Chicago Cubs: This year brought a very different feel at Cubs Convention

Chicago Cubs: Fans ready to place the blame on Ricketts family

Then, while talking to the media, Ricketts flat-out denied being booed – hardly a good look for a guy who’s so quickly fallen out of favor with fans. After the team won just 84 games last season, a dead-silent offseason where the Cubs are yet to sign a single free agent to a big league deal isn’t sitting well with the Wrigley faithful – especially when it’s driven by luxury tax concerns.

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"“It’s not the only factor, but it’s certainly something that got put into the last collective bargaining agreement, and we have to work with it,” Ricketts told 670 WSCR AM over the weekend."

Instead of announcing extensions for guys like Anthony Rizzo, Javier Baez, Willson Contreras and Kris Bryant, we’ve seen those talks either go nowhere (in the case of Rizzo and Baez) or those names running rampant in trade speculation (Bryant and Contreras). In short, it’s a recipe for disaster – especially when you’re the one controlling the purse strings.

Heading into the weekend, I opined Ricketts’ decision to not hold a Q&A panel as he did in the past was nothing short of cowardice. Now, I’ll admit – I saw him in the lobby with fans a lot over the course of the three days. But there’s a difference between that and being willing to answer the hard questions in what would have undoubtedly been a packed ballroom at the Sheraton.