Chicago Cubs starter Carlos Zambrano was activated from the restricted list Friday and the righthander is ready to pitch after making amends with his teammates.
"It feels good to be back," he said. "I had to come in and apologize to the team."
Zambrano was suspended June 26, a day after he got into a verbal altercation with teammate Derrick Lee. The two exchanged words in the Cubs dugout after Zambrano was pulled from his start after allowing four runs in the first inning against the Chicago White Sox.
Zambrano was placed on the restricted list June 29.
"I've thought about it. It wasn't acceptable," Zambrano said. "It was embarrassing for the organization and the fans. I have to put it behind me. I want to move forward and contribute."
Zambrano talked with manager Lou Piniella on Friday before the team opened a three-game weekend series with the Colorado Rockies.
Zambrano made one appearance for the Mesa Cubs of the Rookie League and three with Class AAA Iowa while on the restricted list.
To make room for Zambrano on the 40-man roster, the Cubs granted reliever Bob Howry his unconditional release. Piniella said Howry, who was 0-3 with a 5.66 ERA in 24 appearances after signing with Chicago on May 21, may decide to retire.
Mets' Bay suffers from a concussion • New York Mets left fielder Jason Bay went on the 15-day disabled list with a concussion before the team opened a three-game series against Arizona. The move was made retroactive to Monday, the day after the Mets finished a series at Dodger Stadium, where Bay was injured.
Bay was hurt last Friday night when he crashed into the bullpen gate while catching Jamey Carroll's drive at the left-field fence. He played Saturday and Sunday, going two for nine with four strikeouts, and said he didn't feel the effects of the concussion until experiencing headaches on the flight back to New York.
Bay sat out a three-game series against St. Louis this week. The Mets said he was examined by the club's medical staff Friday and is still having headaches.
Nats make amends as Miss Iowa tosses first pitch • Miss Iowa, Katherine Connors, threw out the ceremonial first toss before Friday night's game between Philadelphia and Washington. Her catcher: Nationals reliever Miguel Batista, who recently made a comment about Miss Iowa as part of a self-effacing joke.
Batista created a furor Tuesday when the journeyman was called upon to replace injured star Stephen Strasburg at the last minute. Most of the 40,000 fans in the ballpark began booing when the change was announced.
"Imagine," Batista said after the game, "if you go there to see Miss Universe, and you end up having Miss Iowa — you might get those kind of boos."
Batista's comment didn't sit well with some of Connors' Iowa brethren, many of whom called or wrote the team to complain.
"A lot of people are mad about it because somebody's talking smack about Iowa," Connors explained. "You do not talk smack to an Iowan."
A's place Bailey on DL • Oakland placed closer Andrew Bailey on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to July 21. Bailey, coming off his second All-Star appearance in as many years, hasn't pitched since July 20 with a strained right rib-cage muscle. He's expected to return Aug. 6.
The A's also signed first-round draft pick Michael Choice to a minor league contract. Choice was drafted 10th overall in June, the highest the A's have picked since taking Barry Zito ninth in 1999. He eventually will join Oakland's Class A affiliate in Vancouver.
Indians' Talbot has sore back • Cleveland placed righthander Mitch Talbot on the 15-day disabled list with a lower back strain. An MRI on Friday revealed the strain. No decision has been made on who will replace him in the starting rotation.
Former Dodgers pitcher dies • Billy Loes, who pitched on three pennant-winning Brooklyn Dodgers teams in the 1950s and was an AL All-Star in 1957, has died. He was 80.
A righthander from Queens, N.Y., Loes pitched for the Dodgers (1950, 1952-56), Baltimore Orioles (1956-59) and San Francisco Giants (1960-61). He had an 80-63 record with 645 strikeouts and a 3.89 ERA during his 11-year career.
