Sunday marks the tenth anniversary of the call-up of Anthony Rizzo, one of the essential days of the Chicago Cubs rebuild.
“I guess we’ll be the face of the franchise — me, him and a couple other young guys in here,” shortstop Starlin Castro mentioned after Rizzo’s arrival. “Let’s see what we can do.”
You know the remainder of the story.
Rizzo grew to become a Wrigley Field legend, signed a team-friendly deal, helped the Cubs win their first World Series since 1908, requested for giant cash when his contract got here up and was dealt to the New York Yankees within the final nice summer season sell-off.
While Rizzo thrives on one of the best staff in baseball, Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer has launched into one other rebuild (or semi-rebuild), making an attempt to determine which younger star can turn into the subsequent face of the franchise and which gamers are expendable.
The Cubs’ 5-3 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals on a sweltering afternoon Saturday at Busch Stadium failed to offer any clues.
Willson Contreras, the Cubs’ greatest and hottest participant, is predicted to observe Rizzo out of city after asking to be compensated as one of many sport’s prime catchers. Christopher Morel might be the Rizzo of the present rebuild however could be too uncooked to have nice expectations thrust on his shoulders. Ian Happ is a Rizzo protege and rising as a fixture in left subject. But like Contreras, Happ could be too precious to maintain in a company that should inventory prospects.
Meanwhile, Cubs president of enterprise operations Crane Kenney goes concerning the enterprise of earning money for the Ricketts household, repeating the acquainted chorus that each one the cash introduced in goes proper again into Hoyer’s funds. On Friday, when Dead & Company performed the primary of two concert events at Wrigley and DraftKings held a ceremony to signal a metal beam within the three-story sportsbook scheduled to open on the ballpark in 2023, Kenney instructed The Athletic the cash will all go to the betterment of the staff.
“So concerts, activities like (the sportsbook), are just additive to the budget, which, as I say, all of the budget in this building, everything that’s generated inside goes to the baseball operations team after we pay our fixed expenses,” Kenney mentioned. “Jed decides when and how much of it to spend. And Jed was clear last week that he did not spend all of his budget this year. So it’s his choice what he does with those revenues, but this is all helpful to that process.”
The narrative of the Cubs saving cash for a wet day down street is a well-known one. Chairman Tom Ricketts declared in November 2018 that many groups “would rather have dry powder a year from now.” He later signed off on a six-year, $126 million deal for pitcher Yu Darvish, then had Hoyer unload him after three seasons to begin one other rebuild.
It’s unimaginable to refute the notion the Cubs will spend the “saved” cash down the street as a result of we gained’t know the reality for a number of years at the least. That’s the true genius of the Cubs.
When not too long ago discussing final summer season’s sell-off of high-priced expertise for largely low-level prospects, Hoyer mentioned: “They’re probably going to be evaluated in 2027 for real, and I think that’s the way it should be.”
In different phrases, you may’t decide Hoyer’s large strikes for an additional 5 years, simply as you may’t criticize the Cubs for not spending cash they’re at the moment “saving” till we discover out in a number of years in the event that they’ve really lived as much as their phrase.
The listing of revenue-enhancing initiatives contains the video boards and large promoting sprawl at once-ad-free Wrigley, the boutique lodge throughout the road, the workplace constructing, the acquisition of just about each rooftop membership, the Marquee Sports Network and the premium golf equipment and upgraded suites.
The sportsbook annex to Wrigley is simply the newest addition to the Cubs’ coffers. So the place is all the cash going if it’s not going to the payroll? Are the “fixed expenses” actually that top?
Cubs followers have nobody guilty however themselves for this mess. The Cubs have been seventh in common attendance Saturday depite the having the fifth worst file in baseball and the second highest Fan Cost Index — $364.83 for a household of 4 — in accordance with Team Marketing Report.
Something doesn’t compute.
Kenney actually isn’t the primary Cubs govt to attempt to promote followers on the concept all the cash goes proper again into the staff. After a 97-loss season in 2000, the Cubs elevated ticket costs by a median of 16%, which then-President Andy MacPhail mentioned was essential to compete in a division with 4 groups that not too long ago had constructed new stadiums.
“We’re here to win, and whatever additional revenues are generated through ticket-price increases will be put back into the product, whether it’s payroll, player development or wherever,” MacPhail instructed the Tribune on Nov. 8, 2000.
Fool me as soon as, disgrace on you. Fool me decade after decade, disgrace on me.
But no matter works. The Cubs don’t thoughts repeating the road so long as followers maintain shopping for tickets. Kenney did it once more on WSCR-AM 670 on Saturday morning, even providing apologies for repeating himself.
They are in a position to get away with it as a result of nobody calls out Kenney for his repeated feedback.
The Cubs reside on previous glory to rationalize the excessive ticket costs, promoting iconic Wrigley Field in commercials and sustaining the “next great Cubs team” is on its manner with the “saved” cash totally free brokers and prospects at the moment enjoying within the low minors.
Perhaps they need to heed the phrases of Kyle Hendricks, who struggled all season however pitched a gem Friday evening in a 3-0 Cubs win within the collection opener. Afterward, Hendricks refused to make use of his begin as an indicator he felt like his outdated self.
“Somewhat, but it feels so long ago,” he mentioned. “I’m really trying to focus on where I’m at right now and just seeing the game for what it is, taking it and knowing where to go and making my pitches.”
Hendricks, 32, won’t be the identical pitcher as when he captured the National League ERA title in 2016 at 26. We all become older. Few of us get higher.
The Cubs aren’t the identical group they have been a decade in the past, with many extra revenue-producers and alternatives to contend on an annual foundation. Yet they proceed to trot out the identical outdated narrative and count on their followers to swallow it entire.
Hoyer mentioned final week that he spoke with Ricketts and Kenney concerning the staff’s struggles, and each had questions for him.
“You’d be sort of not paying attention or not doing your job if you’re not asking questions about why we’re struggling in certain areas,” Hoyer mentioned. “Some of it I think is obvious, and some of it is more nuanced. But I think everyone is asking questions, and they should be asking questions.”
Some of us are asking questions.
But we’re getting the identical outdated solutions.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com