Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts faced the press after a surprisingly quiet winter, proclaiming a “fresh start” and exuding optimism. MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian transcribed the session.
Ricketts made no question of the goal: to return to the top of the heap in the National League Central. And he left no doubt of his belief in the roster’s ability to do it, calling the Cubs “the best team in our division.”
The Theo Epstein-led baseball operations department — what Ricketts terms “the best front office in baseball” — has acknowledged that it anticipated more significant roster turnover. But that doesn’t change the assessment for the team’s owner. Ricketts says that “everyone should feel very strongly that we have all the right pieces in place to get us back to the top.”
Bolstering his optimism is the presence of new skipper Davis Ross. Ricketts says the new hire seems thus far to be “the right guy,” labeling Ross “a really dynamic, exciting new manager.”
Was there anything else to cover? Oh, right … payroll. Jokes aside, finances dominated the conversation.
Ricketts was asked directly whether the Competitive Balance Tax threshold formed the team’s spending limit this year. He acknowledged having a budget and strongly considering the impacts of the luxury line. But Ricketts also denied that they’re one and the same, explaining that luxury penalties “aren’t defining the decisions in the front office, but they’re always a consideration in the front office.” And he said it’s always possible the organization “might stretch the budget” if circumstances warrant.
There were plenty more stretches of discussion to the same essential effect. We might sum it up this way: the Cubs have spent what they can for now, but they might consider adding more (or, presumably, could trim) depending upon how things look come late July.
Broadly, Ricketts focused on — you guessed it — sustainable winning, explaining that the club carries a “strategy of trying to be as consistent as possible to make the playoffs as often as possible.” The amount of money spent is less important than the decisions made, he emphasized several times. Neither statement reveals much of substance.
The other big issue that was addressed was the long-term relationship with star infielders Kris Bryant and Javier Baez. As for the former, Ricketts spoke fondly, largely dismissed chatter about his trade availability without ruling it out, and generally tried to strike a positive tone on the heels of a grievance proceeding that went the team’s way. Will either or both be extended, even if it’d mean stretching the future budget? “That’s in Theo’s camp,” Ricketts said, before noting that the ownership group would “have to take a look at what that all would mean for us financially.”
Astros should donate their playoff shares to charity and make it easy for the rest of us to move on
Friend saw the notification at the same time as me and said aloud, “Lucy, you got some splainin to dooo”
To think that the Astros were not still cheating in 2019 just because the apologist commish says so would be naive
They just don’t have the best pitching staff in baseball. Cubs have virtually no chance at winning a WS this year with their current starters. We’ve all seen the hitting tank the past two years but even if they break out they’ll have to atleast trade for a pitcher.
Plus, their bullpen is even worse.
I’m not too worried about the bullpen. The key is Kimbrel,of course, but they have a lot of good no-name depth.
Worry about making the postseason first. Let’s just say the Cubs have made it a four team race. My guess is one team will probably pull away, two will win about 85-90 games and one will disappoint. And you never know about the Pirates. They look bad but they may stick around to be a thorn in some team’s side for a while.
The Buccos are a wild card. Most years, they dominate one of the teams in the NL Central. Although they have no chance for the playoffs, they will help decide the NL Central champ.
So. More “hope this doesn’t backfire” signings and “nobody else wants” moves.
They’ve spent a ton over the last couple of years and will do so this year. If they can reset the luxury tax penalty this year and go past it again in 2021 while still playing winning baseball (like they have the last 5 years) I’ll be happy. So far the front office/ownership has done exactly what they promised.
Which was win 1 championship but raise prices for tickets every year since 2015 (highest average ticket prices in all of mlb), raise prices for souvenirs, raise prices for Old Style beer and now try to make everyone pay more for the Jason Marquis sports network?
Oh but they’re slashing prices a whopping 2.5% for 2020 because they didn’t make playoffs last year. That’s so kind of them. I like how Ricketts tries to say all the games will be on 1 channel now too. Ummk, so apparently none will ever be on Mlb network or ESPN? Is he a liar or does he think they’ll be that bad?
What do you except your getting beer at a sports event. It’s not gonna be less than 12$
Here’s a fun fact the Rockies raise their tall boys beer by a dollar only when the cubs visit.
Why are you associating former MLB pitcher Jason Marquis with the new Cubs Marquee Sports Network? Marquis last pitched for the team in 2008, hasn’t pitched in MLB since 2015 and was last scene throwing for Team Israel at the World Baseball Classic. Hopefully your comment wasn’t based on anti-Semitism stereotyping.
Marquee Sports Network is a regional sports network that will begin broadcasting Chicago Cubs baseball on February 22. It is owned and operated in a joint venture by Sinclair Broadcast Group and the Cubs. It is a sister channel of Fox Sports Network.
Marquee has announced the hiring of a number of former Cub players and other personalities to their broadcast team, most of whom will be analysts. They include Ryan Dempster, Mark DeRosa, Lou Piniella, Dan Plesac, Doug Glanville, Jason Hammel, Carlos Peña, Rick Sutcliffe and Mark Grace. I have yet to see Jason Marquis on this list.
Say the network name and Jason’s last name outloud.
Normally, I’m against calling names, but good grief, if you sense anti-Semitism in a humorous play in the network’s name, you might make me rethink that approach.
Mr. Sapoznik, I sure hope you are kidding with that response.
I’m anti-Sapoznik…
If I sensed the humor you detect I wouldn’t have questioned the comment. All I read was a vitriol complaining about the Cubs raising prices every year and the suggestion that owner Tom Ricketts was a liar. As a Cubs fan I can’t disagree with the first set of facts and I am also not the biggest fan of the Rickett’s ownership.
That said, the team has also had the idea of their own network in the works for some time now as their previous joint venture with the White Sox, Bulls and Blackhawks with Comcast/NBC Sports Chicago was nearing it’s conclusion. There was nothing funny about his comment and no reason to drag Jason Marquis name into the conversation.
Perhaps ‘whosyourmomma would like to set the record straight. All I’m seeing is other commenters coming to his defense.
Lol @ anti-Sapoznik. Look I was just poking fun at the name they chose for the network they are creating. Jason Marquis=Marquee was an average mlb starter and I could care less about his nationality, religion, zodiac sign, blood type, DNA profile, shoe size, love interests, hobbies, etc. So chillax with reading into things too much.
How about you answer why Ricketts said something like, “we just want our fans to have one station for all the Cubs games and content.” I believe he said there were 7 channels before (which is an exaggeration). Here’s what shows on a google search for Marquee Sports Network…”replacing a triad of channels as the exclusive broadcaster of Cubs games not shown on national TV.”
Is he lying or is he that foolish to think triad means 7 or that they never will play nationally televised games on like Fox or ESPN? And do they even sell Old Style at Wrigley still?
Mr. S., OK, you convinced me. It was clearly anti-semitism.
They have no bullpen, so I’m not sure how this guy can claim they’re the best team in the Central when they added nothing and took away from a team that choked hard.
One can always hope that Morrow is able to pitch and Kimbrel finds the strike zone (and misses bats). Wick looked last year. As did Ryan and Wieck. Chatwood was a good long man, maybe he’d stay there and give Mills a shot at the 5th rotation slot. .
Their starting rotation isn’t that much better. Hendricks has never been more than just above-average, Lester is in decline, Darvish and Quintana are shadows of their former selves, and they have no decent options for the 5th starter or for any depth behind them. Just one significant injury to one of their top 4 guys could doom their season.
Someone drinking the Cubbie Kool-Aid!
Ha!
4th place best possible outcome this season for the lowly Cubbies!
Probably not. The Brewers got worse. The Cards got worse. The Reds got better but they finished 16 games out of first and 9 behind the Cubs so they’ve got some ground to make up. It’s not impossible, but the division is good. I am glad to see that you stopped spelling Cubs with a v now though.
@Kappel….leave him alone…we all know V is for victory and we all know that you can’t spell cubs without thinking about victory. The v will be back in “cvbs” before we know it. Probably in this chain or the next Cubs posting tomorrow.
Quote the lowly Sox troll who is just one very bitter crap stick.
I think I’ve finally figured out why you read and comment on EVERY Cubs post…maybe bc there is literally nothing ever said about the Sox, lol. Enjoy your 2000 paying guests on a Sunday night game (u do get those, right) and your fireworks.
Don’t forget dog day, the only time they come close to filling 50% of that dump.
And the white Sox will be dead last the next 5 years. Out of nowhere the tigers will finish 81-81 and finish 4th. White Sox will end up being 70-92.
Typical Sox fan start chirping when their team gets better. Good luck to the White Sox. Stay off the Cubs message board
idk maybe a “fresh start” could be trading Bryant to the Rangers… just saying…
Rangers farm system isn’t strong enough to put a package together for Bryant. Stop dreaming
What if we take on Chatwood’s contract, and give up Solak in the deal?
Probably not worth it because Chatwood can eat innings and because this is the last year of his deal. The Cubs are going to clear a ton of money off the books after the season. Chatwood, Quintana, Lester, and I think Descalso (sp?). They can trade Bryant in July if they’re really bad or want till next off season.
Jung #55, Crouse #78, Solak, Walker, Vanasco, and Hearn is more than enough for the Cubs to trade Bryant to the Rangers. Rangers shouldn’t though.
Could other teams offer a better package? Sure. But rangers have enough to get Bryant.
Cubs and their fans need to wake up. If Cubs don’t trade Bryant this year they are in Mookie Betts situation- last year of control, everyone knows Cubs money issues (like red sox), and Bryant isn’t signing an extension with the Cubs (esp after the greivance issue).
Kris Bryant is not that good. Why are you cubs fans so delusional to think he’s the greatest ball player out there? He’s good, but he’s no Christian yelich
The fresh start is obviously not having Maddon around.
I hope the league stops there cheating also. The last home series against the Cardinals every time the Cards had a guy a on second base the cubs shortstop would get right behind the pitcher and jump up and down trying to distract the batter. It looked like a little league tactic but it was clearly against the rules. But the good guys prevailed like they should.
Is it? Or is it just frustrating?
Themed is a troll nobody actually thinks like that I would hope
Just another ill advised. “Every” time is pretty darn inclusive and I really don’t remember the Cubs winning any of those games. As a matter of fact I can’t remember who won the game Molina used the stick em on his chest protector. I also don’t remember the league doing anything about that.
Just ignore him, he literally knows nothing about baseball. If this comment does not solidify that idk what does. “ they were annoying my favorite team “ good grief
Cubs won. That play started a 4 run rally to go ahead. I think Matt S was at bat and got to first on a dropped ball strikeout.
MLB Rule 3.01 prohibits players from intentionally discoloring or damaging balls with foreign substances, and the penalty is an ejection and 10-game suspension.
Molina wasn’t in violation of the rule. Simply having sandpaper, an emery board or some sticky agent on a player’s uniform or in his possession is only a violation for the pitcher.
And the cards Swept that series. What’s your point?
My point is cheaters never win.
That’s deep, themed. Excuse me while I clean off my shoes.
“Sustainable” is the new “rebuilding”…….with their money, the Cubs should compete EVERY year….no excuses, none…….as should every other large market team…..
Instead if moving Bryant, Cubbies should really consider trading defensive liability Schwarber to an AL team for young pitching.
He’s not terrible. His routes are not great but his arm is a plus for LF.
An arm being a plus for LF isn’t saying much, since all the best arms play either CF or RF.
Have you ever seen Schwarber play defense? He’s better than most people think. I can say this to death. The talking heads started saying he was terrible because of 2 miss plays 5 years ago in the NLCS vs the mets. He’s had less than 20 errors in left field.
ANUSTART
So Jeff, FYI but there is a typo. it’s David Ross not davis…
What a total crock of SHEEET from Mr. Ricketts.
Landon Rickets?
reading your comments made me think of that time Rizzo had to tap the top of his helmet and have the home plate umpire move one of the center field umpires so he could see the ball.
If the Cubs are “the best team in the division,” it’s only by a small margin and only because every NL Central team is significantly flawed. The Pirates will probably finish in the cellar, while any of the other 4 teams could win the division with the right breaks. The Cubs have mediocre pitching, the Cardinals a mediocre offense, the Brewers a patchwork rotation and mediocre defense, and the Reds got a lot better but only compared to a lousy 4th place finish well below .500 last year. This should be a very interesting 4-way division race.
Just pay the tax is not even 6 mil dollars.. get it down yourself. Give the league 15 million tomget under
Totally thought that was a picture of Ted Cruz
I’m just going to say it, because I think it is safe to say this. The 1 championship in 100 year dynasty is over. Not even the most overrated and overpaid front office in baseball can fix it. For the amount of money the cubs spend annually on payroll for this team of future hall of famers. They should be ashamed. Bad signing after bad signing has handcuffed this team. Everyone of you cubs fans should be pissed because I guarantee, you give this payroll to any other team in the central besides the pirates and they would dominate for years and years. And spending $12 for and old style is madness
Way to go on a limb, Greg!
I figure the Cubs to finish around 500. They are not the best team in the central and Theo will dismantle the core and that will be that!
Sustainable winning when you have a HORRIBLE farm system….Lol… Tons of horrible decisions by Epstein in darvish, Kimbrel, Heyward, morrow, chatwood, Jackson, the Quintana trade just to name a few.. Yet it’s the best front office with horrible contracts worth hundreds of millions…what a joke..depleted the farm for a bunch of junk mostly. Maddon wasn’t the best.. he made a lot of mistakes with the bullpen especially.. but the bulk of mistakes by far was done by the front office. Maddon was more successful in a tougher league and division with less than half the payroll.. lol
You can point out the mistakes of any GM/VP. They are not going to hit on every trade or signing.
Kimbrel too early to tell
Darvish pitched well last year and now may have his confidence back
Morrow ok I get it
Chatwood ok I get it
Quintana yes that one stings
The Jackson signing served its purpose to eat innings on a bad team
Kind hard to win a division when you’re down by six runs and your starter gets knocked out of the game by the 3rd inning every other game. The cvbs pitching is their weakness, but their fans think they’ll magically get turn the clock back to 2016.
*magically turn…
and you’re back to spelling the team name wrong…… awesome.
The debut of Cubs Channel may lead to better team performance. Why fight back to a respectable record last season? Save that energy and apply it to your new network in 2020.
Granted, he did what good owners should do when they take over- Hand the reins to baseball people and get out of the way. And it led to a WS. But this interview is a whole lotta icing and no cake. If it wasn’t for “clueless Crane”, he’d wear that crown.
NL Central will be back to status quo Cubs v Cards. The Beers won’t be nearly as good as their last 2 smoke and mirror seasons. Maybe the Reds make a big jump, doubt it. Pirates are trash. And quit asking for a KB trade, the guy is a stud. He plays all over the field, runs well, and rakes. For 18 mil he is an absolute bargain.
Ricketts wants to save his money for political donations!
Everyone knows Ricketts is more interested in getting Trump re elected than he is putting a competitive ball team on the field