Re: Sale of Cubs to Ricketts Complete (p. 15)

[davell]

I like what I've heard today. I wouldn't want them to jump in and "Steinbrenner" the free agency class this year. A slight increase won't change our team up much from this past year, in all likelihood, but with health and a return to form for a few guys, we should be in the hunt next year for a playoff spot. I love the longterm view of building from within. I'd love to see us spending more on the draft and more in the Dominican as well, along with keeping up what we're doing in the Pac Rim. And that definitely sounds plausible from his comments.

 

Keeping Hendry and Lou around doesn't bother me. I also like the fact that it sounds like Hendry needs to produce this year or he could be gone soon after. Lou's probably gone anyway after 2010 as it is.

 

Putting all the money back into the team and the facilities is probably the single best thing we could have heard today, especially from a longterm viewpoint. Of course, they have to follow through on what was said, but I certainly like what I've heard so far.

[jersey cubs fan]

I think the thing that I'm most optimistic about is the fact that people in the organization will be held accountable for their performance, from the front office to coaches to the players. That is something that has been sorely lacking in the history of this franchise, especially the last 15 years or so.

 

How so? If anything, people have been held more accountable in the past 15 years than in Cubs history. Lynch was shown the door fairly quickly. They realized Dusty was the wrong guy and let him go despite an "unprecedented level of success". They made a change in the draft room after a couple down years. They've fired hitting coaches and base coaches and have had 6 different managers. Something as arbitrary as "holding people accountable" isn't particularly meaningful. The thing that has held the Cubs back for so long has not been ownership, or accountability, but the wrong people making the wrong personel decisions. It's as simple as that. All this other stuff about putting the focus on winning and concentrating on the product on the field and all the rest are just words to keep the media busy. It all comes down to who they acquire to play baseball games, and they haven't acquired enough good players.

[erik316wttn]

I think the thing that I'm most optimistic about is the fact that people in the organization will be held accountable for their performance, from the front office to coaches to the players. That is something that has been sorely lacking in the history of this franchise, especially the last 15 years or so.

 

How so? If anything, people have been held more accountable in the past 15 years than in Cubs history. Lynch was shown the door fairly quickly. They realized Dusty was the wrong guy and let him go despite an "unprecedented level of success". They made a change in the draft room after a couple down years. They've fired hitting coaches and base coaches and have had 6 different managers. Something as arbitrary as "holding people accountable" isn't particularly meaningful. The thing that has held the Cubs back for so long has not been ownership, or accountability, but the wrong people making the wrong personel decisions. It's as simple as that. All this other stuff about putting the focus on winning and concentrating on the product on the field and all the rest are just words to keep the media busy. It all comes down to who they acquire to play baseball games, and they haven't acquired enough good players.

 

Dusty had a 4-year deal and should have been shown the door sometime in 2005. They just didn't renew his contract. They didn't terminate him like they should have. And you cant argue that the clubhouse went to hell under his watch, too. And Hendry, while he's made some good moves, has been allowed to do more harm to this team than good without much interference from above, and hasn't stepped in to overrule the manager at times when he should have, either.

 

I'm not one to say that the guy at the top should be putting his hands in every aspect of the business, but if he sees things going to hell, he's got to step in and do something, which is something Hendry doesn't do, and Baker never did, due to either stubbornness or ignorance.

Edited October 30, 2009 by erik316wttn

[David]

How isn't ownership at fault when they continually let incompetents run the team?

[David]

Ricketts will be joining B&B at 3:30

[erik316wttn]

How isn't ownership at fault when they continually let incompetents run the team?

 

This is my point, far more succinct than I could have put it. Thank you.

[Wheelimus]

I'm not too upset about Hendry. Most of us figured that Hendry would get at least a year due to his contract. If not, we'd probably see a first time GM getting a chance on the cheap. I'd rather get a year of Jimbo off the books and if he hasn't bounced back, cut him.

 

Like most of what I'm seeing so far, just hope that he really improves the team.

[jersey cubs fan]

Dusty had a 4-year deal and should have been shown the door sometime in 2005. They just didn't renew his contract. They didn't terminate him like they should have. And you cant argue that the clubhouse went to hell under his watch, too. And Hendry, while he's made some good moves, has been allowed to do more harm to this team than good without much interference from above, and hasn't stepped in to overrule the manager at times when he should have, either.

 

I'm not one to say that the guy at the top should be putting his hands in every aspect of the business, but if he sees things going to hell, he's got to step in and do something, which is something Hendry doesn't do, and Baker never did, due to either stubbornness or ignorance.

 

Dusty had a 4 year deal and was successful in the 2 years, very few, if any, baseball owners would have fired him in 2005. I dislike Hendry very much, but the team was going through an ownership change, and still winning, it would have been very hard to cut the guy loose then.

 

 

The Trib hired some very successful baseball people to run the team. Green and MacPhail are two of the most well respect guys around. They are currently run by the wrong people, but it's hardly incompetents. Hendry was a successful minor league coordinator and a very logical choice to take the position, and again, they had success early on in his tenure. They let him work through his 2 year down time and then they started winning again. I feel he should have been able to do much more with what he was given.

 

However, the point is it's not a bunch of nonense leadership phrases that will determine if this team gets better. "Holding people accountable" just doesn't mean much of anything. Guys were fired or let go all the time under the Trib.

[Banedon]

Anyone know what time the interview is at? I'm hoping after 3:30 so I can hear it. Can some recap it here?

 

Ricketts will be joining B&B at 3:30

 

I have power I was unaware of.

[David]

Ricketts is on now...670... in studio

[Guest]

Ricketts is on now...670... in studio

Can you or someone else summarize? I can't get it to stream online.

[Mugged By Fluffy]

I heard bits and pieces of it. Looks like Crane Kenney is staying, Hendry is staying and that they are going to be judged on what happens this coming season. Says that the team has enough talent right now to win the World Series(I'm not sure I agree with that) and did not rule out any kind of corporate sponsorship at Wrigley. He says he may do it in a more subtle manner which will not take away from the integrity of the park. Made a good point that he'd like to develop the farm system and build from within so that they can stay competitive for quite a few years.

[Guest]

Ricketts keeps harping on player development. I like it.

 

MLB.com[/url]"]MLB.com: The No. 1 question Cubs fans have is can this team win a World Series?

 

Ricketts: As someone who knows the sport well, you know there's no magic. There's no number you can spend. There's no one player who can make all the difference in the world. The key is you have to consistently make the playoffs. Once you're in the playoffs, anything can and will happen. If you get the hot hand in the playoffs, before you know it, you've got champagne all over you.

 

The way to get to the playoffs, and the way to keep on that World Series track, is to be consistent, and the way you're consistent is player development. To bring in the right players and have the scouts and the coaches on the same page when they try to turn those players into contributors at the Major League level is key.

 

In the (Arizona) Fall League, I think there's a good argument that we're on the right track for player development and on the right track for creating that kind of consistency. In the end, when someone says, 'How are you going to win the World Series?' there aren't two different answers. The answer is you get to the playoffs, and you get to the playoffs by having as much flexibility as you can with personnel. That comes from player development.

[dew1679666265]

Ricketts keeps harping on player development. I like it.

 

MLB.com[/url]"]MLB.com: The No. 1 question Cubs fans have is can this team win a World Series?

 

Ricketts: As someone who knows the sport well, you know there's no magic. There's no number you can spend. There's no one player who can make all the difference in the world. The key is you have to consistently make the playoffs. Once you're in the playoffs, anything can and will happen. If you get the hot hand in the playoffs, before you know it, you've got champagne all over you.

 

The way to get to the playoffs, and the way to keep on that World Series track, is to be consistent, and the way you're consistent is player development. To bring in the right players and have the scouts and the coaches on the same page when they try to turn those players into contributors at the Major League level is key.

 

In the (Arizona) Fall League, I think there's a good argument that we're on the right track for player development and on the right track for creating that kind of consistency. In the end, when someone says, 'How are you going to win the World Series?' there aren't two different answers. The answer is you get to the playoffs, and you get to the playoffs by having as much flexibility as you can with personnel. That comes from player development.

 

Wow. This sounds really, really good.

[Keener98]

Yea I think its fairly obvious if the Cubs dont succeed this year Hendry is gone. On Tribune Live, Kaplan was asking about Crane Kenney and Hendry, and Ricketts comment was something to the effect of, "Crane is a good business guy and revenues have improved the last few years, and we are expecting Crane to be with us for years to come, and Jim has done a good job, and we expect him to lead us into next season."

 

Maybe I'm reading too much into his comment but he specifically states his intent of Crane being with us for years to come, but only mentioned this season when talking about Hendry.

[E.J.]

Ricketts keeps harping on player development. I like it.

 

MLB.com[/url]"]MLB.com: The No. 1 question Cubs fans have is can this team win a World Series?

 

Ricketts: As someone who knows the sport well, you know there's no magic. There's no number you can spend. There's no one player who can make all the difference in the world. The key is you have to consistently make the playoffs. Once you're in the playoffs, anything can and will happen. If you get the hot hand in the playoffs, before you know it, you've got champagne all over you.

 

The way to get to the playoffs, and the way to keep on that World Series track, is to be consistent, and the way you're consistent is player development. To bring in the right players and have the scouts and the coaches on the same page when they try to turn those players into contributors at the Major League level is key.

 

In the (Arizona) Fall League, I think there's a good argument that we're on the right track for player development and on the right track for creating that kind of consistency. In the end, when someone says, 'How are you going to win the World Series?' there aren't two different answers. The answer is you get to the playoffs, and you get to the playoffs by having as much flexibility as you can with personnel. That comes from player development.

 

Wow. I think I need a change of pants. That's exactly what I'd like to hear from our new owner.

[Hall7810]

Ricketts and Dempster are on CTL right now.

[jersey cubs fan]

Yea I think its fairly obvious if the Cubs dont succeed this year Hendry is gone. On Tribune Live, Kaplan was asking about Crane Kenney and Hendry, and Ricketts comment was something to the effect of, "Crane is a good business guy and revenues have improved the last few years, and we are expecting Crane to be with us for years to come, and Jim has done a good job, and we expect him to lead us into next season."

 

Maybe I'm reading too much into his comment but he specifically states his intent of Crane being with us for years to come, but only mentioned this season when talking about Hendry.

 

I'd definitely call that putting a guy on notice.

[MSG T]

Yea I think its fairly obvious if the Cubs dont succeed this year Hendry is gone. On Tribune Live, Kaplan was asking about Crane Kenney and Hendry, and Ricketts comment was something to the effect of, "Crane is a good business guy and revenues have improved the last few years, and we are expecting Crane to be with us for years to come, and Jim has done a good job, and we expect him to lead us into next season."

 

Maybe I'm reading too much into his comment but he specifically states his intent of Crane being with us for years to come, but only mentioned this season when talking about Hendry.

 

I'd definitely call that putting a guy on notice.

 

 

I realize this is WAY early, but I'm liking this guy way better than I thought I would. Hopefully he acts on this stuff, really means it, and doesn't let everyone down by letting things continue as they have been. I would be very happy.

[manbearcub]

Kenney mentioned that at somepoint the Cubs will be moving to their own network, similar to nesn, yes, etc.

[J.R.]

Kenney mentioned that at somepoint the Cubs will be moving to their own network, similar to nesn, yes, etc.

 

He also said Florida is a very real possibility for ST.

 

That was a refreshingly candid interview on Kenney's part.

[David]

Kenney always is candid and is a pretty damn good interview.

[J.R.]

It is fascinating to think that these events were borne largely thanks to the seeds planted by Jim Dowdle and Dallas Green nearly 30 years ago.

 

After selling millions upon millions of tickets and t-shirts and beers, today marks the culmination of the Tribune's ultimate, final sale on the themes of bricks and ivy and fun at the old ballpark. Harry Caray would be delighted to know that among those singing with him in the 1980s were the kids who would one day give nearly a billion dollars for the whole thing,

[BCVM22]

Harry Caray would be delighted to know that among those singing with him in the 1980s were the kids who would one day give nearly a billion dollars for the whole thing,

 

Tremendously well put.

[Outshined_One]

I'm still skeptical. He's saying all of the right things, but until we see action and results, these are nothing more than words.