Stuff From Tom Ricketts

In Facepalm by Rice Cube71 Comments

Hey kids! Tom Ricketts sent us an email! Let’s have fun with it!

Oct 11, 2024
Cubs Fans,

There is no way to sugarcoat it – this is not where we planned to finish the season. Like our fans, we had high expectations for our team this year and early victories delivered hope for postseason baseball. But inconsistent play and injuries upended that promise, leading us into a hole too deep to recover from despite another second half surge. Bottom line, we did not play a complete season of competitive baseball. As a result, we have again missed the most exciting and exhilarating month of the season – October.

I think we’ve all lamented the injuries that derailed the season, but the almost two months of slumping was way worse than any of us could have imagined. Given how fun the postseason has been so far, hell yeah we would have loved to see the Cubs in it even if they probably get bounced in the wild card anyway. Or maybe they would’ve caught lightning in a bottle, who knows? But we certainly won’t find out this year.

The work is underway to close the gap to make the Cubs a perennial playoff team. Our baseball operations staff is redoubling its efforts to build a team that consistently plays in the postseason and delivers the promise of sustained success to Cubs fans.

There were statements from various Cubs, Craig Counsell, and Jed Hoyer that at least suggest they will do SOMETHING. That is TBD, we will find out more once the World Series ends, free agency begins, and the qualifying offer stuff shakes out.

Though we fell short this season, we have strong foundations to build on.

Jed, Carter and our team of coaches, analysts, scouts and strategists have created one of the top player development groups in the game today – with eight prospects on MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 list – the most of any team in Major League Baseball. After this summer’s draft, the Cubs boast a top-flight player development system in most independent rankings, including #2 in USA TODAY’s latest evaluation.

The challenge, as always, is to translate that raw talent into major league wins, but the task is generally easier when your minor league talent has a high floor and (at this point) near-limitless ceiling.

Under the leadership of manager Craig Counsell, we continued to see players develop on the major league level. Rookie pitcher Shota Imanaga, who signed as a free agent last offseason, had one of the best seasons as a rookie pitcher in Cubs history, leading the team with 15 wins, a 2.91 ERA, 174 strikeouts and only 28 walks. He steered the way on a memorable September night at Wrigley Field where his seven hitless innings kicked off a combined no-hitter that was closed out by Nate Pearson and Porter Hodge. Rookie Michael Busch secured a starting role at first base and slugged 21 homers with a .775 OPS. Fellow rookie Pete Crow-Armstrong brought excitement to the basepaths with six triples and a 93-percent stolen base rate. PCA also kept runs off the board with his electrifying defense. Additionally, veteran Ian Happ had a career year with personal bests in home runs (25) and RBIs (86) and continues to be a clubhouse leader.

We see a list of all the really cool performances we all enjoyed this past season, and I like the last part where Tom reminds us that despite all the fan hate, Ian Happ really isn’t that bad.

Before we turn the page on this season, I also want to thank you for helping us recognize Ryne Sandberg this year. For many of us, Ryno’s play defined an era, and his statue unveiling was a once-in-a-lifetime tribute to a true Cubs legend. Ryne and Margaret are forever a part of our Cubs family, and it was important for us to stand in support of his fight against cancer by hosting Cubs for a Cure this year, which helped raise $1 million to battle this terrible disease.

We also remain committed to making a positive impact in the community through Cubs Charities. This year, more than 17,000 students participated in our youth sports and academic programs in neighborhoods across Chicago.

It is these special moments and activities on and off the field that bring the players and fans together to remind us of what we all love about Cubs baseball.

It was really cool to see Ryne Sandberg make good progress against his cancer, seems he is going to be just fine. Naturally the Cubs continue to support the community, and I found out this summer that the softball fields I used to play in were upgraded very nicely by a generous grant from the organization. I think Jason Heyward still supports the community through his charitable work as well despite no longer being a Cub. Your mileage may vary as to how much more the Cubs (and other very wealthy people) can do, but it’s better than nothing.

It is more than a game – it is a tradition that spans decades, with our fans at its heart and soul. You bring an excitement to the ballpark that is as time-honored as the ivy-lined walls and historic scoreboard. I want to personally express my sincere gratitude for your continued loyalty to our team.

Now, it is time for us to get to work to bring championship caliber baseball back to Wrigley Field.

Sincerely,

Tom Ricketts

I think the Cubs had a pretty solid attendance number this year, though they are expected to raise ticket prices because reasons. I’m sure people will continue to pay to justify those increases, much to our chagrin (for those of us who are peasants like me), but it is pretty inevitable. We will wait and see what they actually do, but for now it’s a good time to peruse the free agent list while exploring fake trades in our fantasies. However, the Cubs are in the fortunate position where they’re in charge of their own television rights and revenues, and aren’t selling the team like some folks, so at least there’s some stability that will allow them to make some moves should they choose to do so.

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  1. Author
    Rice Cube

    I did like that he didn’t dwell on “woe is Cubs” or grovel or anything, mostly it was yeah we sucked, but some cool things happened, and we will move on and do better.

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  22. berselius

    looks like the rain moved away, it would have been hilarious if Cleveland had yet another deciding playoff game hit by a rain delay (dying laughing)

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  36. Author
    Rice Cube

    berselius,

    I saw they’re staying in London for another game and his photo during the contest does look like someone who knows they’re on the verge of being fired and/or thrown into the Tower of London to rot

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  47. Perkins

    It is kinda funny that Scherzer and Verlander both requested trades because they didn’t want to be in a rebuild. I guess Scherzer got a ring so he’s probably not too mad (dying laughing).

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  48. berselius

    Perkins,

    Given what I remember of how things went for both this year, I’m not sure the Mets would be here right now if they stuck around (dying laughing).

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  52. berselius

    Just tuned back in, the Mets radio guys are still throwing (justified) shade at the dodgers sound system (dying laughing)

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  54. berselius

    If the Mets can get to the NLCS with Sean freaking Manaea as their pitching WAR leader, maybe the cubs don’t need to invest (dying laughing)

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  56. andcounting

    berselius,

    It sounds like a rave, which, no shame to anyone in the club, is not what I’m looking for at a ballpark much less in my living room. It’s hard to keep the game on the TV, frankly.

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  58. Author
    Rice Cube

    I wonder if the video guy thought Alonso disengaged 1B early but I felt that challenge wasn’t worthwhile, I was more surprised given the double clutch and the amount of time to make the play materialize that the runner couldn’t beat the turn

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  67. berselius

    (dying laughing) jets, the dumpster fire makes up for Josh Allen coming up half a point short for my fantasy team. This defense looked sloppy and disorganized, for some reason 🤔

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  69. Author
    Rice Cube

    I feel like Cleveland has a chance to tie, they essentially lost last night to two very bad mistakes (one that barely made it out) and three wild pitches that the catcher honestly should have stopped at least two of

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