Rickett's comments on his team

[CUBZ99]

This is a really dumb argument. And irrelevant.

 

How Hendry did or did not plan for or react to injuries is essentially meaningless.

 

It is dwarfed by the staggering lack of talent on a $130 million payroll baseball team and the woeful farm system.

 

Fortunately(hopefully) the new GM will have $60MM+ to fill some holes. I just hope Ricketts statements regarding the commitment to the farm system weren't hollow and the Cubs have a good draft next week.

[PrimeTime]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/rosenblog/chi-cubs-owner-tom-ricketts-plays-fans-for-stupid-20110602,0,1480359.column

[CUBZ99]

Primetime was faster than I was. Edited June 2, 2011 by CUBZ99

[CUBZ99]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/rosenblog/chi-cubs-owner-tom-ricketts-plays-fans-for-stupid-20110602,0,1480359.column

 

 

 

 

And now the piling on begins.

 

For all the talking and writing and communicating Ricketts does with the fans, he’s apparently deaf. He’s certainly tone deaf, as he insults Cubs fans by saying there’s nothing wrong with one of the worst teams in baseball, just injuries. Playing the fans for stupid, is what he’s doing.

 

But then, maybe that’s all we can expect from a guy who sounds like someone delighted to be holding a handful of magic beans.

[apete6]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/rosenblog/chi-cubs-owner-tom-ricketts-plays-fans-for-stupid-20110602,0,1480359.column

 

Yeah, one of the best and most accurate Rosenbloom columns ever. Ricketts is really starting to worry me. If he doesn't clean house after this season, we're in for a long decade.

[NOLA]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/rosenblog/chi-cubs-owner-tom-ricketts-plays-fans-for-stupid-20110602,0,1480359.column

 

And now the piling on begins.

 

For all the talking and writing and communicating Ricketts does with the fans, he’s apparently deaf. He’s certainly tone deaf, as he insults Cubs fans by saying there’s nothing wrong with one of the worst teams in baseball, just injuries. Playing the fans for stupid, is what he’s doing.

 

But then, maybe that’s all we can expect from a guy who sounds like someone delighted to be holding a handful of magic beans.

 

If anything, this article proves the point that Ricketts was wise to answer the way he did. The press is all too ready to write something to stir up controversy for all the mouthbreather fans. No need for him to fuel that fire.

 

Damn, I'm glad Mariotti isn't around anymore.

[CubmanPi]

If anything, this article proves the point that Ricketts was wise to answer the way he did. The press is all too ready to write something to stir up controversy for all the mouthbreather fans. No need for him to fuel that fire.

 

Damn, I'm glad Mariotti isn't around anymore.

If he didn't want to fuel the fire, he didn't have to entertain the question in the first place. He also could have given the standard vague doubletalk about how solving problems won't happen overnight but he's constantly active in seeking ways to make this team better. Chalking it up to injuries was stupid, and it absolutely warrants the response he got in that article.

[SouthSideRyan]

Congratulations, you guys are on the same page as Steve Rosenbloom.

[SouthSideRyan]

Congratulations, you guys are on the same page as Steve Rosenbloom.

 

I hope Phil Rogers writes an article supporting my viewpoint on sports, that'll show you all!

[jersey cubs fan]

Congratulations, you guys are on the same page as Steve Rosenbloom.

 

It doesn't matter if he said it, just as long as he's not stupid enough to believe it. Because only a complete freaking moron would think it's true.

[apete6]

Congratulations, you guys are on the same page as Steve Rosenbloom.

 

It doesn't matter if he said it, just as long as he's not stupid enough to believe it. Because only a complete freaking moron would think it's true.

 

So basically you think Ricketts has done everything right the past 18 months? Good to know.

The Hayden Simpson pick, retaining Hendry, completely [expletive] up the asking for public money to fix Wrigley, Todd appearing on Undercover Boss and looking like a moron, and now pretending that injuries are the only thing wrong with this awful team is OK with you?

[jersey cubs fan]

Congratulations, you guys are on the same page as Steve Rosenbloom.

 

It doesn't matter if he said it, just as long as he's not stupid enough to believe it. Because only a complete freaking moron would think it's true.

 

So basically you think Ricketts has done everything right the past 18 months? Good to know.

The Hayden Simpson pick, retaining Hendry, completely [expletive] up the asking for public money to fix Wrigley, Todd appearing on Undercover Boss and looking like a moron, and now pretending that injuries are the only thing wrong with this awful team is OK with you?

 

Huh?

[apete6]

Congratulations, you guys are on the same page as Steve Rosenbloom.

 

It doesn't matter if he said it, just as long as he's not stupid enough to believe it. Because only a complete freaking moron would think it's true.

 

So basically you think Ricketts has done everything right the past 18 months? Good to know.

The Hayden Simpson pick, retaining Hendry, completely [expletive] up the asking for public money to fix Wrigley, Todd appearing on Undercover Boss and looking like a moron, and now pretending that injuries are the only thing wrong with this awful team is OK with you?

 

Huh?

 

That was more for the snarky comment about us "being on the same page as Rosenbloom". I hate the guy, but he hit this one on the head.

[NOLA]

If anything, this article proves the point that Ricketts was wise to answer the way he did. The press is all too ready to write something to stir up controversy for all the mouthbreather fans. No need for him to fuel that fire.

 

Damn, I'm glad Mariotti isn't around anymore.

If he didn't want to fuel the fire, he didn't have to entertain the question in the first place.

 

I think this is essentially what he did. Blaming it on injuries is as thoughtless as any other vague response to a question you know you don't want to answer. The difference is that you and Rosenbloom think it is some reflection on how he will run the franchise. It was a bland response to a baited question. That's all.

 

It's early in his ownership and Ricketts had some BS contracts that preceded him. Let's see how things play out. Piling on right now is completely reactionary. Thinking he had some grand scheme to torpedo this season is insane.

[CubmanPi]

Congratulations, you guys are on the same page as Steve Rosenbloom.

 

I hope Phil Rogers writes an article supporting my viewpoint on sports, that'll show you all!

People agree with the idea that Ricketts came off as either a complete idiot or someone who takes the fans and media for idiots. That doesn't equate to thinking the article was tolerable, clever, or well-written, nor does it equate to anyone's endorsement of Rosenbloom as an intelligent beat writer.

 

"When diplomacy ends, War begins."

 

"The man who has no sense of history, is like a man who has no ears or eyes"

 

"If you tell a big enough lie and tell it frequently enough, it will be believed."

 

- Hitler

Finding these statements to be accurate or insightful does not equate to supporting genocide.

[jersey cubs fan]

Piling on right now is completely reactionary.

 

What? In what way shape or form is asking for significant changes to how the Cubs are run reactionary? How long until piling on is no longer reactionary? He had plenty of pre-purchase time to evaluate the organization and more than enough post purchase time to make the appropriate changes and he hasn't.

 

Thinking he had some grand scheme to torpedo this season is insane.

 

I don't know how grand of a scheme it was but it's pretty clear this season is just a "wait it out" one and was from the start.

[NOLA]

Congratulations, you guys are on the same page as Steve Rosenbloom.

 

It doesn't matter if he said it, just as long as he's not stupid enough to believe it. Because only a complete freaking moron would think it's true.

 

So basically you think Ricketts has done everything right the past 18 months? Good to know.

The Hayden Simpson pick, retaining Hendry, completely [expletive] up the asking for public money to fix Wrigley, Todd appearing on Undercover Boss and looking like a moron, and now pretending that injuries are the only thing wrong with this awful team is OK with you?

 

No one is saying that. Separate issues. You argued that his answer to the press showed his true feelings about the state of the team. Most fans don't take it that seriously. Really, you sound like Colin Cowherd or Skip Bayless.

[SouthSideRyan]

The bad baseball was one thing, but that Undercover Boss appearance still chaps my ass.

[Yeti]

The bad baseball was one thing, but that Undercover Boss appearance still chaps my ass.

i wish i had seen that, i had it set to dvr, but some sort of sporting event ran late that night and i ended up with a recording of 60 minutes instead

[CubmanPi]

If anything, this article proves the point that Ricketts was wise to answer the way he did. The press is all too ready to write something to stir up controversy for all the mouthbreather fans. No need for him to fuel that fire.

 

Damn, I'm glad Mariotti isn't around anymore.

If he didn't want to fuel the fire, he didn't have to entertain the question in the first place.

 

I think this is essentially what he did. Blaming it on injuries is as thoughtless as any other vague response to a question you know you don't want to answer. The difference is that you and Rosenbloom think it is some reflection on how he will run the franchise. It was a bland response to a baited question. That's all.

 

It's early in his ownership and Ricketts had some BS contracts that preceded him. Let's see how things play out. Piling on right now is completely reactionary. Thinking he had some grand scheme to torpedo this season is insane.

It's a fair point to say that he was going for the vague response, and the brevity of time he spent with the media supports that, but it's still a pretty direct way of saying that this team would be fine without the injuries. I never said it's an indicator of how he will run the franchise. It's an indicator that he isn't in touch with the team's current problems. It could also be an easy way to avoid addressing issues that I'm sure he has no desire to address to the media ever, much less at this point in the season. If that's what he was going for, then it will prove to just be another drop in the bucket for this season.

[NOLA]

Piling on right now is completely reactionary.

What? In what way shape or form is asking for significant changes to how the Cubs are run reactionary? How long until piling on is no longer reactionary?

 

You're changing the argument.

 

Asking for significant change isn't reactionary. Getting worked up over a quote on June 1st is.

 

There are plenty of people unhappy with some decisions and the general state of the franchise who aren't overreacting to a quote in the paper. To answer your question, this next offseason will tell the tale for me, not a quote.

[jersey cubs fan]

Piling on right now is completely reactionary.

What? In what way shape or form is asking for significant changes to how the Cubs are run reactionary? How long until piling on is no longer reactionary?

 

You're changing the argument.

 

Asking for significant change isn't reactionary. Getting worked up over a quote on June 1st is.

 

There are plenty of people unhappy with some decisions and the general state of the franchise who aren't overreacting to a quote in the paper. To answer your question, this next offseason will tell the tale for me, not a quote.

 

I'm not changing anything. You said piling on right now is completely reactionary. It was a nonsensical attack by you on anybody who has negative feelings toward the way the Cubs are being run by Ricketts and his employees.

 

Ricketts has had plenty of time to make better decisions than the ones he has made so far (namely keeping with the status quo).

[Backtobanks]

And then the questions immediately start popping up about how much blame should be pinned on Hendry, how much on Quade and is either of their jobs in jeopardy.

 

And Ricketts could simply say: "I am evaluating everyone and lets leave it that". After that, say: "Thanks, guys", and walk away. He really sounds like an idiot (whether he meant what he said or not) to use the injury card as an excuse for this horrid team.

 

And speculation only increases that Hendry's days are numbered and then the first question (and an endless amount after that) in Hendry's next press conference is whether he thinks he'll be fired, whether he's talked to Ricketts about his job, etc. Thus making his job more tedious because he has to field even more questions about his job security.

 

I think the earlier comment about expectations was right on. If Ricketts knew this would be a difficult year and that we'd be fighting to stay around .500 most of the year, then he made a 100% accurate statement that the biggest thing wrong with this team is injuries, because without all the injuries all at the same time this team is probably a lot closer to .500 than it is now.

 

By answering the way he did, Ricketts showed faith in the original team that was constructed and didn't open any new cans of worms.

 

I totally agree. Everybody knew this was going to be a difficult year and the Cubs would be a borderline .500 team. Any optimism was based on everything going right for the Cubs and going wrong for the Reds and Cards. The team has totally sucked, but all of the injuries has to be considered as the main reason this team hasn't played somewhere near expected (borderline .500, not contenders). With minor leaguers and bench players filling up 40% - 50% of the starting lineup and rotation on a daily basis, it's not surprising that they're getting their rear ends kicked daily.

 

Isn't that kind of a pointless distinction? Either way the Cub's weren't going to contend, which is unacceptable.

 

If they were a 80-85 win team, it gives you a direction for the future. Questions about whether Cashner can be a ML starter, whether Barney is legit, whether Ramirez has anything left, whether Colvin is ready to play regularly, whether 1 or 2 players can put them over the top, etc. could be answered and needs assessed if the Cubs had a healthy 2011.

[XZero771679666304]

Thinking he had some grand scheme to torpedo this season is insane.

 

I don't know how grand of a scheme it was but it's pretty clear this season is just a "wait it out" one and was from the start.

 

That's a far cry from sabotage. And really, there wasn't much potential for this to be anything but a wait it out season. I would have sacked Hendry and Kenney, but even if there was new management they would have been totally hamstrung by largely immovable expiring contracts. There was little potential for change in the on field product.

 

It's not the way I would have preferred to see it done, but letting this season play out isn't the end of the world. What happens starting the day after the season ends will be the real test.

 

It could be that Ricketts saw this year likely wasn't going to go well and decided to let Hendry stick around to go down with the ship. That way he could say he gave him a full season to prove himself and appear diplomatic for doing so. Then he could cut Jim and Crane loose and start clean with a new GM and a bunch of freed up payroll. I really don't see that as shady.

 

Or he may maintain the status quo and the whole thing could go to hell. We'll see.

[Old Style]

I think the mods here struck a secret deal with Ricketts to make an asinine comment to the media in order to drive up the traffic here complaining about his comments. Pretty [expletive] brilliant, if you ask me. Bravo.