![]() ![]() The last time he addressed a group of reporters was when we staked him out on the concourse in September at Wrigley. This was his first spring training media session since 2020. Now he seldom feels the need to answer questions. When someone mentioned the Cubs finally had an “actual person” as owner, he cracked: “I pride myself on being an actual person.” Ricketts was less wary of the media in his first address as Cubs chairman. What’s his address? “Everyone knows it,” he said.Īfter answering our questions for 15 minutes, Ricketts went over to a fan area and signed autographs, which made for a good photo-op for Marquee Sports Network. If so, Ricketts said he answers “most of” his emails. ![]() And having prospects ready to step in, like the Astros had with shortstop Jeremy Pena for departed free agent Carlos Correa, as opposed to the Cubs having Frank Schwindel replace Anthony Rizzo at first base. Maybe better drafting and developing, especially pitchers. “But it’s obviously something we’d like to be more consistent with here.”īetter personnel decisions would be a good guess. “I can’t tell you why that is,” Ricketts said. The Houston Astros and Cubs began their rebuilds around the same time in the early 2010s, but the defending champion Astros have sustained their success while the Cubs have not. “But we will definitely put the resources we have on the field.” “I won’t promise top five (payroll) or anything like that,” he said. Ricketts said the Cubs even could go over the luxury-tax threshold “if we see an opportunity or it’s the right time to go over for a year or two … but we’ll manage that year to year.” The Cubs lost 101 games that year, and though the rebuild paid off with a championship in 2016, they have not been competitive the last two years in Rebuild 2.0.īut that led to Hoyer’s “intelligent spending” plan and optimism about an actual contender in 2023. Ricketts told us the rebuild would “pay off in the short run with a great team on the field this year and in the long run with a team that’s going to be competitive every single year.” That reminded me of a past media scrum from his “state of the Cubs” news conference after the first full-squad workout in 2012, the first year of former President Theo Epstein’s rebuild. “The key is that we like what we have, and I think we have a good strategy for putting a consistent winner on the field,” he said. Ricketts said he focuses on what the Cubs do and doesn’t worry about everyone else’s spending habits. I just know it’s something you have to be really careful about.” “Other teams do that analysis and make their bets. “And they know the first half of a super-long contract the player will likely be more productive, but the second half is likely to be less productive than the amount you paid him. “Everybody goes into those contracts eyes wide open,” Ricketts said. The Cubs aren’t in that stratosphere, and Ricketts remains wary of such deals. Such long-term deals are commonplace now, and teams such as the New York Mets, San Diego Padres and Philadelphia Phillies are spending money like the spigot will be turned on forever. ![]() “He was the best fit for us all along and the player Jed (Hoyer) wanted the most for us this offseason,” he said. Ricketts said Swanson was the right guy and likely will stay at shortstop throughout the deal. This offseason the Cubs handed Dansby Swanson a seven-year, $177 million deal. Heyward was the guy the Cubs wanted, but it didn’t work out. This year the Cubs will be paying outfielder Jason Heyward the last $22 million on his eight-year, $184 million deal after releasing him in November. If you’re going to take on a guy for seven, eight, nine years, you better make sure he’s the guy you want.” In 2011 Ricketts warned of the dangers of handing out long-term contracts, saying: “Any owner would say the length of the deal is often a bigger problem than the amount of dollars, so you’re going to have to be very careful. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |