This is the last News & Notes blog of the 2025 offseason and it feels great. I’m celebrating with an ice cold beer right now and hopefully that surprises nobody.
I’m also about to record the season preview podcast with Mahoney. It got delayed a few hours which is the case with us frequently. We’re working on it guys.
For now I wanted to run through a couple miscellaneous stories before the season starts tomorrow.
Let’s try and have some fun.
CLAW MY EYES OUT
I blogged about this in the morning so I don’t want to be too redundant. At the same time, it’s my professional obligation to clearly emphasize that this is the worst team sport meeting I’ve ever been privy to. Joe Espada is a moron for letting that tight blonde into the clubhouse, and even stupider for subjecting World Series champion veterans to a parade for their rookie right fielder with 21 career professional games to his name. Somewhere a players union rep just fuckin died witnessing this.
PCA Almost Died Yesterday
Maybe not died but I think I speak for everyone when I say that I don’t like watching him run full speed towards the wall like that. In fact it makes me very uncomfortable.
Fortunately we’re very lucky to go an entire Spring Training without major injury. Nico is coming back from a lower body. Matt Shaw started it with an upper body issue. But overall no major setbacks and that’s a really big deal if you listened to Jed Hoyer say that we can’t have any health concerns.
No shit.
More Concerning: Our Schedule Is Rock Hard
Alexa
Apparently the Cubs have the hardest schedule across MLB for April and then the easiest schedule across MLB for May.
Personally, I very much think that’s on purpose to get the hard opponents out of the way to increase the Cubs playoff chances. It’s been too long and MLB needs an edge. So they front load the Cubs with a bunch of bullshit games immediately out of spring training when everyone’s still trying to get right. Bush league? Absolutely and I love it.
The new(er) scheduling format means everyone plays everyone a fixed number of times. So there’s no avoiding the teams on your schedule as much as you’re bunching the hard games together so you can hopefully rattle off some momentum.
Especially when it’s cold early in the season at Wrigley Field? That’s a huge advantage to the Cubs against the Padres, Rangers, DBacks, Dodgers and Phillies. All those teams are awesome and they have to come to Wrigley in April, which blows. Literally.
And while this may be confusing – I would much rather square off against those clubs early when it’s chilly then have those lineups at Wrigley when it’s warm and the wind’s howling out. That’s not even up for debate. Give me Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis with the QB hand warmer and the ear muffs because they’re pussies.
Meanwhile, get a load of this 21 game stretch that starts in May
Is it unrealistic to ask the Cubs to go 16-5 in that stretch?
No.
And It’s Not Unrealistic To Ask Tom Ricketts To Not Be A Cheap Asshole
I already complained about this today and don’t want to double dip too hard.
But updated franchise values are out and the Cubs provide yet another reason for disappointment. Despite the 4th most valuable franchise, we’re 12th in payroll and that’s because Tom Ricketts doesn’t have the balls to go all in when it matters most.
And before the finance majors start giving me grief, such the operating income:
This isn’t a cash issue. This isn’t a revenue recognition or reporting thing. This isn’t about leveraging capital or floating debt payments. It simply comes down to one simple fact and that’s Tom Ricketts doesn’t want to be aggressive on our behalf. He wants to nickel and dime his way through real estate investing while pretending to be a good guy owner and I personally think it’s absolute fuckin bullshit.
$81,000,000 from your operating income and you still raise ticket prices because of the two games in Tokyo?
$81,000,000 from your operating income and you still won’t offer Kyle Tucker an extension?
$81,000,000 from your operating income and you still charge $38 for a beer bat after tip and tax?
My fuckin butt cheeks buddy.
Good News/Bad News
Good News = the Cubs are extremely profitable
Bad News (for Tom) = I’m birddogging him until we get this thing turned around
Until then you guys drive safe.
PS – I’ll let you know when the podcast is out.