The Ricketts Report

It's been more than a full year since Tom Ricketts and family took over as owners of the Chicago Cubs.  In the first year, the Ricketts have made noticeable changes.  They have made numerous changes to make the Cubs and Wrigley Field better, all while maximizing revenue.  They have received credit for the improvements, coming from a fan base tired of general statements from Chicago Tribune spokespeople and press secretaries.  There have also been criticisms of the Ricketts, especially due to the unusual and unique situation of owning the Cubs, certainly a franchise different than any other.

In the opening press conference on the day the sale of the Cubs was completed, in fall 2009 shortly after the end of the regular season, Tom Ricketts stated that if anyone in the Cubs organization believed that the franchise was cursed, he would move them to a 'lesser-cursed' team.  Among many philosophies, the Ricketts instilled from Day 1 that there is no curse surrounding the team.  This highlighted a politically correct press conference, playing conservative and saying nothing unexpected, and would set the tone for the offseason.  A new marketing campaign was launched upon, dubbing the new slogan, 'Year One'.

The 2009-10 offseason was not an aggressive one for the Cubs, who were just glad to be rid of the cancer known as Milton Bradley.  Marlon Byrd was the only positional starter signed, while the other veteran bats in Xavier Nady, Chad Tracy and Kevin Millar were intended for the bench.  A solid pickup in Byrd, but not one that could turn the Cubs into a playoff team.  The Ricketts announced change would be coming to Wrigley Field in 2010, and this could be found in the ballpark.  While not immediately noticeable, the changes include a better variety of food options including popular new nachos served in a replica helmet for $15.  Some bathrooms were remodeled (womens only; no wonder neither you nor I noticed).  Ticket prices were raised to add more revenue, improvements were made to the Captain Morgan Club outside the stadium, a new exclusive club called the PNC Club, created in the space of six former skyboxes, opened in midseason with a full bar, lounge area, seats outside, and a hefty admission tag.  Most importantly, the Cubs hired 'fan relations' staff whose job it was to learn what fans thought of the changes, and what could be done to improve further.  I was quite surprised when a fan relations staff member approached and asked me many thorough questions about the changes at the ballpark.  Of course, all of the efforts made by the Ricketts in this paragraph were all to help accomplish one goal; increase revenue.

While the Ricketts have attempted to get in touch with the fan base, many aren't sure they're listening.  It has been just one calendar year since the completed sale of the team, so withheld judgment may be necessary, but some attempts to increase revenue have not sat well with the fan base.  For example, raising ticket prices before the 2010 season was not a great idea, considering how prices have raised faster than dollar inflation in recent years.  The Cubs overtook the Red Sox in 2010 with the highest average ticket price of any MLB team at $52.56.  That figure was 10.1% increase over 2009 and a drastic comparison to the Arizona Diamondbacks' league lowest rate of $14.31.  In this current offseason of 2010-11, the Ricketts announced a proposal to the government of Illinois, a publicly-funded renovation plan of Wrigley Field.  Under the plan, fans would pay a majority of funds for the renovation through extra taxes at the ballpark and on tickets, merchandise, and the like.  Somehow, the White Sox were able to command government money to build a new stadium in the early 90s after they nearly moved to Tampa.  But now, when the Cubs decide to renovate Wrigley Field, which should be the equivalent of building a new stadium but with the same structure, we, the public, have to pay for it.  Despite the economy, the government needs to understand the vitality of this project due to the projected economic growth to the area (read on).  The renovations include the construction of the infamous Triangle Building to the immediate west of Wrigley.  The building will connect to Wrigley and have shops, restaurants, fan entertainment, a Cubs Hall of Fame, underground batting cages for the players, administrative offices, and more.  While the renovations look to create jobs and economic growth for the area (a projected $3 billion over the next 35 years), it will cost the fans plenty of money in the new taxes.  Execution of the plan is still in jeopardy, because if the Cubs continue to lose and attendance continues to drop, the revenue stream for the plan could fail.

This brings up another topic of conflict with the Ricketts ownership: winning.  The Cubs didn't do it much in 2010 and Cub fans were disappointed in the Ricketts' attempts to fix the team.  While they may be concerned about revenue first now, the team needs to win to keep fans happy.  At the moment the Cubs are being held down by bad contracts (Alfonso Soriano, Kosuke Fukudome) and are short on financial flexibility.  The problem, though, is that the Ricketts are afraid to take an aggressive move this early in the ownership to win.  For example, the hiring of Mike Quade over Ryne Sandberg was the politically correct move.  Actually, both would have been politically correct, but the hiring of Quade and letting go of Sandberg is more justifiable than the vice versa option.  Quade went 24-13 at the end of the season, was supported by virtually every player on the roster, and was backed strongly by Lou Piniella.  Sandberg had paid his dues in the minors and had done everything he could to win the job, but didn't win out because his hiring would have meant a smack in the face to the entire organization that had come to like Quade.  I'd expect more aggressive moves this season, but it may not be enough.  The players and staff need to understand that the Cubs will not put up with a lack of effort or failure.

In conclusion, the Ricketts shouldn't have started their ownership of the franchise with passive action.  Renovations and improvements to the fan experience hold promise to make the Wrigley Field environment a more enjoyable one, but the methods of achieving this goals continue to raise eyebrows and uncertainty.  This team has missed the playoffs in two straight seasons, by a relatively wide margin, while failing expectations both seasons.  Neither have been good for the franchise, and winning is the crucial fix to many problems.  Winning can set up a chain reaction through a revitalization of the team meaning more revenue, that same original goal.  The Ricketts showed a disinterest in winning compared to revenue growth in 2010, a pattern that needs to change going forward.          

Shining Starlin

What can I say about these Cubs?  Here I am trying to profile what they're like this year and it seems like with each series they flip the tables around the surprise everyone.  Cub Nation let out a collective groan after the Cubs' offense was stymied by the worst pitching staff in baseball by far, that being Pittsburgh's.  Unbelievably, the Cubs were swept.  In that series, no one swung the bat well.  Fortunately, with the more aggressive Lou Piniella of 2010, another change was made in bringing up highly-touted prospect Starlin Castro from AA and sending down Chad Tracy.  It's about time.  Tracy never deserved to make this team and although he is a good player, Kevin Millar should have beaten him out of Spring Training.  Instead, the Tracy experiment failed and Millar is working as a studio analyst for MLB Network.  However, the positive out of all this is that Castro is now with the team. 

In his first career game, Castro not only got a start, he was a bigger story on ESPN networks than the Yankees-Red Sox game!  Theriot has moved back to second base to start full time there for the first time since 2006.  I made sure to watch live as the current pride of the Cubs' farm system stepped in for his first at-bat.  First swing in the big leagues, a three-run homer off disappointing Reds prospect Homer Bailey.  Does the homer-in-first-at-bat thing sound familiar?  Jason Heyward did that against the Cubs on Opening Day, also a three-run homer.  Castro, however, one-uped Heyward later by driving in three more on a bases loaded triple.  He was the third youngest player to hit a home run in his first at-bat, the youngest Cubs shortstop ever, and his six RBI set a major league record for a player in his first game.  All that, a two-run homer by Marlon Byrd, and a grand slam by Mike Fontenot highlighted a 14-7 rout of the Reds.  Where was all of this offense in Pittsburgh?  In fact, the 14 runs Friday almost tripled the Cubs output of five during that entire series.

There hasn't been this much excitement for a prospect since Mark Prior back in the day.  I have been a big Castro fan from day one of hearing about him and I'm very impressed.  This guy can do it all!  Right away he looks like a slump-proof hitter with his compact swing and great bat speed.  His stance is good, and we evidenced his ability to drive the ball to the opposite field on the homer.  He's very speedy and a sound fielder.  Also, he's humble and won't cause any problems on the team.  What's not to like?  Oh yeah and how old is he?  20?  Am I telling you the guy can smoke major league pitching and rule ESPN for a night then not be able to celebrate with a beer afterward (legally, of course)?  That's exactly what I'm telling you.

I hope Ryan Theriot isn't upset by his move to second base, but it is in the best interest of the team to do so.  Theriot, 30, is a decade older than Castro.  I admire Theriot's good range and strong arm from short, but the throws can get a little wild and he's had a lot of errors saved by three-time Gold Glover Derrek Lee.  He is a better fit at second.

On the bright side of Theriot moving to second, his fielding now should be spotless and we will still know the Ryan Theriot the Cubs have relied on for the past three years.  Theriot has 25-steal speed and Castro probably 30-steal speed and both are good fielders, so I think we will be seeing the best double-play combo the Cubs have had in a while.  Go Cubs!