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The Chicago Cubs paid Carlos Zambrano the kind of money – $91.5 million for 5 five years – where it's not unreasonable for fans and management to expect more than what the ace has delivered in the two years since signing the fat contract.

The latest example of his immaturity could cost the Cubs a playoff spot as Big Z has not toed the rubber for the North Siders since Aug. 1 due to lingering back pain. Zambrano admitted to the media on Sunday his own laziness in not wanting to do abdominal muscle exercises between starts has been a factor in not always feeling well enough to take the mound.

While Zambrano should get high marks for being forthcoming to the fans, those type of remarks should make Manager Lou Piniella and General Manager Jim Hendry cringe.

The Cubs so-called ace pitcher will miss almost a month – he's expected to return to the rotation Aug. 25 against Washington.

Meanwhile, in the two games he would have started since then, the Cubs were rocked by Colorado and Philadelphia. Zambrano was a late scratch against the Rockies, forcing Piniella to make Sean Marshall a last-minute starter with predictable results.

The next fill-in for Zambrano was Valparaiso's own Jeff Samardzija, who fared so poorly against the Phillies he was demoted the next day back to Triple-A Iowa, and had fans wondering if he should be catching passes for the Bears instead.

And this is just the latest of incidents by Zambrano that have included:

• Punching out the Gatorade dispenser, and firing a ball to the outfield in frustration earlier this season at Wrigley Field.

• Missed the team plane on a flight to Atlanta this season. 

• Suffering from cramps multiple times, and then revealing an unwillingness to take a few gulps of water and/or Gatorade between innings caused the dehydration that caused the cramps.

• Complaining after some of the Wrigley faithful booed him off the mound when he was going through a tough stretch in August 2007.  

• Getting into a fight with catcher Michael Barrett both in the dugout and then the clubhouse.

No doubt Zambrano again won't be in much trouble with Piniella because of his talented right arm.

The 28-year-old has an impressive resume, 103 wins against 65 losses, a 3.47 earned run average that includes a no-hitter against Houston last season.

But he's yet to be counted on in his career when the pressure is white hot, and that's what the North Siders need from him down the stretch as they attempt to overtake St. Louis in the NL Central.

And since signing the mega-contract, Zambrano won only 14 games last season, and seven so far this year.

With all the physical gifts Z has, including a rare ability in the majors for a pitcher to hit on a consistent basis, it's time for him to start being smarter about things.

Do the conditioning you need to do. Layoff the big swings in batting practice. You are being paid to pitch, not hit.

Have a big September for the Cubs, and maybe, just maybe, good things might happen in October.

- Tom