Chicago Cubs: 2019 will make or break the Ricketts legacy
By Jason Parini
The Chicago Cubs need to make some drastic changes or risk missing the playoffs. Whether they do so could define the Ricketts legacy.
The Chicago Cubs are not in a good place.
After losing 2 of 3 to the Cincinnati Reds and 3 of 4 to the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Cubs head into their two-game set against the Chicago White Sox only four games above .500.
They haven’t won a series since they swept the St. Louis Cardinals June 7-9. That’s seven series in a row that the Cubs have either split or lost.
The Cubs didn’t make many changes this offseason, and it took until mid-June for the front office to sign closer Craig Kimbrel.
It wasn’t a good look for the front office, as the Cubs suffered a devastating end to 2018 in a Wild Card Game defeat to the Colorado Rockies.
In fact, you could argue that this was the worst offseason in Cubs history.
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There was political controversy. Moral debate. Few roster transactions. TV channel uproar.
Instead of making many adjustments to the roster and on-field talent, the Cubs made more financial decisions than competitive moves.
Their signing of a disgruntled and offensively challenged Addison Russell instead of letting him walk was truly a sign of the times.
Just before the start of spring training, Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts claimed that the Cubs didn’t have any more money to spend.
That was a lie. They just didn’t want to spend any more money.
When the family officially took over ownership of the Cubs, they promised they’d win a World Series and improve Wrigley Field.
They’ve done that. But what about after those have been accomplished?
How the team handles the rest of the 2019 season and the trade deadline very well could define the Ricketts family legacy.
If the front office continues to field a mediocre club and fails to make any improvements, it’s a bad sign that the Ricketts have done what they came for and are only concerned with making and saving money.
The championship window is closing quickly for the Cubs, who are dangerously close to fading back into MLB insignificance (at least when it comes to the standings).
Remember the old “June swoon?” Don’t look now, but the Cubs were 14-15 in the month of June.
It’s time for the front office to do their job. The current formula that the Cubs have on the field just isn’t working. It hasn’t in a while.
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The Ricketts family needs to act now in order to save their reputation and legacy. Cubs fans aren’t happy with many aspects of the organization, and they’re quickly turning on the Ricketts.
Charging fans just to watch the team on TV certainly won’t help the situation.
It’s time for the Ricketts to listen to the fans. Sure, fans shouldn’t exactly run a sports organization.
But then again, the Ricketts started out as “just fans,” too. Maybe it’s just time for the Ricketts to go back to their roots and put on their rally caps.
It’s time for a Wrigleyville Renaissance.