perform when you’re searching at this level is extremely difficult. I applaud him from not running from it, but it’s still very difficult. Hopefully it can be a tale of two stories, two halves when he does come back.”