Truth & Rumors > MLB

Will Cuban shake up Cubs?

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05:31 AM ET 10.13 | Mark Cuban appears to be the favorite in terms of the financial package he can offer to Sam Zell for the Tribune property that includes Wrigley Field, the Cubs, and broadcast entities, but his "maverick" style of ownership might be an issue among baseball owners and commissioner Bud Selig. With no salary cap in major league baseball, some owners might fear that a free-spending Cuban would ratchet up the marketplace. White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf, a powerful owner, is said not to be a big supporter. Already names are swirling as potential candidates for president or CEO. One is Stan Kasten, who by all accounts wants out of his CEO position with the Nationals, as he has clashed with the Lerner family, owners of the team. It would appear that, despite the disappointing end to the Cubs' season and given the likelihood that a deal is farther away from being done, general manager Jim Hendry (entering an option year) and manager Lou Piniella would not have to fret about losing their jobs for at least another year.

Boston Globe

Mark Cuban, Brian Bahr/Getty Images Mark Cuban, Brian Bahr/Getty Images
October 13, 2008  05:52 AM ET

The Cubs already spend a boatload of money. But why is it ok for other teams and not the Cubs? I'm an A's fan, and it angers me to see the money the big market teams spend, but that's the nature of the beast. And, I'm sorry, but if the Cubs want to spend like the Yankees, let them. If ANYBODY deserves a title in baseball, it's the Cubs.

October 13, 2008  07:01 AM ET

"...some owners might fear that a free-spending Cuban would ratchet up the marketplace. " Are you kidding me? The Yankees have been doing this for years and nobody says a thing. Now there is fear that Mark Cuban may spend too much if he gets the team? That's insane!

October 13, 2008  07:40 AM ET

Hey, baseball already has a loudmouth moron owner handing out multi-year, nine-figure contracts to washed up outfielders and middle relievers.

Sincerely

Hank and Hal Steinbrenner

October 13, 2008  08:53 AM ET

Please! Let Cuban buy them, we don't want him in Texas anymore.

October 13, 2008  09:24 AM ET

He's gotta buy the damn Cubs first, and that could take a while. We could still be talking about this next August.

October 13, 2008  09:50 AM ET

Cuban probably wants to turn the Cubs into another Yankers type team. Build your club with ringers with a budget of $300+ million and then watch as the prima donnas self-destruct and can't make the playoffs.

October 13, 2008  09:55 AM ET

The first thing he should do is tell Piniella to stop batting Soriano leadoff.

October 13, 2008  10:03 AM ET

hey tenringsSTL i really agree with you there....and madhatter...yeah im afraid of that one too but you also got to realize we're not going for as old of people as the yankees are....

you people want a shake up?? you people want something that not only will make sense in the long run, but just fills gaps and gives everyone what they want...

The Yanks can have 2 japanese players on their team, thats in Fukudome and Matsui....so you could trade Fukudome to the yanks, some other players here and ther ein the farm system, and a whole lotta cash to yanks for rodriguez, move A-rod back to 2nd, DeRosa in the outfield, and that would let you be able to use Fontenot as purely a pinch hitter, which improves that position past Daryle Ward, and then you stil have a great bench with hoffpauir and all that...

id be willing to give up a couple pitchers and lets say Felix Pie with cash...what say you?

October 13, 2008  10:25 AM ET

I'd love to see Mark Cuban buy the Cubs.
He's their only chance to break The Curse of the Goat!

October 13, 2008  10:59 AM ET

Only Selig's close buddy Mr. Canning or a similar consortium of faceless suits will be ALLOWED to buy the Cubs. Cuban won't be allowed. The death blow will be from Reinsdorf. When he asks Bud to jump, Bud asks "How high, sir?" Everyone in Chicago knows this. Here endeth the lesson.

October 13, 2008  11:35 AM ET

Reinsdorf needs to stay the **** out of this. He should have NO say in who buys this club. Although sadly, Selig will listen to him anyway. Hell, he's already trying to install his butt buddy Canning as the owner. Now there's a horrible choice. A minority owner of the Brewers. Yeah, THAT'S what we really need. *Rolls eyes*

October 13, 2008  12:21 PM ET
QUOTE(#8):

hey tenringsSTL i really agree with you there....and madhatter...yeah im afraid of that one too but you also got to realize we're not going for as old of people as the yankees are....you people want a shake up?? you people want something that not only will make sense in the long run, but just fills gaps and gives everyone what they want...The Yanks can have 2 japanese players on their team, thats in Fukudome and Matsui....so you could trade Fukudome to the yanks, some other players here and ther ein the farm system, and a whole lotta cash to yanks for rodriguez, move A-rod back to 2nd, DeRosa in the outfield, and that would let you be able to use Fontenot as purely a pinch hitter, which improves that position past Daryle Ward, and then you stil have a great bench with hoffpauir and all that...id be willing to give up a couple pitchers and lets say Felix Pie with cash...what say you?

meteora,

that was one of the most stupid posts ive ever read on this site (and that says a lot). so youre saying if you were in charge of the yankees you would okay a trade of a-rod for a guy that was benched in the ALDS and a random group of minor leaguers? and a-rod has never played 2B. get your facts straight ****

October 13, 2008  12:38 PM ET

If Cuban buys the team, he needs to explicitly exclude the curse from the sale in the contract :-)

October 13, 2008  12:43 PM ET

selig doesn't have as much control as he thinks he does its really up to zell and id be surprised if he went with anyone but the highest bidder

October 13, 2008  01:03 PM ET

Cubs deserve a title? Since when? The last 9 playoff game losses have proved they don't.
The Cubs will eventually win one - law of averages kind of makes it that way. But in the meantime they (and fans) have to stop blaming everything under the sun for their futility in the post-season.

October 13, 2008  01:09 PM ET

i'm for Cuban becoming a MLB owner if it eventually means the end of bud selig's incompetence as commissioner

October 13, 2008  01:16 PM ET

This storyline is getting old anyways. I cannot stand the Cubs and its fans but Mark Cuban as an owner...of any MLB team would be a good thing. It's time to shake up the "good ole boys club" of owners MLB has.

October 13, 2008  01:18 PM ET

well.... at least the Cubs fans aren't as bad as the Red Sox fans... After the Red Sox finally won in 2004, they made movies, songs, and everything else they wanted to make sure the world knew that the Sox won (and what's up with the Nation)... at least when the Cubs finally win it - it won't be as bad.

October 13, 2008  01:28 PM ET

If they win it...I hope they reshoot "Rookie of the Year."
But the songs have already been made...see Eddie Vedder.
Hmmm - maybe he should be blamed for the continued curse?

 
October 13, 2008  01:41 PM ET

Zizou, do you know absolutely anything about us? Anything at all? Your comments make it sound as if you don't.

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