"As TV talking heads discussed the subject in the background, one Cub walked through the clubhouse Sunday in Atlanta, playfully saying, ''Where in the world is Carlos Zambrano?''

On Monday, we got an answer: He's on an image-fixing publicity tour of handpicked media outlets — by some accounts against the advice of his agent — expressing undying love for the Cubs and remorse for bailing on his team Friday night.

Whether the scheme helps ­improve his image with another club, it's lost on this one.

Too many incidents and too many apologies that were eventually rendered empty by subsequent actions have left Zambrano without a locker in the clubhouse, despite another $18 million year left on his contract.

General manager Jim Hendry, who joined the team in Houston, wouldn't revisit the Zambrano ­issue, even in the midst of Zambrano's media campaign.

''There's nothing else to be said,'' Hendry said, referring to a conference call with reporters Saturday, when Zambrano was put on the ­disqualified list for 30 days without pay for emptying his locker and leaving the stadium during the game the night before. ''The process will run its course.''

The ''process'' officially began Monday with the anticipated filing of a union grievance against the Cubs.

Assuming even half the suspension is upheld — or that the process takes that long regardless of its outcome — it becomes almost ­impossible for Zambrano to return to the team this season.

Major League Baseball still is waiting in line to impose a possible suspension for throwing at Chipper Jones, which led to the ejection that sent him into the clubhouse early. That could mean six more games.

And after missing that much total time, he wouldn't be physically ready to start again, so that's another period he'd need to go somewhere and get stretched out again."