Tom Ricketts Speaks from Spring Training: Construction Timeline, TV Deal, Rooftops
The Cubs held a blogger forum at Sloan Park in Mesa, where owner Tom Ricketts gave an update on a few interesting items. Our meeting actually followed his annual state of the union address and offered a little more depth to what we learned last month at Cubs Convention.
Here are a few takeaways from Monday’s forum.
On the team
- Ricketts is very happy heading into the season and believes this is going to be “a pretty incredible year”
- He mentioned that this may be the best rotation the Cubs have ever had, and certainly the best rotation since he has been with the team
- The Cubs should be able to keep the core of the team together for the next several years
- Management felt Yu Darvish was the best pitcher on the market this winter and the best fit for the Cubs
- Discussions with Darvish started early in the offseason and he wanted to be a Cub; his goal was to be on a playoff team
- Ricketts wants team to focus on getting out to a good start, hope to clinch early to be in better position come playoff time
Business and community efforts
- The major renovations at Wrigley Field will be completed next year, which means everything will be done by the start of the 2019 season
- Hotel Zachery is set to open on April 9, 2018, the Cubs home opener
- The team continues to work on a TV/RSN deal but nothing is imminent; things may come into focus over the course of the summer
- The Cubs’ goal is to be the most charitable team in sports
- Rooftops will continue to be operated as individual entities and not a single party deck, etc.
- Cubs trying to reinforce the team concept with #EverybodyIn slogan
