After breaking the story on the sale of the Cubs finally being close to completion to the Ricketts family I have been inundated with e-mails asking what type of owner Tom Ricketts will be. After talking with several people who know Tom Ricketts and his family the reviews that I am getting are glowing with praise for what they will be like as owners of the Cubs.
Everyone I have spoken with talked about the type of person that Tom Ricketts is, calling him a first class guy who treats everyone who works for him with class. Ricketts is a very astute businessman who may have made his money in the financial sector but he has long wanted to own the Chicago Cubs and when he saw the opportunity he and his family jumped at it.
Legend has it that Ricketts met his wife at Wrigley Field and that during his teenage years he lived in a building next to the ballpark. He has always been very open about his love for the Cubs and people that I spoke with expect his competitive nature to been evident in his decision making about the team.
Who will be the baseball people that they add to the club? Speculation has centered on either retaining Crane Kenney or bringing in a veteran like Sandy Alderson who has had experience running a major league organization.
One move that would make tremendous sense would be to add Steve Stone to the front office as an assistant to Ricketts. Who better to help the Cubs than the brilliant Stone who has played for the Cubs, called their games for 20+ years and is considered one of the brightest minds in the sport? No one has been around this organization longer and has a better idea of what they need than Stone.
While the sale process has dragged on for 2 1/2 years the end appears to be near and it will be good for the club to have an owner at the top who will be hands on regarding the day to day operation of the team.
The Cubs are also exploring some trades before the July 31 deadline, and you can bet that Ricketts is being consulted on how much payroll he is willing to add. But don't expect a huge deal that would add millions to the payroll. A tweak to the bullpen and perhaps a bat for the bench are about all that the Cubs are considering at this point. It's nice to dream about a big star riding in to the rescue but it does not appear likely.
9 Comments
ddevonb said:
Good article, although it is a exaggeration to say it was a 2 1/2 year process.
While Zell announced his intention to sell that Cubs in the spring of 2007 but that was not the start of the Cubs sale process. Zell didn't actually own the Tribune Co. until near Christmas time. He couldn't offer to sell a property he didn't own yet, so that process didn't really start until he finalized the Tribune Co. purchase.
It only seems like 2 1/2 years. :)
cubdreamer said:
Kap, this is grest news about Tom Ricketts. Hopefully, Steve Stone could be part of the front office and help the cubs strengthen the farm system and end this championship drought.
cubfan81 said:
Great article Kap! I am so excited to see what Tom Ricketts does for this team. If no moves are made before the deadline it is going to be exciting to see what he does in his first offseason. I see him making a huge splash!
Steve said:
I really hope that he does not take the cubs off of WGN tv. The ONLY reason I am a cubs/baseball fan today is because the cubs are broadcast on WGN. I didn't have cable last year, and to be able to see almost half of the games for free is the only reason I became a huge fan of baseball. Although I will not stop loving the cubs because of this, it would be a shame. If I were only able to watch 1 game a month, I would have never been a fan. Radio would not have converted me also. I have a feeling many people have had similar experiences. Please Ricketts, reach a deal to keep about 60-80 of cubs game on WGN tv!
Andy said:
Don't worry Steve. My sources, which include two former MLB managers and a Don Kessinger bobblehead doll indicate that Tom Ricketts will e-mail you directly for advice on which TV outlets to broadcast the games on.
IvvChat Chuck said:
So, he's going to be a good owner because:
1) He's a nice business man;
2) He met his wife at the park;
3) He'll either hire an experienced baseball guy like Sandy Alderson or leave in place a suit with a law degree like Denny Crane Kenney;
4) He wants to win.
I see nothing in that resume that shows he knows anything about running a sports franchise.
At this point, the Ricketts group is a cipher. They could be great like John Henry and leave the baseball to the baseball people. They could also be control freaks and be more like Daniel Snyder.
We know nothing accept that the exit of the Tribune as profit-based owners is cause for celebration. The entrance of the Ricketts is cause for hope. It is NOT cause for a coronation.
They need to earn our trust by making good hires and letting those hires run the team.
Andy said:
That is nonsense, Chuck. The Rickettseseses will be great. Haven't you heard the minstrels recounting the legend of Tom Ricketts meeting his wife at Wrigley?
Kap should put on his curly shoes, grab a lute and enlighten you.
Huzzah, huzzah!
And the first thing Tom Ricketts is going to do is recall Sam Fuld from Iowa! Then, he'll trade Carlos Zambrano to the Cardinals for Mark DeRosa! We'll all be saved!
Pestilence said:
Kap,
Do you have a source that indicates that the Ricketts are looking at hiring Steve Stone, or is that just speculation on your part? It seems like it's speculation... but the placement in the post makes it sound like it's the Ricketts' plan.
If it is just speculation, I think you should have also indicated that other moves that would make sense would be to trade for Jake Peavy, Chase Utley, and Hanley Ramirez.
FiveOutsToGo said:
Great idea on Steve Stone. His plan to trade Aramis Ramirez for Cesar Izturis a few years ago was pure gold.
Maybe the Orioles will do that deal now. Then we can put Sam Fuld at third...who cares that he's a 27 year old career minor league outfielder. Steve Stone thinks he can play, so I'm sold!
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