November 12, 2015

Chicago Tribune, Cubs cable network inching toward reality http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/columnists/ct-cubs-cable-network-sullivan-baseball-spt-1112-20151111-column.html

Chicago Tribune, Rick Renteria brings class act to White Sox as new bench coach http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/columnists/ct-rick-renteria-class-act-haugh-spt-1112-20151111-column.html

Chicago Tribune, Cubs position-by-position analysis: Outfield http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-cubs-have-outfield-issues-20151111-story.html

Chicago Sun-Times, Cubs Network a 2020 reality? Or 2015 reality show? Depends who you ask http://chicago.suntimes.com/baseball/7/71/1094087/cubs-network-2020-reality-2015-reality-show-depends-ask

Chicago Sun-Times, Cubs, Sox to be considered for possible exhibition game in Cuba http://chicago.suntimes.com/baseball/7/71/1094188/cubs-sox-considered-possible-exhibition-game-cuba

Chicago Sun-Times, Cubs bench coach Dave Martinez final candidate to interview for Dodgers job http://chicago.suntimes.com/baseball/7/71/1094159/cubs-bench-coach-dave-martinez-final-candidate-interview-dodgers-job

Chicago Sun-Times, Scott Boras: Cub owners needs to sow resources into what Theo’s team reaping http://chicago.suntimes.com/baseball/7/71/1094049/scott-boras-cub-owners-needs-sow-resources-theos-team-reaping

Daily Herald, Imrem: Chicago Trumps? Oh, what might have been http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20151111/sports/151119711/

Cubs.com, Cubs active in talks with clubs, agents http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/157085960/cubs-keeping-busy-at-gm-meetings

Cubs.com, Boras on Arrieta's '15: He 'put it all together' http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/157087664/scott-boras-on-jake-arrieta-kris-bryant

ESPNChicago.com, Cubs GM Meeting notes: Ben Zobrist has many suitors http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/cubs/post/_/id/35769/cubs-notes-from-gm-meetings-davey-martines-interviews-zobrist-has-many-suitors

ESPNChicago.com, Contract talks for Jake Arrieta on agent Scott Boras' list this winter http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/cubs/post/_/id/35761/contract-talks-for-jake-arrieta-on-agent-scott-boras-list-this-winter

ESPNChicago.com, Rick Renteria opens up: 'No hard feelings' towards Cubs http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/cubs/post/_/id/35756/rick-renteria-opens-up-no-hard-feelings-towards-cubs

ESPNChicago.com, Cubs interested in playing exhibition game in Cuba http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/cubs/post/_/id/35752/cubs-interested-in-playing-in-cuba

CSNChicago.com, Scott Boras on Jake Arrieta's future, Cubs' 'budding garden of talent' http://www.csnchicago.com/cubs/scott-boras-jake-arrietas-future-cubs-budding-garden-talent

CSNChicago.com, Cubs: Dave Martinez gets chance to make pitch for Dodgers job http://www.csnchicago.com/cubs/cubs-dave-martinez-gets-chance-make-pitch-dodgers-job

CSNChicago.com, Cubs have their eyes on new cable network in 2020 http://www.csnchicago.com/cubs/cubs-have-their-eyes-new-cable-network-2020

CSNChicago.com, Cubs interested in playing exhibition game in Cuba http://www.csnchicago.com/cubs/cubs-interested-playing-exhibition-game-cuba

CSNChicago.com, Excited about White Sox, Renteria has no hard feelings toward Cubs http://www.csnchicago.com/white-sox/excited-about-white-sox-renteria-has-no-hard-feelings-toward-cubs

-- Chicago Tribune Cubs cable network inching toward reality By Paul Sullivan The Cubs seemingly have been talking forever about starting their own TV network, which theoretically would allow them to add millions to the team payroll and help the Cubs stay competitive on an annual basis. "There are a few brands that have the brand equity to carry their own channel," business operations president Crane Kenney told Forbes last year. "Our brand is big enough that it can carry a channel on its own." That was in the pre-Joe Maddon era when the Cubs were still a fifth-place team with no real buzz. They since have fast-forwarded into a championship caliber club under Maddon, and Kenney told the Cubs' new Chicago radio outlet, WSCR-AM 670, Wednesday that the oft-rumored network is becoming a reality. "We'll move over and launch our own channel in 2020," Kenney said. "Maybe the one thing I do know is how to put these things together." That's good news for baseball operations president Theo Epstein, who may be able to use some of that additional revenue toward ending the Cubs' championship drought. But asked about it at the general managers meetings, Epstein said a Cubs network is "just one option" on the table. "My understanding is we would be open to a deal earlier than (2020) as long as a good one presents itself," he said. "I trust our people to deliver the right deal at the right time." The Cubs deal with CSN runs through 2019.

If the Cubs left CSN for their own network, it's unknown what affect it would have on the White Sox, whose deal also runs through 2019, a team spokesman said. Both teams are part owners of CSN, along with the Bulls and Blackhawks. Do the Sox have any plans to start their own network? "I have no idea," general manager Rick Hahn replied. "That's not my area. … I know from a baseball standpoint what we have to spend and what we're looking to do from a personnel standpoint. But the TV side and the business side I don't spend a lot of time on." Certainly the Sox would benefit greatly from a larger TV contract, as teams like the Rangers and Angels have. Just last summer the Cardinals announced a 15-year deal with Fox Sports Midwest that will guarantee the team more than $1 billion. "Across the game you've seen clubs in recent years negotiate new local TV contracts that prove maybe a boon to them from a payroll standpoint," Hahn said. "That's not something we're looking at in '16 or as far as I know in the foreseeable future." The Sox don't have the brand equity to which Kenney was referring in the Forbes interview, making it unlikely they could start their own network. But even a Cubs network might be a tough sell. It obviously would require 24-hour programming, even when the teams aren't playing in the fall and winter months. Would you spend your winter watching reruns of Cubs' games and canned profiles of former players? Of course, the Yankees, Red Sox and Dodgers all own networks, and Epstein won two championships with the aid of NESN revenues. "It was a beneficial setup," Epstein said. "But this is a different scenario because we're looking prospectively at something new." Despite the influx of cash, having your own network isn't a panacea for teams. The Dodgers-Time Warner Cable joint-ownership network, SportsNet LA, provides them $8.35 billion over 25 years, and helped them increase their payroll to a major-league record $310 million, according to the Los Angeles Times. "I don't think we'll ever be facing that type of a scenario," Epstein said of the Dodgers' bloated payroll. Despite all their resources, the Dodgers failed to win a playoff series in 2015. Perhaps worse, most of their fans haven't been able to watch their games the last two years because the network's distributor, co-owner Time Warner Cable, reportedly was asking for a monthly $4 per subscriber fee, which rival cable and satellite TV operators balked at paying. Commissioner Rob Manfred addressed the dispute Tuesday, saying: "My concern could not be higher. I think the Dodgers and the Los Angeles market are crucial to Major League Baseball and its reach. This has gone on a long time. I'm hopeful that there are dynamics in play beyond baseball, in terms of corporate activity that may create some flexibility, and hopefully we will get a resolution in time for the 2016 season." The Cubs have plenty of time to make sure they won't run into the same issues when they're ready to start up their own network. Stay tuned. --

Chicago Tribune Rick Renteria brings class act to White Sox as new bench coach By David Haugh In the most compelling part of Rick Renteria's first public comments since the Cubs fired him as manager a year ago after just one season, the new White Sox bench coach revealed his interaction with successor Joe Maddon. Maddon indeed reached out shortly after taking the job with a phone call to Renteria, who opted to respond with a text message. "There really was no need for us to speak,'' Renteria said Wednesday during a teleconference. Sometimes saying nothing says everything. The less Renteria said during a magical season for the Cubs, the more respect for him grew. While Maddon led the Cubs on a memorable journey that ended in the National League Championship Series, Renteria stayed on the high road at home in California. Repeatedly, Renteria turned down media requests because he didn't want to sound bitter or take attention away from Cubs players. Not clearing the air with Renteria remains the most un-Joe Maddon thing Maddon has done since coming to Chicago yet his predecessor never put him on the spot publicly about breaking a baseball code in pursuing a job that already was filled. Even if most everybody in the game understood the Cubs seizing the opportunity to snag Maddon, the biggest reason behind their turnaround, Renteria warranted sympathy he never sought. Renteria never made it uncomfortable for Maddon or the Cubs front office by whining to reporters about his unexpected plight, never portrayed himself as a victim of circumstance the way many people in his position often do. "You really don't want that to be the story,'' Renteria said. "You want the story to be on the positive things going on there. That's a lot of the reason I remained away.'' On the day Renteria returned to discuss his role alongside manager Robin Ventura on the Sox bench, he was gracious, honest and the consummate pro. Renteria actually sounded grateful to the Cubs, who easily could have thanked him in return for showing class handling what Cubs President Theo Epstein called "a moral dilemma." "I am totally, completely happy with the opportunity that the Ricketts family, and Theo and Jed (Hoyer) and everybody from the organization extended to me to get on the field as a manager with the Chicago Cubs,'' Renteria said. "It was a great experience. Obviously, anybody that has been in that arena knows that change sometimes occurs. As abruptly as it might have seemed, things happen and there are a lot of kids on that club this year and a lot of people I worked alongside of who deserve to have as much success as they possibly can.'' Any hard feelings linger? "No,'' Renteria insisted. "You step away from it a little bit and you reflect, it's just a business. It's just baseball. And that doesn't take away from anything I believe I brought to the table at the time.'' Asked again about the emotional impact of the Cubs' decision, Renteria sounded like a man whose perspective improved over time. Like a guy as reasonable as he is likable, the upbeat baseball lifer Cubs fans remember. "It would be foolish for anybody who's doing something, who's giving themselves to a task to not feel the wind blown out of you a little bit (but) you take a step back, you regroup,'' Renteria said. "I'm sure, quite frankly, there was no intent on anybody's side to create a difficult situation. It was what it was.'' It was a historic year for the Cubs that Renteria says he enjoyed immensely from afar as all the budding talent he saw developing blossomed at the same time. Committed to steering clear of controversy, Renteria didn't bite on a

question whether he would have won as many games managing the Cubs as Maddon — which, for 98 percent of managers, the answer is no. "That's an unknown,'' Renteria said. "For me to now come forward to say I would have done this or that, it really has no place. The reality was I wasn't there and Joe Maddon was there. I'm very happy for all of them.'' Renteria's sincerity will mesh well with Ventura, who initiated the idea of working together last offseason. Ventura values the ability of Renteria to communicate with Hispanic players and offer insight to everybody. Hey, hiring a fired Cubs manager worked for the Royals; they just won a World Series after adding Dale Sveum to their coaching staff in 2014. Not that the Sox seem two seasons away … or three. So how close are the Sox and how much heat will Ventura feel next season? The thought that the Sox might have just hired his successor never fazed Ventura, who also downplayed any awkwardness of Renteria returning to a city where he once worked 8.1 miles north. "He's not stained at all,'' Ventura said. "We're looking at bringing in a quality guy. He had no problems with that. He's coming to do a job. He's not looking back but coming here for the opportunity.'' After a year in baseball exile, Renteria just cherishes the chance. -- Chicago Tribune Cubs position-by-position analysis: Outfield By Mark Gonzales The Tribune will be doing position-by-position analysis for the 2015 Cubs. Today, we look at the outfield. 2015 statistics Dexter Fowler: .250 batting average, 17 home runs, 46 RBIs, 20 stolen bases, .346 on-base percentage Jorge Soler: .262 batting average, 10 home runs, 47 RBIs, three stolen bases, .324 on-base percentage Kyle Schwarber: .246 batting average, 16 home runs, 43 RBIs, three stolen bases, .355 on-base percentage Chris Coghlan: .250 batting average, 16 home runs, 41 RBIs, 11 stolen bases, .341 on-base percentage Chris Denorfia: .269 batting average, three home runs, 18 RBIs, zero stolen bases, .319 on-base percentage Matt Szczur: .222 batting average, one home run, eight RBIs, two stolen bases, .278 on-base percentage Austin Jackson: (with Cubs) .236 batting average, one home run, 19 RBIs, two stolen bases, .304 on-base percentage Contract status for 2016 Fowler: free agent Soler: signed through 2020 Schwarber: under team control Coghlan: arbitration eligible Denorfia: free agent Szczur: under team control Jackson: free agent Breakdown

Manager Joe Maddon was able to get away with moving players to outfield positions without extensive experience throughout most of the 2015 season. The exceptions were a 4-2 loss at San Francisco on Aug. 26 in which Denorfia -- playing center field -- dove but couldn’t stop a line drive by Brandon Belt that went for a triple and led to the go-ahead run in the sixth inning with speedy Szczur on the bench, and Schwarber’s struggles in left field in the National League Championship Series. Soler, who was limited to only 95 games in right field because of injuries, also took some curious routes on balls that went for hits. The potential departure of Fowler to free agency presents an interesting challenge for the front office and Maddon, who has stressed run prevention since arriving one year ago. Schwarber was an adequate defender in left despite his lack of experience until the NLCS. But if the Cubs intend to keep Schwarber in the lineup with Miguel Montero and David Ross handling the bulk of the catching duties, the Cubs will become more dependent on Schwarber’s defense in left field. Schwarber played a few games in right, but one of those starts occurred in the NL wild-card game where he had a smaller territory to cover. The upside with Soler is that he’s only 23, under contract through 2020 and possesses a strong right throwing arm and flashes of impressive power, as he showed in the post-season with a .474 batting average with three home runs. Soler also showed a more disciplined approach at the plate during the final month and in the playoffs. But there were no signs of sustained success. His batting average hovered between the .260-.270 mark in the second half. He hit only 10 home runs in 366 at-bats and finished with only 29 extra-base hits. The Cubs could move Kris Bryant to right, but that would leave a full-time void at third base unless Javier Baez -- who could be used as a trade candidate for starting pitching -- takes over at third. Maddon’s tip to move before each pitch helped Fowler get better jumps on balls hit to center field. Fowler’s second-half success (.389 on-base percentage, 49 walks) helped spark the Cubs’ surge to the NL playoffs. But Fowler finished with a career-low .250 batting average, and his .346 on-base percentage was the second-lowest of his career. Several evaluators contend that leadoff batters either are born or acquired. With Fowler, who turns 30 before the start of the 2016 season, looking to strike a multi-year contract, the Cubs could look to fill the leadoff spot on a short-term basis with an outfielder in the same manner they did in 2015 with Fowler. Free agent Denard Span is a possibility, but the Cubs could look to trade for a player with short-term contract obligations. That would enable Almora, the Cubs’ first-round pick in 2012, to continue his development. Almora is at least one season away, and he could use more seasoning to improve his walk rate since he doesn’t steal many bases. Coghlan helped the Cubs with his versatility, and the Cubs place a premium on left-handed hitters. But Coghlan’s playing time diminished in the final month, and he is eligible for free agency after this season. The latter factor could tempt the Cubs to move him. The potential loss of Denorfia to free agency could tempt the Cubs to acquire another seasoned veteran part-time outfielder with championship experience, such as Jonny Gomes. Like any contenders with outfield issues, the Cubs are in the early stages of examining the free agent market with left-handed hitters Alex Gordon and Jason Heyward available. Gordon and Heyward are solid defenders, although

Gordon (31) is 5 ½ years older. Gordon strikes out at a high rate, but his on-base percentage swelled to .377 with the Kansas City Royals last season. -- Chicago Sun-Times Cubs Network a 2020 reality? Or 2015 reality show? Depends who you ask By Gordon Wittenmyer BOCA RATON, Fla. – The Cubs announced Wednesday a second address change in as many years for their flagship radio broadcasts – next year’s games moving to 670-WSCR. But it was business president Crane Kenney’s declaration about future TV plans while talking on the station Wednesday morning that drew attention as far away as South Florida, where the general managers meetings are being held this week. The Cubs’ current local TV contracts expire after 2019. And then? “We’ll move over and launch our own channel in 2020,” Kenney told morning-show hosts Mully and Hanley. That’s not a new idea; the Cubs have talked about a 24/7, Cubs/baseball channel for years as a way to hyper-boost regional TV revenues. But Kenney’s certainty (without details of process or cost-revenue projections) was new. He also brought it up a second time during the 20-minute conversation, again suggesting a firm plan. But not so fast, baseball ops president Theo Epstein said later in the day from the GM meetings. “I think that’s just one option,” said Epstein, who has called the long-anticipated new TV revenues a “game changer” for his department’s resources. “My understanding is we’d be open to a deal earlier than that as well, as long as a good one presents itself.” So was Kenney’s assertion a negotiating ploy? “I think it’s a very real option,” said Epstein, who backed away from talking more about a subject he monitors but said he doesn’t “fully understand.” A Cubs-owned network has the potential for open-ended revenue growth for years, but it comes with startup costs and risks. A rights deal with an existing outlet doesn’t carry the same risk and theoretically has the benefit of producing revenue ahead of launch. “Not everyone succeeds,” Kenney acknowledged. “The ones that have succeeded, though, have done really well for their teams in providing resources back to the club, and to save the ballpark, in our case. So we’re very excited about it.” -- Chicago Sun-Times Cubs, Sox to be considered for possible exhibition game in Cuba By Gordon Wittenmyer BOCA RATON, Fla. – The Cubs and White Sox are two of the teams under consideration by major league baseball to be selected to play the Cuban national team in an exhibition in Cuba late next spring, if MLB can secure an agreement for the game.

The Chicago teams have two of the better young Cuban hitters in the majors, in Cubs right fielder Jorge Soler, the 2015 rookie, and White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu, the 2014 All-Star and American League rookie of the year. “If and when MLB approves that and the league moves forward, we would be one of many candidates to play in that game, under certain circumstances,” Cubs president Theo Epstein said. MLB solicited interest from clubs in committing to the potentially tough travel schedule just before the season opens. Some teams with interest already have been informed they will not be considered, according to sources. “I don’t to speculate too much about it because it may not actually happen, and we may not be the team,” Epstein said. “But it would obviously be an enriching experience for the players and staff that went down there.” In March1999, the Baltimore Orioles became the first major league team in 40 years to play in Cuba when they played the Cuban national team in Havana, in the first of two exhibitions between the teams (also two months later in Baltimore). The two countries restored diplomatic relations this summer, including the reopening of their embassies in each country – leading to hope and speculation within baseball regarding an eventual agreement allowing players to legally leave Cuba for opportunities in the U.S. Notes: Epstein said he still has not met with Ricketts about an extension on his five-year, $18.5-million deal that expires after next season – and he doesn’t think he will anytime soon. “Right now I don’t have a minute for anything besides trades and free agency and hiring,” he said. “I’m completely happy in the situation, and I’m not worried about it, and I know it’ll take care of itself.” … Even if the Cubs add the starting pitching they desire this winter, Epstein said they don’t see a scenario in which Jason Hammel – who struggled in the second half and playoffs – would be moved to the bullpen as struggling Edwin Jackson was at the end of 2014. “I think we’re expecting the guy who pitched in the first half [2.86 ERA] and the guy who pitched in 2014 [2.98 for Cubs],” he said. -- Chicago Sun-Times Cubs bench coach Dave Martinez final candidate to interview for Dodgers job By Gordon Wittenmyer BOCA RATON, Fla. – Cubs bench coach Dave Martinez met with the Los Angeles Dodgers during the general managers meetings Wednesday afternoon to interview for their managerial vacancy. He was the final one of nine candidates to interview in the first round of the process, said Dodgers GM Farhan Zaidi, who hoped to quickly narrow the field to “three or four guys” and complete the hiring process by next month’s winter meetings. Martinez has spent the last seven years as manager Joe Maddon’s bench coach, including six with the Tampa Bay Rays, when current Dodgers president Andrew Friedman was the Rays’ GM. Zaidi downplayed any potential inside track Martinez might have based on his relationship with Friedman. “We’ve giving every guy the same opportunity to make an impression and see if there’s a match philosophically in what we’re looking for and the kind of opportunity they’re looking for,” Zaidi said. “It’s a real process.” It’s also believed to be complicated by several of the Dodgers’ owners being involved in the hiring for the last managerial vacancy in the majors this winter.

The Cubs are preparing for the possibility of being forced to replace their one-year bench coach. “Davey’s very deserving of that opportunity,” team president Theo Epstein said. “As much as I’d hate to lose him, I hope he does well and gets the job. He’s a big part of what we have going on here and very experienced. I think it’s inevitable that someday he’ll get that opportunity.” -- Chicago Sun-Times Scott Boras: Cub owners needs to sow resources into what Theo’s team reaping By Gordon Wittenmyer BOCA RATON, Fla. – When it comes to the Cubs, Scott Boras waited to “meet the parents” in the winter of 2013. He waited for the “all-day sucker” to dissolve last winter. This time around, the baseball agent doesn’t even have a six-figure horse in the race when it comes to the Cubs, but he’s still shaking his head at Cubs ownership and still waiting — waiting to see what he says is the kind of financial commitment worthy of a top-five revenue, major-league team. After the Cubs finished the season just four wins shy of a World Series, team president Theo Epstein opened the general managers meetings in Florida on Monday cautioning that he might have to “get creative” to land even one significant free agent pitcher this winter. Boras puts the blame on Ricketts family ownership, which has increased revenues over the last year and would seem to have the revenue projections to support a full-speed assault on the free agent market to take the next competitive step. “The Cubs have put themselves in a position where they’ve got really a budding garden of talent, and certainly they want to get better – and good for them,” said Boras, whose Cubs clients include Jake Arrieta, Kris Bryant and Addison Russell. “Whenever you look at ownerships and you evaluate them, it usually takes time,” he said, “because a part of that garden isn’t only the players. A part of that garden is ownership. And when you’ve been in the garden a long time you probably know a lot more about when to move and when not to move than someone who’s been in it a short time.” In the sixth season under Ricketts ownership, the Cubs went from five consecutive fifth-place finishes to 97 wins and run to the National League Championship Series. Epstein this week said: “We’re going to have more money down the line than we have right now. We have the ability to add a little bit from where we are right now, but arbitration raises cut into things quite a bit. “Two sizeable things, we’d have to definitely get creative,” Epstein said. “Even if we want to do one really big thing, we have to get creative.” The Cubs have more than $100 million committed in salaries next year, including projected arbitration settlements and retaining desired team free agents. After getting their department budget last week and factoring in international amateur and draft signings, along with a reserve for moves during the season, they’re working with roughly $30 million in payroll space this winter. The Cubs are expected to continue looking as hard at trade possibilities as big free agents to fill pitching and outfield needs, and might even seek to move salary to be able to take on more salary, Epstein suggested. Whether that looks like the formula for a big-market championship club or not.

“This is a whole new phase for the Cub ownership,” Boras said. “It’s a championship phase. It’s not a rebuilding phase. It’s a championship phase. And how owners react to that and what they do to garner that is a completely different thought process.” Boras figures to test that thought process when Arrieta nears 2017-18 free agency. And again as the service-time-delayed Bryant nears 2021-2022 free agency. And despite a willingness of the Cubs to talk, don’t expect a multiyear extension with Arrieta to come anytime soon. Boras said “I don’t really know” how serious the Cubs are about doing a long-term deal with Arrieta. “All I know is that I would say it’s fair to say the Cubs are pleased with Jake,” Boras said. “And Jake’s happy playing there. So we’ll see where it goes.” -- Daily Herald Imrem: Chicago Trumps? Oh, what might have been By Mike Imrem Watching the Republican presidential debate the other night made me think of the advice I gave Donald Trump 15 years ago. Unwittingly -- which is how I do most things -- I essentially tried to save other GOP candidates considerable Trump-imposed grief. The Donald threw out the first pitch at a Cubs game in Wrigley Field and sang "Take Me Out to the Ball Game." Some who sing during the seventh-inning stretch run away immediately afterward. Does it surprise anyone that Trump stayed around in Wrigley Field's media lunchroom to talk with anyone who cared to engage him? I didn't even realize at the time what the New York Post reported the next day: Fans beneath Trump's private box had chanted, "Buy the Cubs! Buy the Cubs!" Nevertheless, I also suggested to Trump that he "Buy the Cubs! Buy the Cubs!" The Donald wasn't very interested in the proposal, perhaps because he was distracted by the fear that I would steal away his then girlfriend/now wife, Melania. (To this day, I'm reasonably certain that there were sparks between the 5-foot-11 former model and the, uh, somewhat shorter me.) Those were the days -- like most during most of my lifetime -- when the Cubs stunk. They were on the way to finishing with a 65-97 record after going 67-95 the previous season. The North Side sentiment back then was "Anyone but Tribune Company," referring to the monstrosity that owned the Cubs. How about an Arab Sheikh or a Mark Cuban-style blowhard or even Donald Trump? Maybe The Donald, a master developer, simply was too smart to take on such a hopeless redevelopment project.

But as recently as earlier this year the concept of the "Chicago Trumps" baseball club lingered in small pockets around Wrigleyville. The satire website mouthwire.com featured a headline in March reading, "Trump Buys Former Wrigley Field, Now 'Trump Stadium.' " The spoof played off two stories: one, Trump putting his name on the side of his downtown Chicago high-rise; two, current ownership's methodical renovation plan for the ballpark. Mouthwire.com quoted Wrigleyville resident "Maggie Porter" as saying, "Four years is too long for a makeover. If he can get it done sooner, I'm happy to live in Trumpville." The jokes are over after a run of sickly seasons ended. The Cubs no longer are punch lines after going deep into the playoffs. Club chairman Tom Ricketts and his family bought the Cubs from the Trib, and they aren't about to sell to Trump or anyone else anytime soon. Still, it's fascinating to think what the Cubs would have been like the past 15 years if Donald Trump had accepted the ownership challenge. Newspapers wouldn't have had large enough headline type to top stories chronicling The Donald's observations. Back then when Bud Selig was commissioner: "I look at that little twit and can't help but think that he should be washing my private planes instead of being in charge of this great game that only I can make greater." On Jerry Reinsdorf: "It's a pleasure sharing a baseball town with him because I run my team like an S&P 500 powerhouse and he runs his like a five-and-dime popgun." On steroids in the game: "We're in the performance business, so what could be wrong with a Donald Trump player consuming performance enhancers?" Oh, what great fun we could have had in Trumpville if I could have talked The Donald into buying the Cubs. -- Cubs.com Cubs active in talks with clubs, agents By Carrie Muskat BOCA RATON, Fla. -- Cubs executives have split their time at the General Managers Meetings between talking to teams about possible trades and talking to agents regarding free agents. They've also been doing some "brainstorming" regarding their options. "Certain agents are looking to move it along pretty quickly and teams seem more prepared on the trade front at this point in the offseason than in other years," Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein said Wednesday. The Cubs were planning to meet with agents representing free-agent starters David Price, Zack Greinke and Jordan Zimmermann. Epstein said he has to do less selling of the organization after the team's 97-win season and postseason berth. The focus is more on whether a player is a good fit with the Cubs, who reached the National League Championship Series this year, only to lose in four games to the Mets. "When you play in October, a lot of people watch those games and give you credit for the product on the field," Epstein said. "We're not taking anything for granted. We still have a lot of selling points about issues that might not be real easily apparent to players."

That list includes the new home clubhouse, the ongoing renovations at Wrigley Field and the team's family program, which provides activities for players' families beyond babysitting during games. What most players are curious about is the young talent. "It's an exciting young team," Epstein said of the Cubs. "Players feel they'll have a chance to compete year in and year out, and they want to be part of that. Chicago is a destination city for players. There's a lot of interest. Ultimately it's making the years and dollars fit that's most important." While the Cubs do intend on adding more quality pitching this offseason, the emphasis will be on starters, and not one of the high-priced free-agent relievers on the market. "We're not going to be able to accomplish everything we want to do this winter," Epstein said. "We don't have the means to do it all. No club does. We have to prioritize. ... I don't think we'll talk our way into a really reasonable contract for a reliever considering that we prefer to allocate the resources that we have to starting pitching and other areas. By no means will we ignore the 'pen." Some of the ways the Cubs can add to the bullpen is through the Rule 5 Draft, signing Minor League free agents and smaller trades, he said. Epstein said they did want to invest in a reliever, but added "the reality is we can't do that and preclude a shot at the starter that we need." Worth noting • Major League Baseball is considering exhibition games in Cuba. Would the Cubs consider taking part in that? Epstein said they would be interested. "Obviously, it'd be an enriching experience for the players," Epstein said. "We'd get a feel for the Cuban culture, play the national team and you'd start to get an understanding of Cuban baseball in a way that few of us have since we haven't been down there." Epstein said if the Cubs were one of the teams to play there, he would talk with Cuban outfielder Jorge Soler to make certain he was comfortable returning to his homeland. • One of the first trades Epstein did when he arrived in Chicago was to deal reliever Sean Marshall to the Reds for pitcher Travis Wood in December 2011. Could the Cubs make a deal with a team in the NL Central? Epstein said he had no problem with that. However, when he was with the Red Sox, Epstein talked to Yankees GM Brian Cashman once about a possible trade, and that was done half-jokingly. "We have less dialogue with the Cardinals than probably any other team," Epstein said of the Cubs' division rivals. "In Boston, we had less dialogue with the Yankees than any other team." Why? "Obviously, the key is to focus on what you're getting back and the fit for your club," Epstein said. "It would do a lot of harm to the organization if the deal backfired on you and hurt your own club and helped your rival beat you on the field at the same time. It would be a double penalty. You have to be pretty fearless to embrace that. Teams tend to find great partners who aren't their direct rivals for that reason. We'd be open to it. Whether we'd actually do it or not I think depends on the deal." • Cubs bench coach Dave Martinez interviewed Wednesday with the Dodgers for their managerial opening. Martinez, 51, worked with Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman when the two were together with the Rays. Friedman joined the Dodgers in October 2014. Martinez played for Tampa Bay from 1998-2000, and he was named the club's bench coach in October 2007. --

Cubs.com Boras on Arrieta's '15: He 'put it all together' By Carrie Muskat BOCA RATON, Fla. -- Jake Arrieta's agent, Scott Boras, enjoyed watching the Cubs' right-hander post the best season of his career in which he led the Major Leagues with 22 wins and compiled a stellar 1.77 ERA in 33 starts. "I think the biggest aspect of Jake is, it's kind of come together at a time in his career -- it's really not a lot different than [Max] Scherzer," Boras said Wednesday during a media session in the lobby of the Boca Raton Resort and Club. "But Scherzer, in his fourth season, he really had that Cy Young kind of year. ... I think a lot of people in baseball knew that Jake Arrieta had special skills. It was really nice to see him put it all together." Arrieta also set personal bests in wins and ERA, as well as starts (33) and innings pitched (229), which was 72.1 more innings than he totaled in 2014. Arrieta is a fitness freak. Is there a concern that he did too much in 2015? "When you talk to the doctors that do this, they're always going to tell you, once you get 30 or 40 innings above where you were the year before and you've never been there before, there is always a concern," Boras said. "The percentages of it are that some are just fine with it, and they weather it, and go through it, and some are affected by it." Boras also represents Cubs rookies Kris Bryant and Addison Russell, part of what the agent called the Cubs' "budding garden of talent." Bryant did play some outfield, but Boras liked how Cubs manager Joe Maddon wanted the rookie to keep his infield arm slot when he was making his throws, no matter where he was playing. "Kris is such a great athlete that he is really competent in those positions, so it gives the manager the versatility," Boras said. "I think Kris enjoys providing it. Usually as a career goes on, those alterations become more limited in what they do. I think he's certainly established himself as a fine third baseman." Bryant did not make the Cubs' Opening Day roster, playing seven games with Triple-A Iowa before he was promoted to replace injured Mike Olt. There was much discussion during Spring Training regarding service time and Bryant, and whether he was ready for the big leagues. Obviously, Boras wanted Bryant on the Opening Day roster. "I think Kris proved his point that he didn't need any further Minor League [time]," Boras said of Bryant, who is a finalist for the National League Rookie of the Year. "I guess you could argue those seven games dramatically allowed him to improve. I think he proved his point that he's an All-Star player and a huge part of the franchise. "Our point was that, in the game, it's good for Kris and the fans that they understand that the rules of the game often allow teams to do things that are unrelated to the best interests of the team or the talent, the true talent evaluation of the players," Boras said. "It's perfectly appropriate under the rules for clubs to say that they can do that, but I just think we need to have better rules and have a better ethic to it. In the end, we want to make sure our fans know that the best players are always playing in the big leagues, all the time." Boras said he met last week with Russell, who missed the NL Championship Series because of a hamstring injury. They've developed a workout plan for the young shortstop along with the Cubs' staff. "He's going to be in tip top shape when he shows up [in Spring Training]," Boras said. -- ESPNChicago.com Cubs GM Meeting notes: Ben Zobrist has many suitors By Jesse Rogers BOCA RATON, Fla. -- Chicago Cubs bench coach Davey Martinez was the ninth and final candidate to interview for the manager’s job with the Los Angeles Dodgers as they narrow down the applicants to 3-4 according to general manager Farhan Zaidi.

Martinez is well known to Dodgers brass as he coached with Tampa Bay while current Dodgers President Andrew Friedman was his boss there. The Cubs haven’t discussed a replacement if Martinez gets the job but first base coach Brandon Hyde was the bench coach before Joe Maddon took over while Doug Dascenzo is still in the organization and could always take over at first base. He had the position for a few weeks before Maddon arrived last year with Martinez. Initial meetings The Cubs are winding down the process of meeting with agents in a feeling out period as they weed through their free agent options, especially on the mound. Winning in 2015 has helped their sales job. “We’re doing less selling of the organization than exploring the actual fit on the field,” Theo Epstein said Wednesday afternoon. Some contract numbers are being exchanged but mostly these are fact finding missions right now. “Process oriented,” Epstein said of the meetings. ‘Are you prepared to move quickly’? Things like that. More procedural oriented.” Ben Zobrist One name who could move quickly in signing is Ben Zobrist. Industry sources say many teams have expressed interest but that the number will be whittled down quickly. His market isn’t really affected by others so some believe he’ll sign before the winter meetings. The Cubs are in the mix as Chicago’s location on the map is a plus for the Nashville resident. “We’re not ruled out,” Epstein said in general of free agents. “Being centrally located includes you in a lot of things.” Zobrist fits better for the Cubs if they make a trade of a middle infielder -- which is a possibility. Other teams among the mix for his services include Atlanta, Washington and Kansas City. Centerfield Finding a replacement for Dexter Fowler who will turn down the Cubs qualifying offer by Friday’s deadline could come via trade or free agency. Executives feel there is more “chatter” than usual right now and there will be movement among players as centerfielder Aaron Hicks was acquired by the New York Yankees from the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday. That move means the Yankees might trade outfielder Brett Gardner who has about $40 million left on his contract over the next three years. But if the Cubs wanted to spend big money on a longer term centerfielder they could have kept Fowler. Obviously they were willing to give him $15.8 million for one season (the qualifying offer) which means a shorter term stop-gap at that position -- even if it’s a little pricey -- is more realistic than a guy like Gardner. Remember, Albert Almora is major league ready on defense and comes cost controlled so the Cubs don’t want to lock themselves into anything long term with an aging veteran -- especially with more money most likely coming onto the books in their pitching staff. “We’ve brainstormed a number of trade possibilities as well as other free agents and some dialogue but nothing that’s moved down the field yet,” Epstein said regarding centerfield. The Bullpen

For the second consecutive day Cubs brass insisted they would like to spend money on the bullpen but now might not be the time considering their needs elsewhere. “Adding to the bullpen including investing in a solid reliever is on the list of things we’d like to do but you have to prioritize,” Epstein said. “We just don’t have the means to do it all. No club really does.” Starting pitching and the replacement in center will come before spending on one reliever and the Cubs have done well finding cheaper talent like Trevor Cahill and Clayton Richard. “That’s one of the things we talked about all year was ‘hey it might be a good offseason to invest in a reliever’ but the reality is we can’t do that and preclude a shot at a starter that we need,” Epstein explained. Quick hits -- Once again Epstein deflected talk of a contract extension for himself but says it would be handled in due time. Epstein is signed through the 2016 season. “I don’t have a minute for anything but trades and free agency,” he said. -- Epstein and general manager Jed Hoyer both reiterated the importance of chemistry within a locker room and the due diligence they perform before they bring in a new player via trade or free agency. There’s a lot of background done on players. “It’s hugely important but it’s an inexact science,” Epstein said. -- Epstein discussed the balancing act teams perform in tying up money for future years which could prevent unforeseeable but urgent moves to be made later. Of course the team does get a good player in the process. “A lot less flexibility but with a lot more talent,” Epstein described. “It’s a trade-off.” -- ESPNChicago.com Contract talks for Jake Arrieta on agent Scott Boras' list this winter By Jesse Rogers BOCA RATON, Fla. -- Holding court with reporters Wednesday at the general managers meetings was agent Scott Boras, whose clients could sweep the National League postseason awards. Bryce Harper and Kris Bryant are favorites for MVP and Rookie of the Year, respectively, while Jake Arrieta is up for Cy Young. On the topic of Arrieta, Boras was coy about contract-extension talks for the Chicago Cubs right-hander, who still has two more seasons of arbitration before he hits the free-agent market. The feeling is the Cubs will spend money on others now, and Arrieta later, but the sides will converse at some point this winter. It’s still doubtful something gets done. “We’re going to be talking about that as the offseason unfolds, about Jake,” Boras said. “I would say it’s fair to say the Cubs are pleased with Jake. And I’m sure Jake is happy playing there so we have to see where it goes.” Arrieta should get a raise of at least $10 million through the arbitration process after making $3.6 million in 2015. As for Arrieta's high innings total in 2015, Boras admits there is some concern moving forward when a pitcher throws 30 to 40 innings more than his career high. In the regular season alone, Arrieta pitched 229 innings, 72⅓ beyond his previous high, which came in 2014. Cubs spending: Boras steered the conversation toward ownership when discussing the Cubs, who he believes have a “budding garden of talent.” His clients on the team include Bryant, Arrieta, Addison Russell and Chris Coghlan.

“This is a whole new phase for Cubs ownership,” Boras said. “It’s a championship phase. It’s not a rebuilding phase, it’s a championship phase. How owners react to that and what they do is a completely different thought process.” In other words, he wants to see the Cubs spend more money, particularly after several years of “tanking” put them in a position of strength moving forward. -- ESPNChicago.com Rick Renteria opens up: 'No hard feelings' towards Cubs By Jesse Rogers BOCA RATON -- Speaking publicly for the first time since the Chicago Cubs fired him as their manager 12 months ago, new Chicago White Sox bench coach Rick Renteria says he has no hard feelings towards his former employer. “It was a great experience,” Renteria said on a conference call on Wednesday. “Anyone in that arena knows that change sometimes occurs even as abruptly as it seemed. Things happen.” The Cubs stated they were bringing Renteria back after his first season in 2014 but then current manager Joe Maddon opted out of his deal with the Tampa Bay Rays. As the Cubs negotiated with Maddon they informed Renteria he might not be back -- then eventually fired him. “I don’t feel like we treated him entirely fairly,” general manager Jed Hoyer said Tuesday. “Ricky deserved better. I’m glad he gets a chance with the White Sox.” But in true Renteria fashion he doesn’t hold a grudge. A year off from the game and some distance from his dismissal helped. “There were a lot of kids over there on that club this year and a lot of people I worked alongside of over there that deserve to have as much success as they possibly can," Renteria said. "There are no hard feelings. When you step away from it a little bit and you reflect, it’s just a business. It’s just baseball. It doesn’t take away from anything that I believe we brought to the table at the time.” Some perceived Maddon as undercutting Renteria but all sides insist that wasn’t the case. The two haven’t spoken but Maddon called Renteria who responded with a text. “There was no need for us to speak,” Renteria said. Renteria’s current attitude about being dismissed may have been different a year ago. It’s one reason he didn’t grant interviews until getting back into the game. “It would be foolish to not feel you got the wind blown out of you a little bit,” Renteria said. “You take a step back, I’m sure there was no intent on anyone’s side to create a difficult situation. “Give it some space and time. You really don’t want that to be the story.” -- ESPNChicago.com Cubs interested in playing exhibition game in Cuba By Jesse Rogers BOCA RATON – The Chicago Cubs are one of several teams that have expressed interest in playing spring training games in Cuba in 2016 if the league can work out the details.

“MLB is exploring the possibility of a spring-training game against the Cuban national team,” team president Theo Epstein said on Wednesday. “If and when MLB approves that and the league moves forward, we would be one of many candidates to play in that game.” Epstein indicated that the games would probably occur toward the end of spring training, which could become a logistical problem considering the Cubs open the season in California after spending February and March in Arizona. A league spokesperson said the talks with Cuba are in the “discussion phase” after the United States and Cuba recently restored diplomatic relations. “It would be an enriching experience for the players and get a feel for Cuban culture and play the national team and start to get an understanding of Cuban baseball in a way that few of us have,” Epstein said. The Cubs feature one Cuban-born player in Jorge Soler. -- CSNChicago.com Scott Boras on Jake Arrieta's future, Cubs' 'budding garden of talent' By Patrick Mooney BOCA RATON, Fla. — Are the Cubs serious about signing Jake Arrieta to a long-term contract this winter? “I don’t really know,” agent Scott Boras said Wednesday. “All I know is that I would say it’s fair to say the Cubs are pleased with Jake. And I’m sure that Jake’s happy playing there. So we’ll have to see where it goes.” Those extension talks will probably go nowhere, since Boras almost always pushes his clients onto the open market and keeps comparing Arrieta to Max Scherzer, who reportedly declined a six-year, $144 million offer from the Detroit Tigers and eventually scored a seven-year, $210 million megadeal with the Washington Nationals last winter. There’s no rush, because the Cubs control Arrieta for two more seasons and have to prioritize during the general manager meetings at the Boca Raton Resort and Club, focusing on free agents and potential trades. If anything, the Cubs are in South Florida trying to find a way to put another top-of-the-rotation starter next to their National League Cy Young Award finalist and $155 million lefty Jon Lester for this two-year window. “They’ve put themselves in a position where they’ve got just a budding garden of talent,” Boras said. “Certainly, they want to get better. And good for them.” The garden metaphor sounded pretty tame for a State of Boras Corp. address, at least compared to the “Meet the Parents” and “All-Day Sucker” zingers the agent has thrown at the Ricketts family during these media sessions at fancy hotels. “Whenever you look at ownerships and you evaluate them,” Boras said, “it usually takes time, because a part of that garden isn’t only the players. A part of that garden is the ownership. “When you’ve been in the garden a long time, you probably know a lot more about when to move — and when not to move — than someone who’s been in it a short time.” Boras has always been careful to direct his small-market criticisms away from president of baseball operations Theo Epstein, praising the scouting and player-development staffs for making his clients better. After winning 22 games and putting up a 1.77 ERA as part of an organization-wide breakthrough, MLB Trade Rumors projected Arrieta will earn $10.6 million next year as an arbitration-eligible player.

It’s not just the free agents in the $100-million-plus neighborhood, which Epstein already says would be a creative stretch for the Cubs to pull off this winter. It’s maintaining flexibility as Boras clients like All-Star third baseman Kris Bryant — a unanimous Rookie of the Year candidate — and shortstop Addison Russell enter the arbitration system and all this growing talent becomes more and more expensive. It’s getting aggressive and chasing every win in a division that produced three playoff teams that won at least 97 games this year. “This is a whole new phase for the Cub ownership,” Boras said. “It’s a championship phase. It’s not a rebuilding phase — it’s a championship phase. “And how owners react to that and what they do to garner that is a completely different thought process.” -- CSNChicago.com Cubs: Dave Martinez gets chance to make pitch for Dodgers job By Patrick Mooney BOCA RATON, Fla. – Cubs bench coach Dave Martinez walked through this upscale hotel on Wednesday afternoon, about to visit with the Los Angeles Dodgers and interview for their manager’s job. Martinez – who gets a strong endorsement from Joe Maddon after spending eight seasons working next to arguably the best manager in the game – is one of at least nine reported candidates to replace Don Mattingly. That picture should become somewhat clearer after this week’s general manager meetings at the Boca Raton Resort and Club. The Dodgers released Mattingly after a 92-win season and a first-round playoff exit, allowing him to become the Miami Marlins manager. The Martinez/Maddon connection is obvious with Andrew Friedman now running baseball operations for the Dodgers after leaving the Tampa Bay Rays last October. Martinez lasted 16 seasons in the big leagues and still looks like he could play, even at the age of 51, and that experience gives him instant credibility in the clubhouse. Between the Rays and Cubs, Martinez has exposure to two successful, data-driven organizations that have developed young talent. Originally drafted by the Cubs in 1983, Martinez knows what it’s like to play for an iconic franchise and handle big-market pressure. Maddon relies on Martinez to deliver messages to players, keep the peace in the clubhouse and help create the culture for what turned out to be a 97-win playoff team. President of baseball operations Theo Epstein has said Maddon’s entire coaching staff would be invited back for next season. Now the Cubs will see if Maddon’s right-hand man will return in 2016. “Davey’s very deserving of that opportunity,” Epstein said. “As much as I’d hate to lose him, I hope he does well and gets the job. He’s a big part of what we have going on here and very experienced. And I think it’s inevitable that someday he’ll get that opportunity.” -- CSNChicago.com Cubs have their eyes on new cable network in 2020 By Patrick Mooney

BOCA RATON, Fla. — All along, the Cubs have pointed toward their next TV contract as the accelerator that launches the franchise into another economic stratosphere. Until then, it appears Theo Epstein’s front office won’t have a big-market payroll, or will at least have to wait for incremental boosts from the Wrigley Field renovations and the buzz surrounding a young, compelling team that just won 97 games and two playoff rounds. While Epstein created headlines this week during the general manager meetings in South Florida — essentially ruling out the idea of signing two free agents to nine-figure contracts this winter — president of business operations Crane Kenney made news back in Chicago on Wednesday by announcing a change in flagship radio stations. As anticipated, the Cubs will move from WBBM Newsradio after one season and switch next year to WSCR-AM 670, another CBS affiliate. During a promotional appearance on The Score, Kenney sounded more certain than ever the Cubs will start their own cable network. “2019 is our last year with Comcast, so we’ll move over and launch our own channel in 2020,” Kenney said on the “Mully & Hanley” morning show. The Cubs have an ownership stake in Comcast SportsNet Chicago — which owns exclusive cable rights through the 2019 season — and synced up their local deals with ABC and WGN with the idea of becoming a broadcasting free agent. So does this mean the Cubs will be waiting until 2020 for their infusion of TV money? “I think that’s just one option,” Epstein said at the Boca Raton Resort and Club. “My understanding is that we’d be open to a deal earlier than that as well, as long as a good one presents itself.” Before leaving Fenway Park for a president’s title and a direct report to ownership in Chicago, Epstein helped build two World Series winners for the Boston Red Sox, a franchise that uses NESN to support a 2015 payroll that soared to around $200 million for luxury-tax purposes. Epstein said he thought a Cubs network in 2020 would be “a very real option.” “But, frankly, it’s a landscape that I don’t feel qualified to talk about,” Epstein said. “I don’t fully understand it, and I trust our people to deliver the right deal at the right time.” It’s a constantly changing landscape, and who knows what it might look like five years from now, or how the Cubs would find winter programming if the White Sox, Bulls and Blackhawks stick together with their own regional sports network. At a time of cord-cutting, online streaming and digital innovation, the Cubs can’t get stuck behind the curve or experience the gridlock that slowed the early stages of the Wrigleyville construction project. All the carriage problems surrounding the Los Angeles Dodgers and their reported $8 billion deal with Time Warner Cable has fueled fears of a bubble. The Ricketts family and Epstein’s baseball staff are counting on Kenney — a former Tribune Co. lawyer who’s spent more than two decades in the organization — to deliver. “There’s a lot of content there for a launch of a network,” Kenney said. “Not everyone succeeds. The ones that have succeeded, though, have done really well for their teams in providing resources back to the club, and to save the ballpark, in our case. “We’re very excited about it. Fortunately for me, that’s what I grew up doing. My career started in law and media, and we put together first Fox Sports Chicago and then Comcast SportsNet.

“Maybe the one thing I actually do know is how to put these things together.” -- CSNChicago.com Cubs interested in playing exhibition game in Cuba By Patrick Mooney BOCA RATON, Fla. – The Cubs are interested in playing an exhibition game in Cuba if Major League Baseball can clear all the diplomatic hurdles. President of baseball operations Theo Epstein confirmed the Cubs would like the opportunity to face the Cuban national team toward the end of spring training in 2016. MLB commissioner Rob Manfred reaffirmed his hopes to stage that groundbreaking game during his media session at this week’s general manager meetings in South Florida. “If and when MLB approves that and the league moves forward, we would be one of many candidates to play in that game under certain circumstances,” Epstein said Wednesday at the Boca Raton Resort and Club. “Clubs are allowed to say whether they would be interested or not interested. And we were interested under certain circumstances.” The Cubs are an international brand that already features Cuban outfielder Jorge Soler, a star manager in Joe Maddon and a marketable core of young players that just advanced to the National League Championship Series. “It would be an enriching experience for the players and the staff (to go) down there,” Epstein said, “and get a feel for Cuban culture and play the national team and start to get an understanding of Cuban baseball in a way that few of us have.” -- CSNChicago.com Excited about White Sox, Renteria has no hard feelings toward Cubs By Dan Hayes BOCA RATON, Fla. -- Though Wednesday’s press conference mostly dealt with Rick Renteria’s past, Robin Ventura is focused on what his new coach brings to the White Sox. The White Sox introduced their new bench coach via a conference call Wednesday and --- in a not-so-shocking twist --- most questions for Renteria surrounded his abrupt dismissal by the Cubs a year ago. But Ventura doesn’t care about what happened with the Cubs, nor is he concerned about the perception Renteria’s hire has created given his own contract status. Ventura, who has one year left on his contract, is just happy to have a coach of Renteria’s caliber on his staff and what it can mean for the White Sox next season. “He’s not stained at all,” Ventura said. “We are looking at him -- we are bringing in a quality guy. “He’s coming to do a job, he’s not looking back. But I think he’s eager for the opportunity. You can’t sit there and shy away from things. He doesn’t shy away from things like that. It is what it is and we’ll deal with that as we go along. I don’t look at that as we are always looking over our shoulder. “We have stuff to do and that’s what he’s here to do.”

Still, this was the first time Renteria has addressed the Cubs’ decision to hire Joe Maddon and dismiss him after one season. Though he said he doesn’t have any hard feelings, Renteria admitted the move surprised him. He said Wednesday he exchanged texts with Maddon afterward but they never spoke --- “there was really no need,” he said. Renteria also didn’t believe he had much to gain from making any public comments. “It would be foolish for anybody that's doing something or giving themselves to a task to not feel like, you know, you get the wind blown out of you a little bit,” Renteria said. “You take a step back. You regroup. I’m sure that there was no intent on anybody’s side to create a difficult situation. It was what it was. Quite frankly that’s something in the past. There are no hard feelings. There never was. When something like that occurs, you just want to take a step back and give it some space and some time. You really don’t want that to be the story. You want the story to be on the positive things that were going on there. That was a lot of the reason I just remained away.” While they didn’t have a position open at the time, Ventura reached out to Renteria last December to express interest in potentially having him joining the White Sox coaching staff. Ventura sensed Renteria wanted to step back but also wanted to ensure Renteria knew he was wanted. “You are always looking to bring in quality people and he’s definitely one,” Ventura said. When it became clear Bud Black wouldn’t take over as the next manager of the Washington Nationals late last month, Renteria felt like the White Sox were the next best fit. He had already spoken to Rick Hahn once before and remained in constant communication. Once Black’s negotiations stopped, Renteria quickly met a second time with Hahn and Ventura. While they didn’t know each other much before, Ventura and Renteria have spent a fair amount of time with each other recently and are comfortable. “I thought it was actually a pretty good fit,” Renteria said. “I think our personalities will mesh. As a bench coach, I’m coming on board to make his job as easy as possible and transition into one of the rest of the staff. The conversation we had made it pretty easy for me to see myself coming on board with the Sox.” Ventura doesn’t foresee any difficulties surrounding speculation that Renteria has been hired to ultimately succeed him. Headed into his fifth season, Ventura knows speculation and rumors come with the territory. He’s not fazed and is more interested in what a valuable addition can do for the club. “That stuff doesn’t bother me,” Ventura said. “I don’t expect any rift or anything else with Rick. I’m excited to have him come in. He’s excited to be here. We are trying to do things to win games. For me, the quality of person you are bringing in is the key thing, not any of the other issues people might try to create.” --