Breaking Down The Season Ending Letter Tom Ricketts Sent Out To Cubs Fans Today
"What do you have against the Marquee Network?"
I feel like it's appropriate to start with the best Tom Ricketts quote of all time. Even if it's completely unrelated, it's always related.
That was after the Cubs failed to make the 2019 playoffs. The team was stagnant in the offseason. COVID was just about to start leaking from a lab. Everyone at that convention was blindly praying and hoping the Cubs would strap together a 90-something win season to save the taste of defeat that had suddenly filled our lives. And here's Tom Ricketts talking about the Marquee Network being our big differentiator to just a chefs kiss perfect and I mean another chefs kiss PERFECT shower of boos.
It's a small interaction but very telling of his connection to Cubs fans. Nobody has ever complained for more daytime Cubs programming or a roundtable of legends chopping up bedtime stories on the off days. In my history of cheering for the Cubs much less any team, the only thing I've cared about is a good team. That's the #1 priority at all times. Being good and winning games. Fucking Marquee Network haha. You just have to laugh at how some people think.
Regardless. I like Tom Ricketts. I want to go on record right now. He could sell the team and I might like him more. But he could also sell the team and things could be a lot worse. He spends at the top of the league when it makes sense. He's won a world series. He's personally an extremely nice man that has been nothing short of pleasant and friendly to me in many interactions. From all angles: personally, professionally, as a fan and someone who spends a lot of time in the neighborhood. I like Tom Ricketts. He's a good dude, and I'm about to roast his ass about this letter he sent out earlier today.
This has kinda become a thing. He likes to write letters to the fans to update us on plans. It's a good move and I like the transparency. But I feel it's appropriate to add color and context. Heaven forbid somebody skim through this thing and get the wrong impression. That's why I'm happy to play interpreter. Shall we?
Dear Cubs Fans,
In our 12 years together, never have we experienced so many ups and downs in one season.
Yeah normally we have our hearts ripped out in September. That was becoming a trend. But then obviously the longstanding tradition of being in last place by the end of April. We have some comfort level with that type of rock bottom as well. This however - this 2021 season was a brand new frontier. It was a perfectly mixed cocktail of unfounded hope, bad pitching, colossal heartbreak and overwhelming apathy. You don't get to check all 4 boxes so authoritatively very often. In that case it was certainly a unique season.
Our mid-season moves also paved the way for the emergence of new impactful players in addition to the infusion of promising prospects. 2021 was an emotional roller coaster, to say the least.
The end of the emotonal roller coaster yielded exactly ZERO Top 100 prospects. Some arguments that Canario will knock on that door this offseason. But "paving the way" for new players isn't a bright spot if you're infusing mid-tier minor leaguers. This is why word choice is so important. Infusing promising prospects? We got journeymen surprise stories at the hot corners, Jason Heyward playing right field for another decade and 6 different cost effective middle infielders that can't hit a double. As such, you leave me no choice but to assume the emergence you speak of will take place via free agency this winter. Be a man of your word and stick to it Tom.
In the midst of all the change this year, David Ross did an amazing job keeping our players focused and ready to play.
Also credit to David Ross for not walking into traffic
From August 12 on, we were second in OPS in the NL (.780) and fourth in the NL in runs per game (4.91). We also enjoyed some solid play from many of our new Cubs, including Patrick Wisdom, who set our single-season rookie mark with 28 home runs, and Frank Schwindel, who led all major leaguers in hits and was second in batting average from the trade deadline (July 30) through the end of the season.
Tommy fucking Sabermetrics coming with the stats here. I love an owner that's got a couple key figures ready to go at a whim. What's that you think we suck? Well our reserve outfielders finished 3rd in weighted runs created plus motherfucker. Our bullpen yielded the 6th lowest exit velocity in high leverage situations. We were 2nd in defending against the bunt and your parents never even loved you. Suck on that.
I feel like Tom Ricketts would have no problem getting to that level. At least that's how I like to picture my owner. Get the spray chart out Tommy.
While we failed to extend our six-straight winning seasons streak and secure our spot in the postseason, we made important changes that put us in a position to succeed as we build the next great Cubs team.
Couple things here. (1) great reminder about the 6 straight winning seasons. Very surprised it wasn't the first sentence of this letter but nevertheless it's a great point. (2) "We build the next great Cubs team" is a subconscious reminder that he's ALREADY given us a great Cubs team, which is true. I like these kind of mind games and even further respect their textbook application like this. Tom is practically begging you to criticize him just so he can disarm your anger in the 3rd paragraph. Nice try but Tom's a step ahead.
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Beginning to replenish our much-improved farm system was just the start.
"Beginning to replenish" is such a vague term. We started the process. The project is about to get revved up. The wheels are in motion and we're preparing for take off. Perfect words that appear to mean more than they do. I'm starting to realize this is one of our owner's cornerstone strengths. Big time business guys are so good at that kinda stuff.
Jed and the team are now focused on reloading our roster. We have the resources necessary to compete in 2022 and beyond, and we will use them. We will be active in free agency and continue to make thoughtful decisions to bolster our team this offseason.
If this were a spelling bee, I would ask the moderator for a definition of "compete" in the mind of Tom Ricketts. In some cases you could say the 2021 Cubs team was competitive. They won games and often times scored runs against opposing pitchers. You could argue the word compete applies to a 75-win team as much as an 83-win team. So is he alluding to a slightly above .500 team? Or does he mean compete like we can try to win a division against the Brewers and Cardinals? Because those would be two different levels of competition that would dictate and require two different levels of resources. And furthermore I don't know what thoughtful decisions necessarily means. As long as that's not code for "32 more Zack Davies starts" then I'm cool.
With our attention now solely on the 2022 season, please know this: we respect your high expectations, we share your desire to win and we commit to fielding a competitive team reflective of your unrivaled support. We’re more than excited to enjoy both the journey and our ultimate destination of winning another World Series championship with you again soon.
WHAT THE FUCK IS A COMPETITIVE TEAM? That's like the labeling for the fake healthy food at grocery stores that has deceptive packaging. 100% ALL GRAIN OAT or whatever the new catchphrase is. That's how I feel reading this. First glance it all looks and sounds great but literally the second I put an ounce of thought into what he actually means, I start to get confused. I want to "enjoy the journey and our destination" but then I'm like What fucking journey are we about to go on Tom? I don't want to go on a journey. I want to build around Brennen Davis and splash some money on some big cocksuckers that can hit the ball out of the ballpark. Go get some pitching. Let's win some games and let's put some emphasis on that word soon.
As always, thank you again for being the best fans in baseball.
Sincerely,Tom Ricketts
All this said, I'll finish by testifying that I actually think Tom believes that Cubs' fans are the best in baseball. For all the criticism, I sincerely think he has a remarkable amount of faith in Cubs' fans. There's nothing suggesting otherwise. I know he wants to do good by us and win championships.
I just don't have that much patience for a full tear down and for us to be pussbags in the offseason. I don't think anyone who goes to Wrigley has that kind of patience right now. Not with how much things have changed and how expensive and crazy that place has gotten. It's evolved to the point where they have to field a big market, high payroll roster or face the music for being cheap. That's unfortunately what happens when you price out fan sympathy with $12 beers and $100 bleacher tickets. If we have to pay up then you guys do too. That's how this fan-owner dynamic should work.
Full Letter:
