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MIAMI -- Carlos Zambrano will get a much-needed fresh start with the Miami Marlins. Roger Staubach Jersey . The Chicago Cubs traded their former ace Wednesday for Marlins right-hander Chris Volstad, pending physicals and approval by Major League Baseball, a person familiar with the negotiations said. The person confirmed the deal to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the teams hadnt announced a deal. Zambrano wore out his welcome in Chicago because of repeated meltdowns and tantrums. The most recent came when he cleaned out his locker and talked about retiring after giving up five homers and being ejected during a loss to Atlanta on Aug. 12. He was suspended without pay and then it was decided he would sit out the rest of the season. In Miami hell be joining another former Chicagoan, Ozzie Guillen, who expressed interest in acquiring Zambrano when he was hired as the Marlins manager in October after stepping down as the White Sox skipper. Zambrano joins a franchise on the upswing after a winter spending spree resulted in the signings of all-stars Jose Reyes, Mark Buehrle and Heath Bell. Zambrano finished last year 9-7 with a 4.82 ERA. The Cubs expected more when he signed a US$91.5 million deal over five seasons through 2012, including a $17,875,000 million salary last season and $18 million in 2012. As part of the trade, theyll likely pay much of his salary. Volstad went 5-13 last year with an ERA of 4.89, and his career record is 32-39. He has given up 69 homers over the past three seasons, which could mean trouble for him at Wrigley Field. Zambrano is 125-81 with a 3.60 ERA after breaking in with the Cubs in 2001, and he threw a no-hitter against the Astros. But he had difficulty controlling his temper. In 2007, he got into a fight with teammate Michael Barrett, first in the dugout and then in the locker room. Barrett ended up with a bruise under his eye and a cut lip. In 2009, he went on tirade against an umpire, throwing a baseball into the outfield, pretending to eject the umpire and slamming his glove against the dugout fence, a tantrum that led to a suspension. In 2010, Zambrano was placed on the restricted list for six weeks and sent to anger management after a verbal altercation with then-teammate Derrek Lee. Rolando McClain Womens Jersey . Erik Karlsson and the Ottawa Senators felt good after their 3-1 defeat of the Washington Capitals on Monday, their first back-to-back victory in 51 days and their first three-game winning streak at the Canadian Tire Centre this season. Bob Lilly Womens Jersey . The Desert Foxes took part in the 2010 World Cup and failed to advance past the group stage, and the African side figures to have a tough time reaching the last 16 this time around as well. Belgiums last appearance on the big stage was the 2002 tournament when the team reached the second round before bowing out to eventual champions Brazil. BARCELONA, Spain -- Neymar scored twice to help Barcelona beat Villarreal 2-1 and take advantage of Real Madrids slip as it opened up a five-point lead over its fierce rival at the top of the Spanish league on Saturday. Third-place Madrid fell behind and settled for a 2-2 draw earlier at Osasuna in a match both sides finished with 10 men, and Barcelona didnt let the chance escape. Barcelona, still without the injured Lionel Messi, again turned to Neymar after his hat trick against Celtic in the Champions League on Wednesday to convert a penalty on the half-hour mark and restore the lead in the 68th after Villarreal levelled. Barcelonas eighth win in as many league games at Camp Nou this season provisionally lifted it three points clear of Atletico Madrid before it hosts Valencia on Sunday. "We played well and knew how to pull out of the game," Barcelona coach Gerardo Martino said. Other than Alex Songs shot off the upright from a corner kick six minutes in, the first half was a rather monotonous display of "tiki-taka" passing by Barcelona. But all of Villarreals discipline in defence was undone when right back Mario Perez used his arm to block Jordi Albas pass, letting Neymar step up and stroke in the spot kick. Villarreal didnt muster a shot on goal until defender Mateo Musacchio outmanoeuvred Marc Bartra to thump in a corner kick three minutes after halftime to unexpectedly even the score. The pace picked up with Giovani Dos Santos going close for the visitors before Neymar put Barcelona back in charge when he tapped in Alexis Sanchezs short pass following his control of Cesc Fabregas lobbed throughball. Besides missing Messi as his hamstring heals, Barcelona will be without Neymar for next Sundays game at Getafe after he received his fifth yellow card of the season, meaning he must serve a one-game suspension. Osasunas Oriol Riera headed in goals in the 16th and 39th before Madrids woes deepened when Sergio Ramos received his second yellow card in the 44th. With Cristiano Ronaldo unable to extend his eight-game scoring run for club and country, midfielder Isco Alarcon pulled one back before halftime and passed for Pepe to head home the 80th-minute equalizer seconds after Osasunas Francisco Silva also earned his second boooking. Gavin Escobar Womens Jersey. . "The team demonstrated it has a good attitude, but a draw is like a loss for us," Madrid defender Marcelo said. "We knew that the result wasnt good enough but we reacted too late." Madrids five-game winning run in the league ended at Reyno de Navarra Stadium, where it has only one victory in its last six visits. Osasuna, which sits just two points above the relegation zone, has held both Barcelona and Madrid to draws there this season. After Ronaldo missed two chances, Osasuna struck first when right back Marc Bertran dribbled by his marker and swung a cross to the far post where Riera was left unmarked to redirect the ball into the net. Madrid momentarily lost both its verve in attack and composure in defence, and both centre backs Pepe and Sergio Ramos got yellow cards. Riera was left free to finish off the rebound of Damia Abellas header from a corner kick that goalkeeper Diego Lopez sprung to palm off his line. And Ramos soon saw his second yellow card on a questionable decision when Osasunas Roberto Torres fell after colliding with his arm. "Our first 20 minutes were very good. Its unbelievable that we were then down 0-2 and playing with 10 men," Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said. "Its difficult to explain." Just when Madrid was at its lowest, Ronaldo dribbled into the Osasuna defence and laid off for Isco to place a right-footed strike just inside the upright and pull one back before the break. Osasuna still appeared set for victory after a placid second half until Silva earned himself two yellow cards in a four-minute span. Isco found the hole left in the defence which Pepe exploited to score Madrids second and salvage a point. Elsewhere, Granada moved into the upper half of the standings by prevailing 2-0 at 10-man Rayo Vallecano in an error-plagued match, which included Granadas Youssef El Arabi wasting a golden chance, Rayo letting Fran Ricos harmless cross bounce into its net, and Rayo defender Ignacio Martinez drawing a second yellow for diving in the box. Malaga edged Getafe 1-0 at home to get a much-needed win and take some pressure off first-year coach Bernd Schuster. Striker Roque Santa Cruz went on in the 74th and a minute later headed in the winner. cheap jerseys from china cheap jerseys ' ' ' |
