Cubs Pitcher Is Confident Of New Deal

Monday, February 19th 2007, 10:15 pm

By: News On 6

UNDATED (AP) Chicago Cubs pitcher Carlos Zambrano says he expects to sign a one-year contract before Tuesdayâ€™s scheduled arbitration hearing. Zambrano earned $6.5 million last season when he was 16-7 with a 3.41 ERA.

He's asked for $15.5 million in arbitration, while the Cubs have countered with an offer of just over $11 million.

In other training camp news today:

-- Texas Rangers closer Eric Gagne threw off a mound for the first time at spring training, completing a 37-pitch session with no complications. Gagne underwent elbow and back surgeries last year, which limited him to only two appearances with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He won the National League Cy Young Award in 2003 but has pitched just 15 and two-thirds innings since the start of the 2005 season.

-- It appears that outfielder Bernie Williams has played his last game as a New York Yankee. He was a no-show at training camp after manager Joe Torre made numerous phone calls to try to persuade Williams to accept an invitation. Torre said Sunday that Williams was hurt the Yankees didn't offer him a guaranteed spot on their regular-season roster.

-- Toronto manager John Gibbons has a new one-year contract extension that runs through the 2008 season. Gibbons led the Blue Jays to a second-place finish in the American League East with a record of 87-75.

-- And the New York Mets have given veteran catcher Sandy Alomar Junior a minor league contract.