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"White Sox's Ken Williams, Cubs' Jim Hendry are inextricably tied to their skippers"

Worth a read, some good quotes from NL scouts and a GM on Hendry's decision to hire Quade.

over 1 year ago Stanley-cup-champs-wallpaper-toews-widescreen_tiny JB 23 34 comments 0 recs  | 

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Hendry was inextricably tied to LouPa and we know how that turned out

Nice details, but an offseason fluff piece that creates drama for no other reason than to spawn links.

WWOZ.org - New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Station

by Gibbon Jockey on Nov 25, 2010 2:39 PM CST reply actions  

True....

If not free agents, will the Cubs be able to take on contracts of good players if Hendry can swing a deal?

Probably not. Though i think Hendry is an amazing GM and spends money wisely all the time, sometimes his hands must be tied by the cheap owners he is now working for.

If Ricketts is such a Cub fan like he claims, won’t he be embarrassed by the dumpster diving he wants his team to do? And to raise ticket prices on top of it?

When the Cubs look to try to win again and act like a major market team, I will spend money on them again. Until then I will just watch the circus that is the Cubs on free TV.

by TJ11 on Nov 25, 2010 3:05 PM CST up reply actions   2 recs

I could never be a cheap owner....

Unlike the Ricketts family I am a real Cub fan and if I owned the team I would do everything to bring a winner here.

Raising ticket prices and telling the fans that we are not spending money on improving the team would not be what I do!

by TJ11 on Nov 26, 2010 9:16 AM CST up reply actions   1 recs

Of course you would.

But what if you had $30 million of debt service every year?

You can’t accuse them of being cheap when you don’t have the details of their finances.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Nov 26, 2010 10:01 AM CST up reply actions  

I don't know the details of their finances.....

and I could not possibly care less. If I am going to spend north of $800 million on a MLB team, I’m going to do all necessary homework to know exactly what my situation will be after the transaction closes. Now, being of the business pedigree that they are, I’m sure the Ricketts did this. But doing all the homework means also asking myself, “After I close this deal, am I going to be able to afford to put a quality team on the field?” “Or am I going to spend all my time discussing ballpark renovations and ticket prices, while smaller markets like Detroit beef up for a run at the World Series?”

As I’ve said, I’m giving the Ricketts time to show what they are willing and able to do before I really start running them down, or before I start staying that this ownership is no different from the Wrigleys or the Tribune. But I am saying that in over a year of ownership, however, they have done nothing, zip, to make me say, “Wow! These guys are in it to win it.” In fact, virtually everything they have done, like talk constantly about only the ballpark, has led me to believe the exact opposite.

"Don't complain to me about the stormy weather, boys. Just bring the ship into port." --Steve Stone, September 2004

by ctcoff99 on Nov 26, 2010 10:36 AM CST up reply actions  

And here we go again...

200+ comments on the way?

John Grabow: $4.8 million in 2011.

by rlpete on Nov 26, 2010 10:46 AM CST up reply actions  

Aww, shucks!

People actually giving their opinion on things again! How’d that happen on a discussion board?

by TheGrinch13 on Nov 28, 2010 3:13 PM CST up reply actions  

you are beyond help when it comes to your opinion vs reality

try and read the comments in here

Back-loaded deals are the BEST!

you might learn about some of the things Hendry had to put up with from Zell/Tribune that you are convinced must be used against Hendry.

Chronologically inept since 2060
"I could be writing this crap!" -- Crow T. Robot
Me: Q: I can run but not walk. Wherever I go, thought follows close behind. What am I?
Wrigster A: Theriot

by Cubbie-Tim on Nov 28, 2010 3:33 PM CST up reply actions  

with the back loaded contracts from the Zell / Tribune era

would it be fair to wait one season for payroll to shed and room to actually make moves (realistically) before people hang them? I see nothing wrong with that.

Chronologically inept since 2060
"I could be writing this crap!" -- Crow T. Robot
Me: Q: I can run but not walk. Wherever I go, thought follows close behind. What am I?
Wrigster A: Theriot

by Cubbie-Tim on Nov 26, 2010 10:48 AM CST up reply actions  

If I am going to spend north of $800 million on a MLB team, I’m going to do all necessary homework to know exactly what my situation will be after the transaction closes.

You don’t think they have done this? You’d be wrong.

Again, the complaints about the ballpark. It’s much easier to do ballpark fixups — which have been needed, incidentally — than to turn around an entire baseball organization. That should be clear.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Nov 26, 2010 1:23 PM CST up reply actions  

Well, obviously they didn't do enough.

Because they left the same people in charge of making decisions.

by TheGrinch13 on Nov 28, 2010 3:15 PM CST up reply actions  

show me ANY proof to support your statement

and not how you insinuate their statements, not how you believe they have to run a team, but where you have this proof of them NOT doing this.

Chronologically inept since 2060
"I could be writing this crap!" -- Crow T. Robot
Me: Q: I can run but not walk. Wherever I go, thought follows close behind. What am I?
Wrigster A: Theriot

by Cubbie-Tim on Nov 28, 2010 3:34 PM CST up reply actions  

as i posted before

its $30M annual just in interest, not including a payment on the actual team/field

Chronologically inept since 2060
"I could be writing this crap!" -- Crow T. Robot
Me: Q: I can run but not walk. Wherever I go, thought follows close behind. What am I?
Wrigster A: Theriot

by Cubbie-Tim on Nov 26, 2010 10:46 AM CST up reply actions  

So what?

Presumably, they’re making many times than in interest and revenue generated from their other holdings. The Ricketts Trust, in all likelihood, holds muni bonds paying them that much in tax-free revenue every year.

It’s silly to hear a billionaire family cry poor about the interest due on some notes they’ve taken out, while ignoring the interest they’re making on the other notes and securities they hold. It’s even sillier to hear a bunch of internet commenters defending the billionaires by proxy.

MLBMilestone.com - following the numbers to Cooperstown

by D98 on Nov 26, 2010 11:52 AM CST up reply actions   1 recs

which is different from those same people on the internet

spending the money of the ownership for them? its always easy to spend others money.

I am not defending as much as giving the facts that people are leaving out of their assumptions. Sure they make money elsewhere, but they also spend money elsewhere. We complained about the Tribune corporation using Cub made money to keep other Tribune interests alive, and now are complaining that the owners are not using money made elsewhere to support our Cub interests as fans, kinda a double edged sword right?

Chronologically inept since 2060
"I could be writing this crap!" -- Crow T. Robot
Me: Q: I can run but not walk. Wherever I go, thought follows close behind. What am I?
Wrigster A: Theriot

by Cubbie-Tim on Nov 26, 2010 11:58 AM CST up reply actions  

I seriously doubt that the debt service on the Cubs deal is affecting the situation.

The Ricketts Trust had, recently, 10 figures in net worth. They aren’t putting that money under the mattress.

They had to borrow some $$ to buy the Cubs – not out of necessity, but b/c the sellers wanted such a structure. At the same time, the remainder of their holdings – that they didn’t have to lay out in the initial deal – continue to generate revenue and interest.

It’s silly to point to the $30M or whatever that SOME of the notes they’ve taken out cost every year, while ignoring the fact that they’ve got, according to public records, hundreds of millions of dollars in a trust that is generating revenue. Not to mention their myriad businesses, including the Cubs.

MLBMilestone.com - following the numbers to Cooperstown

by D98 on Nov 26, 2010 11:55 AM CST up reply actions  

Since you don't know exactly how they have their businesses set up...

… I don’t think you’re capable of making this judgment.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Nov 26, 2010 1:23 PM CST up reply actions  

Do you think they've sunk the remainder of their worth in zero-revenue options?

It would be odd.

I mean, it’s possible they’re going with the “under the mattress” or “Scrooge McDuck-style swimming pool” plan, but in the overwhelming majority of instances – especially where, as here, they went to the trouble to set up a trust, the idea is to secure wealth and generate revenue while limiting estate and tax implications.

I’m pretty sure that the Trust is holding some 18% of all outstanding TD Ameritrade stock, for instance, and that pays a dividend.

MLBMilestone.com - following the numbers to Cooperstown

by D98 on Nov 28, 2010 11:08 PM CST up reply actions  

net worth =/- disposable finances to use for the Cubs

Chronologically inept since 2060
"I could be writing this crap!" -- Crow T. Robot
Me: Q: I can run but not walk. Wherever I go, thought follows close behind. What am I?
Wrigster A: Theriot

by Cubbie-Tim on Nov 26, 2010 2:16 PM CST up reply actions  

meant to be =/=

Chronologically inept since 2060
"I could be writing this crap!" -- Crow T. Robot
Me: Q: I can run but not walk. Wherever I go, thought follows close behind. What am I?
Wrigster A: Theriot

by Cubbie-Tim on Nov 26, 2010 2:16 PM CST up reply actions  

Specifically?

No. Which is why I don’t make statements like “they only care about bathrooms” or “they care more about the ballpark than the team”.

This is not a one-year project. It could take four or five years to rebuild the franchise. It’s a work in progress. It can’t just turn around overnight.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Nov 26, 2010 5:38 PM CST up reply actions  

Its seems to me that they are in over their head.....

They should have bought the Royals if they want to run a small market team.

I got excited when all I heard about was that they were big fans of the team.
What they seem to be is the kind of fan that gives us all a bad name, the type that sits there, dressed up, drinking a beer, staying for half the game, and talking about everything else but baseball. My guess is that 3/4 of us here know more about the Cubs history than they do.

Do I know them personally like Al does? Nope. So its all my opinion. But they have not really proven me wrong on anything yet.

People keep saying to give them a year. We already did. This is year two…..Did the first one not count because they spent part of it in Africa?
(Really, who buys a team, their supposed favorite team, then leaves the country for a chunk of the season. I would be there every frickin day! It told me a lot about their excitement to be owners.)

by TJ11 on Nov 26, 2010 4:12 PM CST reply actions   1 recs

One thing I

won’t fault them for is the Africa trip. IIRC is was a humanitarian trip, building schools or something. They needn’t be there every second—they are the owners, not the team president/GM etc.

HOWEVER, I think they have done a piss-poor job deciding who to keep in place (there is no reason Crane Kenney and Jim Hendry should have jobs, and Fleita should probably be gone as well), and they have generated nothing but ill will with the fans since they took over. They seem to only care about generating profit for themselves (the interview with Ricketts where he talks about convincing the Cubs purchase to his dad by saying “Dad it’s a great business, they fill the park whether the team is good or not!” probably wasn’t a good thing to let get out), and they have marketed themselves HORRIBLY. They haven’t done anything to convince me or a lot of other fans that a good baseball team is anything more than an unintended consequence of their thirst for more profit.

DEJESUS!!!

by tomas21 on Nov 27, 2010 10:04 AM CST up reply actions  

i dont fault them for wanting to profit

it is a business first, team second. And the statement about filling WF no matter what, we say it daily, its not an industry secret. I feel they could have done things better, same time fans should not hang them quite so fast. It takes more than one season to turn things around for new owners, the Blackhawks was the exception due to many things lining up for Rocky.

Chronologically inept since 2060
"I could be writing this crap!" -- Crow T. Robot
Me: Q: I can run but not walk. Wherever I go, thought follows close behind. What am I?
Wrigster A: Theriot

by Cubbie-Tim on Nov 27, 2010 11:56 AM CST up reply actions  

i hate

to call the ricketts cheap.but,so far they seem to be more worried about stadiums than fielding a winning team. but after a 145 million dollar team finishing 5th you almost cant blame him. as the tampa rays have shown you dont need a billion dollar team to win just talented players.hopefully these kids on the way up will be able to do the job.

by NOMAR on Nov 27, 2010 6:30 AM CST reply actions  

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