ok, listen up class! you're about to get a lesson in what it means when a true businessman like tom ricketts owns the cubs rather than an eight-headed monster like the tribune that couldn't make a decision in less than a year's time because everyone had to sign off before plowing forward.
tom ricketts is a guy who likes to make money and he doesn't look at the cubs as a tax deduction. HE is the guy in charge and after spending a almost a BILLION DOLLARS on this steaming pile of doo-doo and watching them underachieve all season (what a surprise), he's just started with his free business lessons to cub fans. to wit:
he is stuck with the LARGEST payroll in the national league at 147 million dollars and one of the worst teams. he's noticed thru the years that cub fans continue to show up to watch this crap and although they leaving earlier now to get a good spot in a wrigleyville watering hole, the bottom line is they've still purchased three million tickets and the waiting list for season tickets is growing, not shrinking.
light bulb goes on in the thought balloon above the head of tom ricketts! unload salary and replace the overpaid players with minor leaguers. BRILLIANT!!! the first math lesson happened just last week when ted lilly & ryan theriot headed west with their combined 15.6 annual salaries and what did the cubs get in return? blake dewitt and his $400,000 salary. total payroll reduces from 147 to 132 with just one phone call. then you cut bob howry and his two million and the total is 130 million. but it gets better........
i think tom ricketts believes that he can reduce the salaries by a third before next year and i believe him. subtract derrek lee's 13 million when he becomes a free agent and you're at 117 million but you still have work to do. enter carlos zambrano.
EVERYONE knows that carlos zambrano is on the last train to clarksville as soon as the season is over. incredibly, Z makes just shy of 19 million a year. (way to go jim hendry) and the cubs will have to eat at least half of that when they get 2 minor league prospects for him but that will cut another ten million and then the goal line will be in sight!
but wait, dan. who takes their places, high priced free agents with multi-year contracts??? no, little jimmy, your team will be filled with at least 15 players making a COMBINED eight million dollars. multi-year contracts will disappear on the north side but it will be a lot of fun watching the kids play.
but won't that mean that the cubs will suck? yes it will, little jimmy, but the cubs have sucked for over a hundred years and tom ricketts will carry on that tradition with sound economics and the cub faithful will continue to march like lemmings to the sea. this team now moves from disappointing to pathetic for the next four years. think pittsburgh pirates and kansas city royals. enjoy.
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