Ricketts faces the hype, if not Bryant

CHICAGO -- Three years ago, Chicago Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts spoke on the first Opening Day of the Theo Epstein era and said some pretty wild stuff.

"I expect us to be a competitive team this year," he said that day. "I think we'll win a lot of games. I don't want to put a number on that or anything. The fact is, we're going to be good. The guys have a lot of confidence in themselves."

The Cubs, or what was left of them after a season-long sell-off, weren't competitive or confident. They sure didn't win a lot of games. That 2012 squad finished with a 61-101 record.

It was the franchise's worst season since 1966, and only the third time it lost 100 or more games in its not-so-storied history. But this time the Cubs were bad on purpose. That season turned into Kris Bryant, so it was a pretty good trade-off. All part of the plan.

Now fast-forward to Monday night, where Ricketts, a few years older, a few more gray hairs flecking his Ted Cruz-lookalike noggin, spoke about the cheery state of the franchise at the Mid-America Club on the 80th floor of the Aon Center.

For the first time since his family money bought the team after the 2009 season, "Cubs" isn't a four-letter word in Chicago.

People are actually excited about baseball games here. It's a novel approach, and one that just might work.

While Ricketts loves to brag about subjective minor league rankings, he can actually speak about his major league team with a semblance of pride.

At the very least, the Cubs carry with them real expectations of being watchable from Opening Night until September.

"It's different," Ricketts said. "Obviously you saw the offseason moves. They were moves to add veterans to a good young team that should compete for the division. And the games matter. That's different. It is exciting. Hopefully we'll get off to a fast start and that'll get the season off on the right foot and be fun all summer."

Even if the Cubs start off poorly at under-construction Wrigley Field, Ricketts doesn't have to tap-dance around the ugliness of tanking a season while charging big-market prices.

When the Cubs acquire veterans now, it's not for their resale value. Erase "flip guy" from your vo-cub-ulary.

"Right," he said. "We don't say that anymore. That's not who we are."

But it's who they were the past three seasons. And it's why everyone is watching the Cubs to see how they'll go about their business this season, the first under Ricketts and baseball president Epstein where they're trying to actually win. It's why the Bryant "decision," which is really a no-brainer, has become a national storyline.

"We were pretty transparent: 'It's going to take a few years. We have to do this the right way. It probably means a lot of losses.'" Ricketts said. "But I think right now everyone knows we have a good young team. We've added some veterans in the offseason. We have a chance this year. We'll compete for a division title, and everyone's excited about that."

Of course, he still can't say too much about certain subjects.

During his question-and-answer session with NBC5's Peggy Kusinski, Ricketts wouldn't delve into the inevitability of Bryant starting the season in Triple-A and missing least nine major league games for player-control reasons.

"That's a player-personnel decision and I don't get involved in those kind of things," he said.

Ricketts noted that while fans and "the agent" want to see Bryant up right away, "we have to do what's best on the player-development side, and I leave that up to the baseball guys."

Sure, Tom. Bryant, the No. 2 pick of the 2013 draft, was ready to hit major league pitching in August. The third baseman will be ready April 5, too, when the St. Louis Cardinals come to town.

From a baseball-operations standpoints, it's the right decision to keep Bryant down for a measly nine major league games or whatever, but while his defense needs improvement -- the Cubs assuredly could've had Bryant work out in the outfield weeks ago -- that's not why he won't start with the Cubs. But as you know, we can't talk about three things in mixed company: Religion, politics and service time.

"You know, I'm not going to get into Kris Bryant," Ricketts said, when asked about it after the Q&A. "In the end, you've got to do what's right for player development and I'll let Theo make all those decisions.

"It's great to have great young players who are knocking on the door. When they get brought up is a decision of the baseball guys."

But even if Ricketts wanted Bryant up now -- and why would he, since it would cost him money down the line? -- you have to respect how he cedes the spotlight to Epstein and "the baseball guys."

But Ricketts still shines at corporate events, where he can trot out old stories about meeting his wife in the bleachers and talk about how he likes to mingle with the hoi polloi during games.

Ricketts didn't have much to say about the construction delays in the bleachers or the federal court hearing earlier Monday between his lawyers and those of two rooftop clubs. He pays people to handle those problems.

But when asked if the bleachers will still have some character when they're finally rebuilt and open to the public, Ricketts, that old bleacher creature, smiled.

"I hope so," he said. "We need to bring that energy back."