Mariotti talks to Cuban

[LeftCoastCubFan]

I'm sure there is a 10% chance that the Cuban Fidel Castro could buy them if they go on sale. :D

[wiumike]

I'm sure there is a 10% chance that the Cuban Fidel Castro could buy them if they go on sale. :D

 

Could the Cubs beat team Cuba? :-k

 

Mr. Castro, your table is ready.

[scs_paradise]

I think it may be a myth that Cuban will "win at any cost". He didn't "buy" his NBA success. There's a salary cap in the NBA. The Dallas personnel people have done a nice job of putting a winner on the court. That's the key. The Cubs spend plenty of money to win right now. They just have the wrong personnel building the team, in my opinion.

 

There are ways around the salary cap in the NBA which is why the New York Knicks can have a team salary of $123 million. Dallas is second in the NBA at $96 million. I'm not sure on the rules but I know there are ways around it. The NFL has a strict salary cap and there is no way around it.

 

I just don't see how the trib is the reason for the current crappy team outside of their support of andy MacPhail. it seems to me that they are more than willing to spend money, they just have an admin that spends it stupidly. I don't think their current payroll is the problem, its how they spent that money.

 

Now if you want to say they should replace MacPhail because he hasn't replaced Hendry maybe i would agree, but generally when things go this bad the firing starts at the bottom and works its way up, so I guess I don't know any organization that would have removed MacPhail already.

 

Besides I don't want to be the Yankees. I hate the Yankees. I wouldn't mind being the Yankees of '97 where alot of their players came from their farm team, but there is no way I would support a $200 million payroll team. and any such team that won the Series would certainly be a bitter sweet win for me.

[Banedon]

Mr. Cuban, your table is ready. \:D/ \:D/

 

Article talks about how the tribune is looking to buyback 500M in stock. Although 10% doens't seem like much, it does show the team is on the table.

 

The way I read that, it seems like the 10% chance is that the Cubs will even be put on the table...

 

EDIT: The Tribune itselfsays the Cubs aren't being sold:

 

Under the plan Tribune unveiled today, the company will sell off an undisclosed grab-bag of "noncore" assets, which officials explicitly said won't include the Chicago Cubs baseball team, to raise an estimated "at least" $500 million

[ConstableRabbit]

I wonder how everyone here would feel about Cuban's tendency to overpay awful players (Dampier and Bradley to name a few). Perhaps it wouldn't matter because the payroll would be so high.

 

In any case, I don't think it could be any worse that what we have now!

[Soul]

I think it may be a myth that Cuban will "win at any cost". He didn't "buy" his NBA success. There's a salary cap in the NBA. The Dallas personnel people have done a nice job of putting a winner on the court. That's the key. The Cubs spend plenty of money to win right now. They just have the wrong personnel building the team, in my opinion.

 

I think you're right. The Cubs spend the $$$, but something is missing. The money is flowing from the Trib, but is the homework being done? I'd have to say no, considering where we are right now.

 

The Mavs have done more than just spend tons of cash, they've really dug into the details on a few players to fill crucial roles and out-scout (if you will) other clubs.

 

Plus, they knew when they could handle letting go of Steve Nash. It's never an easy thing to get rid of a top player and continue being successful. But, they pulled it off. That's doing more than just spending buckeroonies. That's knowing what you're doing. Wish I could say the same for Hendry and the Trib, but I can't.

[JakeSlater]

Thing is, the White Sox didn't exactly win the World Series with a world beating owner.

 

Our ownership is absolutely horrible, but I don't want to wait 3-4 years for Cuban to come around. If we're going to win, we're probably going to have to hope for the teams we get to do it themselves.

[Larry Horse]

I think it may be a myth that Cuban will "win at any cost". He didn't "buy" his NBA success. There's a salary cap in the NBA. The Dallas personnel people have done a nice job of putting a winner on the court. That's the key. The Cubs spend plenty of money to win right now. They just have the wrong personnel building the team, in my opinion.

 

There are ways around the salary cap in the NBA which is why the New York Knicks can have a team salary of $123 million. Dallas is second in the NBA at $96 million. I'm not sure on the rules but I know there are ways around it. The NFL has a strict salary cap and there is no way around it.

 

I just don't see how the trib is the reason for the current crappy team outside of their support of andy MacPhail. it seems to me that they are more than willing to spend money, they just have an admin that spends it stupidly. I don't think their current payroll is the problem, its how they spent that money.

 

Now if you want to say they should replace MacPhail because he hasn't replaced Hendry maybe i would agree, but generally when things go this bad the firing starts at the bottom and works its way up, so I guess I don't know any organization that would have removed MacPhail already.

 

Besides I don't want to be the Yankees. I hate the Yankees. I wouldn't mind being the Yankees of '97 where alot of their players came from their farm team, but there is no way I would support a $200 million payroll team. and any such team that won the Series would certainly be a bitter sweet win for me.

 

I have to disagree.

 

The Trib has shareholders to answer to and as long as they can point to the Cubs as a money-maker, than they really have no reason to get rid of MacPhail because they are making money. Now if they were TRULY interested in a World Series winner, than MacPhail and his crew will be fired.

Any owner interested in winning the World Series would have fired MacPhail after 11 years of failing to attain that goal. Even reaching the World Series.

 

And who cares if the Cubs go the Yankee route to winning a title? Isn't 98 years of failure enough?

 

I honestly don't know why anyone would be aganist Cuban buying the Cubs. The Trib have had 25 years and I think they have proved they don't know how to do it.

[Soul]

I think it may be a myth that Cuban will "win at any cost". He didn't "buy" his NBA success. There's a salary cap in the NBA. The Dallas personnel people have done a nice job of putting a winner on the court. That's the key. The Cubs spend plenty of money to win right now. They just have the wrong personnel building the team, in my opinion.

 

There are ways around the salary cap in the NBA which is why the New York Knicks can have a team salary of $123 million. Dallas is second in the NBA at $96 million. I'm not sure on the rules but I know there are ways around it. The NFL has a strict salary cap and there is no way around it.

 

I just don't see how the trib is the reason for the current crappy team outside of their support of andy MacPhail. it seems to me that they are more than willing to spend money, they just have an admin that spends it stupidly. I don't think their current payroll is the problem, its how they spent that money.

 

Now if you want to say they should replace MacPhail because he hasn't replaced Hendry maybe i would agree, but generally when things go this bad the firing starts at the bottom and works its way up, so I guess I don't know any organization that would have removed MacPhail already.

 

Besides I don't want to be the Yankees. I hate the Yankees. I wouldn't mind being the Yankees of '97 where alot of their players came from their farm team, but there is no way I would support a $200 million payroll team. and any such team that won the Series would certainly be a bitter sweet win for me.

 

I have to disagree.

 

The Trib has shareholders to answer to and as long as they can point to the Cubs as a money-maker, than they really have no reason to get rid of MacPhail because they are making money. Now if they were TRULY interested in a World Series winner, than MacPhail and his crew will be fired.

Any owner interested in winning the World Series would have fired MacPhail after 11 years of failing to attain that goal. Even reaching the World Series.

 

And who cares if the Cubs go the Yankee route to winning a title? Isn't 98 years of failure enough?

 

I honestly don't know why anyone would be aganist Cuban buying the Cubs. The Trib have had 25 years and I think they have proved they don't know how to do it.

 

I think so too. And the whole "top 5 payroll" thing really doesn't work anymore. They've shown they'll spend money, yes. But it doesn't mean they spend it the right way, or that they have the knowledge to make that money work for them.

 

Plus, I don't like having a faceless corporation running the Cubs. MacPhail isn't really in charge. It's some board committe or something. I don't think that's the best arrangement for a Pro Sports franchise.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

I think it may be a myth that Cuban will "win at any cost". He didn't "buy" his NBA success. There's a salary cap in the NBA. The Dallas personnel people have done a nice job of putting a winner on the court. That's the key. The Cubs spend plenty of money to win right now. They just have the wrong personnel building the team, in my opinion.

 

I don't think people wanting Cuban is a case of them wanting someone to step in and spend 300 million dollars. They see Cuban as someone who won't tolerate failure(even if the team is still profitable), and will make changes the Tribune wouldn't because of that.

[Neuby]

If Cuban bought the Cubs it should be a fun franchise to watch. ESPN would have to make this a reality televison show.

[Wilson A2000]

How many billions does Cuban have?

[scs_paradise]

I think it may be a myth that Cuban will "win at any cost". He didn't "buy" his NBA success. There's a salary cap in the NBA. The Dallas personnel people have done a nice job of putting a winner on the court. That's the key. The Cubs spend plenty of money to win right now. They just have the wrong personnel building the team, in my opinion.

 

There are ways around the salary cap in the NBA which is why the New York Knicks can have a team salary of $123 million. Dallas is second in the NBA at $96 million. I'm not sure on the rules but I know there are ways around it. The NFL has a strict salary cap and there is no way around it.

 

I just don't see how the trib is the reason for the current crappy team outside of their support of andy MacPhail. it seems to me that they are more than willing to spend money, they just have an admin that spends it stupidly. I don't think their current payroll is the problem, its how they spent that money.

 

Now if you want to say they should replace MacPhail because he hasn't replaced Hendry maybe i would agree, but generally when things go this bad the firing starts at the bottom and works its way up, so I guess I don't know any organization that would have removed MacPhail already.

 

Besides I don't want to be the Yankees. I hate the Yankees. I wouldn't mind being the Yankees of '97 where alot of their players came from their farm team, but there is no way I would support a $200 million payroll team. and any such team that won the Series would certainly be a bitter sweet win for me.

 

I have to disagree.

 

The Trib has shareholders to answer to and as long as they can point to the Cubs as a money-maker, than they really have no reason to get rid of MacPhail because they are making money. Now if they were TRULY interested in a World Series winner, than MacPhail and his crew will be fired.

Any owner interested in winning the World Series would have fired MacPhail after 11 years of failing to attain that goal. Even reaching the World Series.

 

And who cares if the Cubs go the Yankee route to winning a title? Isn't 98 years of failure enough?

 

I honestly don't know why anyone would be aganist Cuban buying the Cubs. The Trib have had 25 years and I think they have proved they don't know how to do it.

 

I think so too. And the whole "top 5 payroll" thing really doesn't work anymore. They've shown they'll spend money, yes. But it doesn't mean they spend it the right way, or that they have the knowledge to make that money work for them.

 

Plus, I don't like having a faceless corporation running the Cubs. MacPhail isn't really in charge. It's some board committe or something. I don't think that's the best arrangement for a Pro Sports franchise.

 

I don't want to buy a Cubs world series, I want to earn one. and I agree that the Trib's main concern is making money, but really the Trib isn't the one signing the players. The Trib has given MacPhail and Hendry more than enough money to put together a great team, they just haven't spent the money right. I can't believe that with a 90 million investment in a payroll that there isn't some kind of pressure coming from the Trib onto MacPhail, but like I said, in ANY corporation you are not gonna see MacPhail fired before Baker and Hendry, because MacPhail is doing his job, he is providing his GM and Coach with enough money to field a winning team while still providing the Trib with a profit. That's his job. This ALL comes down to hendry and Baker, not MacPhail and the Trib, the only fault that could be placed on MacPhail is that he hasn't acted quickly enough to remove Hendry. But that happens alot in the business world, Hell even Donald Trump has said its taken him years to fire a guy he knew he needed to fire.

[nilodnayr]

I think it may be a myth that Cuban will "win at any cost". He didn't "buy" his NBA success. There's a salary cap in the NBA. The Dallas personnel people have done a nice job of putting a winner on the court. That's the key. The Cubs spend plenty of money to win right now. They just have the wrong personnel building the team, in my opinion.

 

I don't think people wanting Cuban is a case of them wanting someone to step in and spend 300 million dollars. They see Cuban as someone who won't tolerate failure(even if the team is still profitable), and will make changes the Tribune wouldn't because of that.

 

Plus, Cuban would be extremely sabermetric. In an interview with Chris Mathews he told him he is obsessed with finding statistical anomolies in the game and exploiting them and tracks stats on refs, etc.

[NorthsideAvenger]

Come on people, who else would love to see Cubs .v. Selig. The most electrifying owner in sports, versus the most boring sports president in sports? It's a billionaire's version of the "Odd Couple."