CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Carlos Zambrano is excited about the trade that sent him from the Chicago Cubs to the Miami Marlins, expressing confidence that it will rejuvenate his career.

The hot-tempered pitcher was a three-time All-Star with the Cubs, but he feuded with teammates, management and umpires. Miami is hoping he will get back on track while pitching for his Venezuelan countryman, new Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen.

“This is like a rebirth in my career, and I say so because it is a new experience, a change that creates a new opportunity,” Zambrano said Thursday in his first public comments since the deal.

Zambrano was 125-81 with a 3.60 ERA during 11 seasons with the Cubs, a rocky tenure that ended Aug. 12. He was ejected from a game, cleaned out his locker, talked about retiring and was suspended without pay.

He was sent to the Marlins last Thursday for fellow right-hander Chris Volstad. Zambrano, due to earn $18 million this season in the final year of his contract, waived his no-trade clause to accept the deal.

“My time with the Cubs was very successful except for the last two years,” he said. “But I would say there were 11 years of success and would like to be remembered well in Chicago. Unfortunately the last two years there was no mutual understanding on either side and many things happened.”

The 30-year-old Zambrano expressed gratitude to the Marlins for having confidence in him.

“Going to Miami will be more relaxed, waiting to do my job and together with my teammates trying to win with this team,” he said.

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Motorists have reported a sharp-dressed pig running loose on a highway just outside of Pittsburgh. State troopers also spotted the animal but failed to catch it before it scurried off into the woods.

The pig is wearing a scarf. The sightings were reported between 8:30 a.m. and 9 a.m. Wednesday just west of the city on Interstate 376, known locally as the Parkway West.

State troopers from the nearby barracks in Findlay Township spotted the pig, but couldn’t catch up to it.

Police say the pig appeared to be a baby and confirmed it was wearing a scarf. Police don’t know why that is or who may own the animal.

LONDON (AP) — A private funeral service for Bee Gees star Robin Gibb will take place next week, with a public memorial service planned for later in the year.

In a statement issued Wednesday on behalf of Gibb’s family, his relatives confirmed that a service for “close family and friends” would take place on June 8.

No details about the location of the funeral have been disclosed.

The Gibb family requested that mourners offer donations, rather than flowers, to two children’s charities on the Isle of Man, where Gibb was born.

Gibb, a founder of the Bee Gees with his two late brothers, died on May 20 after a long battle with cancer at the age of 62.

Plans have not yet been confirmed for a planned public memorial service.

NEW YORK (AP) — Andie MacDowell will be a pioneer for the Hallmark Channel, starring in the network’s first prime-time series.

Hallmark said Wednesday that MacDowell will portray municipal court Judge Olivia Lockhart in “Cedar Grove.” It will start with a two-hour movie airing later this year and continue with a 13-episode series early in 2013.

The new series is based on books by author Debbie Macomber. Movie adaptations of Macomber’s books have been among the top-rated programs that Hallmark has shown over the past three years.

MacDowell’s movie credits include “sex, lies and videotape,” ”Groundhog Day” and “Four Weddings and a Funeral.”

WASHINGTON (AP) — A gauge of Americans who signed contracts to buy homes fell in April from nearly a two-year high in the previous month.

The decline was the biggest in a year. Still, sales are well ahead of last year’s level for the same month, suggesting the housing market is improving slowly.

The National Association of Realtors said Wednesday that its index of sales agreements dropped to 95.5, down from March’s reading of 101.1.

A reading of 100 is considered healthy. One year ago, the level was 83.5.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A massive wildfire in southwestern New Mexico’s Gila National Forest is now the largest fire in state history.

Fire officials said Wednesday the erratic fire has grown to more than 170,000 acres, surpassing a blaze last year that burned 156,593 acres in New Mexico and threatened the nation’s premier nuclear facility.

The Gila forest fire is also the largest currently burning in the country.

Fire information officer Jerry Perry says about 1,200 firefighters from around the state were in the isolated region to battle the growing blaze. He says they face low humidity and shifting winds in their firefighting efforts.

Perry says parts of southern New Mexico could expect to see smoke from the fire, which has destroyed a dozen homes.