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January 15, 2012

Cubs.com Wrigley's right-field bleachers getting patio By: Carrie Muskat

CHICAGO -- The Cubs announced the addition of a patio in the right-field bleacher section at , which will be ready for the 2012 season and create a rooftop-like atmosphere.

The Budweiser Patio will include a 75-foot LED sign installed above the right-field wall with the capability to display game information, such as pitch count, photos of players and statistics. It will not have video replay because of the size.

The new right-field configuration can handle a group of 150 people, or three groups of 50 each, or may be sold on an individual basis. Cubs team president Crane Kenney said the pricing was still to be determined.

"What we're finding both for our suites as well as other parts of the ballpark is that people want to be able to circulate -- you see it on the rooftops," Kenney said Saturday after a business management session at the 27th annual Cubs Convention, where the announcement was made.

"[It will be] a place where you can bring clients, move around in the space and not just be fixed," Kenney said. "If I'm in seat [No. 1] and my clients are in seats two through eight, I don't get to talk to the person in seat [No. 8]. It's a chance to circulate."

Each section of 50 tickets will include both seated and standing-room-only tickets, and an all-inclusive food and beverage package.

The Wrigley Field bleachers underwent a major renovation after the 2005 season when they were expanded and a restaurant was added in the batter's eye.

The right-field configuration does not involve any of Wrigley's landmark status features, such as the ivy or the scoreboard.

Kenney said fans have asked for more statistics and in-game information, and the new LED board will provide that. Wrigley Field does not have a video scoreboard to show replays.

"One of the things we hear from our fans is if you go to other parks, it'll tell you not only that the pitch was 92 miles an hour but it was a slider or a fastball," Kenney said. "People want more information in the park so with the hand-operated scoreboard and the small LED we have beneath it, it's a chance to bring more information to the fans."

The Cubs also announced Saturday they will experiment with dynamic pricing on bleacher seats, which means fans will benefit if they purchase tickets early.

More than 90 percent of Cubs season ticket holders renewed their tickets for 2012, Kenney said. Single- game tickets go on sale March 9.

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Cubs.com Sveum expecting success, effort from Cubs By: Carrie Muskat

CHICAGO -- How will new Cubs Dale Sveum deal with a player who doesn't hustle or out a ball?

"They're going to be held accountable," Sveum said. "It's not going to be OK. They won't be able to walk past me in the dugout."

Bench Jamie Quirk said he's heard from a few fans about lackadaisical play on past Cubs teams. "It's not going to happen," Quirk said, forcefully.

Sveum has talked to several of the core players at length and also met some of the Cubs at a minicamp in Mesa, Ariz., in the first week of January. David DeJesus, Ian Stewart and Marlon Byrd were among the players who worked out with hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo at that time.

Sveum said he was impressed at how quickly president of baseball operations and general manager Jed Hoyer filled their wish list. In two months, they added more depth to the starting pitching with , Chris Volstad and Paul Maholm, added future left-hander power with and became more athletic with DeJesus and Stewart.

He also dismissed talk that the Cubs are rebuilding.

"The plan is to win right now," Sveum said. "The long-term plan starts right now. We're not rebuilding, we're building."

Rumors connecting the Cubs to free agent Prince Fielder wouldn't go away. A fan asked Sveum about the possibility the Brewers first baseman could be reunited with his former hitting coach.

"It's just not going to happen," Sveum said. "We have Bryan LaHair and Rizzo waiting in the wings."

Ricketts happy Wood staying with Cubs

CHICAGO -- Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts said he talked to Theo Epstein, president of baseball operations, often during negotiations with Kerry Wood's agents.

"We talked about what was best for the organization and this is it," Ricketts said Saturday, one day after Wood signed a one-year, $3 million deal to stay with the Cubs.

Wood was considering other teams.

"In the end, it works out great," Ricketts said, "and this is what everybody wanted, every fan, everybody in the organization and also Kerry. He had a lot of offers. He could be in another city if that was his decision. From our standpoint, we're happy that he wants to stay with the Cubs."

Wood, 34, was drafted by the Cubs when he was 17 and has played all but two seasons -- 2009 and '10 - - with Chicago.

"I assume that going into the future, Kerry will always be part of the Cubs organization," Ricketts said.

Santo remembered at Convention session

CHICAGO -- At the Cubs Convention, 's wife, Vicki, his son, Ron Santo Jr., and former teammates Randy Hundley, Glenn Beckert and talked about the late , who was elected to the Hall of Fame in December. The Grand Ballroom was standing room only for the session.

"I know right now he's enjoying it," Williams said of Santo, who died in December 2010. "He isn't clicking his heels -- he's pounding his fist."

All agreed they were sad that the news came after Santo had passed.

"Ronnie would've been happier than anybody who's ever been elected to the Hall of Fame," said WGN Radio's Pat Hughes, who was Santo's partner for 15 years and the master of ceremonies of the session.

Vicki Santo will deliver the speech in honor of her husband in the induction ceremonies at Cooperstown on July 22.

Extra bases

• DeJesus is the leading candidate to lead off for the Cubs but Sveum said he's considering using Tony Campana in certain matchups.

• During a question-and-answer session in which kids were the reporters, Campana was the star. Nearly every question was directed to the speedy outfielder, which prompted Reed Johnson to ask the kids if they did that because the 5-foot-8 Campana was the same size as they were. Campana, by the way, would have liked to have been an astronaut if he weren't playing baseball.

• New pitching coach said he expects the pitchers to be prepared, dictate the tempo of the game and throw strikes. "We're going to turn Wrigley Field into a home-field advantage, hopefully like they've never seen before," he said.

• The Cubs have not asked for more night games but would like more flexibility with the schedule so they could have a late game on a Friday after a road trip, Ricketts said.

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Tribune Cubs to play with an edge Sveum says club will play with vim and vinegar By: Paul Sullivan

It will take weeks for the 2012 Cubs to get to know each other, but new manager Dale Sveum is certain his team eventually will forge an identity fans will enjoy.

Sveum is not looking for a "vanilla" team, but one with the ability to "irritate" its opponents.

"Sometimes a team does need some identity to irritate the other team," Sveum said Saturday at the Cubs Convention after a fan asked about Nyjer Morgan's "obnoxious" antics in Milwaukee. "You have to have some cockiness on the field. Nyjer might have taken things a little far sometimes, but Nyjer was a great guy, probably one of the quietest, nicest guys in the world. But when you cross that line, he came to play.

"It's very important for the team on the other side to say, 'Wow, these guys come to play.'

"You never show the other team up, but when you come to the plate … it makes a big difference to have some guys with personality and showing some emotion."

Sveum, President Theo Epstein, general manager Jed Hoyer and the Ricketts family were among those fans grilled Saturday at the Hilton Chicago.

Wrigley updates: The Cubs will introduce a new patio deck in the far right-field bleachers and a 75-foot LED board above the outfield wall. Cubs Chairman Tom Ricketts said the team is hoping to get the city to relax the ban on Friday night games and that there are no long-term plans yet for the McDonald's parcel of land on Street that the team purchased last month.

"We just decided that property in Wrigleyville doesn't come up for sale that often," Ricketts said. "One of the things the previous ownership maybe missed out on was (buying) some of the land to better control the environment around the park. For this season, what you can expect is something pretty cool on the south end of that lot, and the McDonald's will stay. … All of our long-term remodeling strategies have to be conditioned on first getting sure we can get Wrigley fixed up."

Santo memories: One of the best-received question-and-answer sessions was devoted to memories of Ron Santo, which featured his wife, Vicki, his son, Ron Jr., and former teammates Glenn Beckert, Billy Williams and Randy Hundley.

Vicki Santo had fans rolling while telling a story about Ron frantically trying to figure out why the TV remote wasn't working. It turns out he picked up a phone, believing it was the remote. Beckert said the players once took a timer from the team whirlpool, wrapped it in a box and made Ron believe that someone had sent him a bomb. Ron quickly threw the package over a fence.

How would Santo have taken the news of being voted into the Hall of Fame?

"He would have had a heart attack," Hundley cracked.

Foundation building: While the Cubs' "foundation of sustained success" is a work in progress, Sveum said the team wasn't "rebuilding" and Hoyer said the plan is to make the playoffs consistently.

"If we make the playoffs, it's like taking a shot on goal," Hoyer said. "We need to get to the point where we make the playoffs every single year and once we do that, the (World Series championships will) follow. How long it's going to take to build that sustainable team, I can't tell you. But hopefully it will come sooner rather than later."

Lollygagging and knockdowns: Sveum said there would be no "lollygagging" this season.

"All you can do is trust us," bench coach Jamie Quirk said. "It's not going to happen.

Pitching coach Chris Bosio said his pitchers would be aggressive in the zone and work fast.

"And we might knock a couple of guys down in between," Bosio said.

No more laissez-faire: Epstein said the Cubs won't tolerate players who think they can sample Chicago's nightlife so much they're ill-prepared the next day.

"It has been a factor in ruining some careers," he said. "And I'm sure it has been an impediment to the Cubs in winning. … The approach we're going to have is the opposite of laissez-faire.

"… That's a failure on the organization's part. We have to take a very proactive approach in setting a high standard. … (But) I can't expect players to live up to a certain standard, a certain 'Cubs way' of doing things, if we've never defined it for them."

Powerball: Who has final say on decisions among the four Ricketts siblings?

"I'm the oldest, so generally my vote counts for more," Pete joked.

Todd then chimed in: "I was going to say we vote, and then we wait until Pete leaves the room, and we change it."

Tom added: "And if that doesn't work, Mom is the tiebreaker."

While Tom said it's a collaborative process, Laura admitted Tom gets to make most of the decisions.

"If we win it's our decision," Tom said with a grin. "If we lose, it's my fault."

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Tribune Ricketts family discuss hot topics at Cubs Convention By: Paul Sullivan

The Ricketts family held their annual question-and-answer session at the Cubs Convention on Saturday, addressing topics from the rules changes in the collective bargaining agreement to organ music.

Afterwards the Cubs announced a new party deck will be built above the far right field bleachers, a version of the Green Monster seats at Fenway Park, with a 70-foot LED board above the wall for stats. Groups can rent out the section and fans can purchase up to 150 tickets for group outings. The area has recently been sold as individual premier box seats.

Here are some of the topics from the Ricketts’ session:

Theo Epstein's arrival

Tom Ricketts called the combination of Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer the “dream team,” while Laura Ricketts said the new front office tandem “have definitely brought a breath of fresh air, and there’s a change in attitude in our front office.

“My sense is, I feel like in the past, it was always ‘if,’” Laura said. “And now people are thinking more along the lines of ‘when.’” pointed out that other than , most of the baseball operations people have remained. “We’re just adding to the brain power,” Todd said. “You can sense the positive feelings in the office every day.”

Tom said president Crane Kenney was the one who asked Boston for permission to talk with Epstein, and after negotiations began they made secret plans to fly Epstein into Chicago.

“It’s a crazy story,” Tom said. “We were so secret. We flew him in secretly, we picked him up secretly, we did all these things. And then he hops out of the car to get an ice coffee…”

Epstein was spotted by a Cubs fan, and the story of his secret interview was in the Tribune the next day.

“If you go to Starbucks, why didn’t you just fly in on United and put up a billboard for God’s sake,” Tom joked.

Wrigley Field

One fan asked if the Ricketts would take contributions from fans to help in the renovation of Wrigley Field. Tom said thanks, but they are still trying to get some of the revenue generated by the amusement tax.

“What we’d like to do, one of the things we’ve talked about, is just being able to redirect some of the funds you already pay,” Tom said. “The amusement tax that’s on your ticket goes to the city and county. What we were hoping is that some (portion) of the future growth of the amusement tax will just stay and fix up the park. We’ve had some good discussions with elected officials about that.”

Tom also said they’re not sure what they will do in the long term with the McDonald’s property they recently purchased. “In the short term, the fact that McDonald’s reached out and that land was for sale, we just decided that property in Wrigleyville doesn’t come up for sale that often, and I think one of the things the previous ownership maybe missed out on was making sure they bought some of the land around Wrigley to better control the environment around the park. We also have the rooftops partners, which cause us difficulties at different times. The fact is when the land was offered to us, we saw no reason not to take a look at that. For the season, I think what you can expect is something pretty cool on the south end of that lot, and the McDonald’s will stay…. All of our long term remodeling strategies have to be conditioned on first getting sure we can get Wrigley fixed up.”

Night games

Tom said In no way right now is (more) night games a focus,” but said the team would like more flexibility in scheduling, hoping to get the city to relax the ban on Friday night games.

Influences

Not surprisingly, Tom said Boston is the organization the Cubs emulate the most, team the Cubs emulate the most, and that White Sox Chairman is a “good owner and someone I’ve gotten advice from in the past.

“There are other ones out there that are very well run organizations,” he said. “The come to mind. Some West Coast teams we’re not trying to emulate at the moment.”

Tom’s joke was apparently in reference to the Los Angeles Dodgers’ troubles after the divorce of the McCourts.

Zambrano contract

One fan asked why the Cubs had to pay Carlos Zambrano after his behavior last summer, including his walkout in August. Tom said Zambrano’s contract was guaranteed, and they had no choice. He called Zambrano “really a good human being in many ways,” but added, “that kind of behavior like we saw last year, we’re just happy to have that behind us.”

Power ball

Who has final say on decisions among the four siblings?

Depends on who you ask.

“I’m the oldest, so generally my vote counts for more,” Pete joked.

“I was going to say we vote, and then we wait until Pete leaves the room, and we change it,” Todd chimed in.

“And if that doesn’t work, mom is the tiebreaker,” Tom added.

Tom said that actually it’s a collaborative process, but Laura said Tom gets to make most of the decisions.

Tom replied with a laugh: “If we win it’s our decision. If we lose, it’s my fault.”

Tribune Chicago teams keep Hot Stove League warm Cubs and Sox have been busy refitting respective rosters By: Dave van Dyck

It has been quite a winter for Chicago's baseball teams, who seem to have supplied most of the kindling for the Hot Stove League.

Gone are two managers, a general manager, two former aces and an All-Star third baseman. Oh, and a whole bunch of money.

Those taking oversized salaries out of the clubhouse and bringing excess baggage in either have been jettisoned or still could be.

So, with all the changes, here's a get-to-know-the-new-guys guide:

Theo Epstein: Once the Red Sox's Boy Wonder for breaking a curse, Epstein is the Cubs' new baseball president/savior savant and better hope he has a long honeymoon in replacing Jim Hendry. His major accomplishment so far seems to be paring payroll — and lifting expectations of ever-optimistic Cub fans.

Jed Hoyer: Did you forget about him? Epstein's old Red Sox pal is now officially "general manager" with the Cubs, although he's more like assistant demotion expert to Epstein so far.

Jason McLeod: The third of the Theo Trio from past Red Sox days, he's in charge of fixing the draft and farm system, which is no small task.

Dale Sveum: New manager doesn't have any hair on his head, just like his predecessor, although didn't have a choice. He's also much more reserved than the man he replaces, who replaced Lou Piniella, who replaced Dusty Baker, who replaced Don Baylor.

Robin Ventura: He replaces Ozzie Guillen in the Sox's manager's office but comes with absolutely no managerial or coaching experience. None. He also comes with absolutely no desire to be the non-stop star attraction. Guillen is the only Chicago manager to win a World Series in almost 200 (combined) years.

Ozzie Martinez: Who, you ask? He likely will be the backup White Sox this summer after coming from the Marlins as compensation for them "stealing" Guillen with a year left on his contract. Guillen's new team, by the way, has won two championships in less than 20 years of existence.

Jhan Marinez: Huh? He could sneak his way into the Sox after also coming from the Marlins for Guillen. More likely headed to -A for seasoning, but he has "potential stuff" that's good enough possibly to close out games.

Chris Volstad: Another former Marlin, only he comes to the Cubs in trade for one-time ace Carlos Zambrano. He's 6 feet 8 and most likely the fourth or fifth starter for the Cubs. And fans never will have to fear him getting an $18 million contract that needs to be dumped to keep peace.

Chris Bosio: He would be the Cubs' new pitching coach, replacing the unknown Mark Riggins, who replaced the underappreciated Larry Rothschild. No word on whether he likes the "towel drill."

Jeff Manto: He will be in charge of filling the holes in Adam Dunn's bats — arguably the most challenging job in baseball — and replacing Greg Walker, who walked around with a target on his back as the Sox hitting coach.

Mark Parent: The former Cubs backup has managed the Phillies Class A and Double-A teams the last two years and now replaces Joey Cora as Sox bench coach. He was below in the Phillies pecking order, so Sandberg still is waiting.

Jamie Quirk: His resume screams "over-qualified" when compared to Parent's. He was a bench coach for 12 big league seasons before replacing in the Cubs' dugout. Listach moves to third base coach to replace the overmatched Ivan DeJesus.

David DeJesus: A free agent who will become the latest right fielder for the Cubs, joining this list from the years since Sammy Sosa left after 2004: Tyler Colvin, Kosuke Fukudome, Milton Bradley, Jacque Jones, Cliff Floyd and Jeromy Burnitz.

Ian Stewart: The Cubs' replacement at third base for Aramis Ramirez. And while A-Ram was paid $16 million, he did produce 26 homers and 93 RBIs. Stewart will make about $3.5 million and produced 18 homers and 67 RBIs — over the last two seasons — with the Rockies.

Anthony Rizzo: He's the Cubs' first baseman of the future (probably a season from now) after his trade from the Padres, where Hoyer acquired him from Epstein's Red Sox after McLeod drafted him. Sound confusing? Not really, when you consider the newly reassembled Theo Trio moved a former Hendry first- round pick, potential No. 1 starter and once untouchable Andrew Cashner to get him. Makes all the sense in the world: Out with the old (regime), in with the new (regime).

Travis Wood: In danger of not making the Reds' rotation, he likely will be the Cubs No. 3 starter (No. 2 if Matt Garza joins the procession out of town). The left-hander, a former second-round pick, is labeled as "potential," which is better than last year's lefty — over-the-hill Doug Davis.

Andy Sonnanstine: He may or may not make the Cubs' roster this spring after going 0-2 for the Rays last season. But he's another "potential" guy because of a 13-9 record way back in 2007.

Manny Corpas: He could help "relieve" some of the sting from trading Sean Marshall for Wood. A former closer for the Rockies, he should be recovered after missing two years with elbow surgery. "Potentially" a steal.

Nestor Molina: Sox GM Ken Williams is risking a lot with the former Blue Jay because he comes in trade for closer Sergio Santos. Trouble is, Molina may not even make the Sox roster this spring, so we may have to wait for a final judgment. In case you couldn't guess, the guy has "potential."

Paul Maholm: Another former first-rounder Chicago GMs seem to love no matter their past. He is 53-73 in 185 starts, albeit all of them with the Pirates. But think what he would be without the Cubs: He is 9-3 in 17 starts against them. His left arm will slip right into the rotation at Wrigley Field, where he is 6-2 (forget the 5.48 ERA).

White Sox et al: You may not hear much about them this season and none probably ever will replace departed ace Mark Buehrle, but, as the Sox restock a depleted minor league pitching corps, here are names acquired for Carlos Quentin and Jason Frasor: Miles Jaye, Daniel Webb, Pedro Hernandez and Simon Castro, who is the prize of the group because of his "potential."

Cubs et al: Not to be outdone by the Sox with the influx of minor league prospects who may or may not be heard from soon: Outfielder Dave Sappelt and infielder Ronald Torreyes in the Marshall deal; pitcher Zach Cates in the Rizzo deal and outfielder Yasiel Balaquert and pitcher Carlos Martinez as free agents from Cuba.

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Sun-Times Faithful Cubs followers flock to Theo Epstein’s pulpit By: GORDON WITTENMYER

For the first time in years, the players were virtually afterthoughts during the longest, busiest day of the annual Cubs Convention.

Not even a relatively anonymous group of incoming players representing the Cubs’ least-flashy offseason in at least two front-office regimes could provoke the passions of Cubs faithful Saturday.

This time around, all the passion was saved for new team president Theo Epstein, by far the star of Saturday’s heavy schedule of events, which began with a tightly packed fan question-and-answer session devoted solely to Epstein.

Seated opposite mediator Len Kasper in a deep-cushioned armchair, Epstein covered topics and philosophies related to his plan for “sustained success’’ that he has gone over in the media numerous times since taking office in October, engaging in an hourlong lovefest during his first major encounter with Cubs fans.

The more impressive and telling scene came at the end of the session, when fans crowded the stage for autographs and stalled handlers’ efforts to whisk Epstein away for his flight to Boston for a charity event Saturday night

“Theo, you’re the hope of the city, man!’’ called out one fan as Epstein signed.

That might as well have been the official name of the annual three-day event this weekend at the Chicago Hilton and Towers.

“Obviously, there’s a lot of excitement and a lot of optimism,’’ chairman Tom Ricketts said of Epstein’s effect on the fans — and, he guessed, ticket sales. “People are excited about the direction on the baseball side. That’s probably helped us with season-ticket renewals, which was very, very, very high. People want to be part of this new team, which should be heading in the right direction.’’

Team officials said the always high season-ticket renewal rate was in the upper-90-percent range. Fans at the Cubs Convention seemed even more in agreement on their appreciation for and faith in the Epstein-Jed Hoyer-Jason McLeod-led direction that is little more than a vision at this point.

With fan favorite Kerry Wood back in the fold — albeit by way of the cheesy drama manufactured by Friday’s “surprise’’ announcement two days after a source said the deal was done — and new manager Dale Sveum promising swift and firm action against lollygagging players, it didn’t seem to matter much at all what kind of quality or expectations the Cubs will take to spring training.

So long as Theo is in charge.

How long the honeymoon lasts if the team gets off to a slow start is anybody’s guess. Even Saturday, fans repeatedly asked for timelines from various club officials throughout the day for when the “sustained success’’ would start.

But that’s three months away.

For now, nobody seemed to pay attention to the fact that only one on that long list of starting pitchers the team has put together had a winning record last year. Or that only one player on the roster has 25 homers in a season — and that’s defensively challenged left fielder Alfonso Soriano, who was booed during the opening ceremony Friday.

Even the sexual-assault investigation involving young star shortstop Starlin Castro seemed unnoticed by fans during sessions with ownership, front office and field-staff personnel.

All because of the vaunted new direction the team is taking.

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Sun-Times Cubs roll out plan for patio deck, scoreboard in right field By: GORDON WITTENMYER

It’s not the Green Monster seats that Fenway Park has, and that wasn’t even a vague inspiration, the Cubs say.

But a new patio deck and overall look to the revamped right-field bleachers at Wrigley Field should be the most dramatic aesthetic change to the ballpark’s interior in years when it’s unveiled for the home opener April 5.

“It’ll be a great section for groups,’’ Cubs business operations president Crane Kenney said Saturday as the team announced the plan during the second day of the Cubs Convention. “What we’re finding is that people want to be able to circulate. Certainly, you see it on the rooftops. Places where you can bring clients, move around in the space, and not just be fixed.’’

The new patio area atop the renovated, raised bleacher section will have a capacity for 150 standing- room-only tickets, the prices and sales plans for which haven’t been finalized, said Kenney.

What seating survives the renovation was raised in part to alleviate some obstruction issues and in large part to accommodate a 70-foot-long LED board with rotating advertising and information-display capabilities, but not likely any video-replay functions. The height of the section doesn’t change, and none of the changes will affect the scoreboard, ivy or brick of the outfield wall, avoiding landmark-protection issues.

Notes

Long-term plans for the Rickettses’ recently purchased McDonald’s property across from Wrigley on haven’t been determined, chairman Tom Ricketts said. It’s expected to be incorporated into larger ballpark renovation plans the team is hoping to help fund with public money.

“In the short run,’’ Ricketts said, “we’re going to do something pretty cool [on that south lot] for Opening Day.’’

◆ Ricketts said during the family’s Q-and-A session with fans that money that otherwise would have been budgeted for draft bonuses and international signings — spending capped under baseball’s new collective-bargaining agreement — will be redirected into further ramping up the scouting department.

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CSNChicago.com Cubs make Theo Epstein the star attraction By: Patrick Mooney

They had to turn away people at the doors because everyone wanted to listen to Theo Epstein.

The fans had jammed into a Hilton Chicago ballroom on Saturday morning to see the rock star executive who once followed Pearl Jam on tour and planned to leave for his charity event that night at a Boston night club.

Sure, fans ripped Alfonso Soriano for not hustling, and told team executives how annoying they found some of the D-listers singing the seventh- stretch. But, for the moment, the anger and frustration was gone.

The narrative at the Cubs Convention wasn’t about who should be fired. It became hyping the new president of baseball operations.

“It will die down,” Epstein said. “The players are the show. That’s why we’re all in this profession. (As) a kid, when I got involved in baseball, it wasn’t to see , the general manager of the Red Sox. It was to watch Jim Rice and Dwight Evans.

“So times have changed a little bit with the information age now. People pay more attention to what GMs do. (That’s) great, but if that ever becomes the show, you probably don’t have a very good product to begin with.

“We are going to be a player-centric, player-driven organization. They’re the ones with the real skill (and) world-class ability. They’re the ones that are going to get us where we want to go.”

Epstein became the star attraction on a team he’s filled with buy-low players coming off down years (David DeJesus, Ian Stewart, Travis Wood, Chris Volstad) and a manager who told the crowd what they wanted to hear.

“When the guys aren’t hustling, you make them accountable for it,” Sveum said. “It’s simple. I don’t really care how much money they’re making or how many years they have in the big leagues. They’re still embarrassing the team.”

Prince Fielder plays with an edge and gives maximum effort, but Sveum once again confirmed that his friend from Milwaukee won’t be getting a megadeal here.

“That’s just not going to happen,” Sveum said. “We have our first baseman in Bryan LaHair and (Anthony) Rizzo waiting in the wings as well, so we’re doing OK with big, power left-handed hitters right now.”

Forget what it would take to sign Fielder. Epstein’s front office held out and a franchise icon waited until the middle of January to agree to a one-year, $3 million deal with a club option.

About 24 hours after Kerry Wood signed, even chairman Tom Ricketts acknowledged: “We probably could have had that conversation a month ago…(and) done it a little sooner.”

Ricketts again indicated that Epstein would have the authority to eat money on a bad contract for a player who didn’t fit anymore. (The implication in a reporter’s question was Soriano.)

Starlin Castro could still be absolutely essential to the team’s plans – people close to the 21-year-old All- Star shortstop think his legal situation will sort itself out – but an alleged sexual assault has been the bad publicity hanging over the convention.

“From our standpoint, Starlin and his advisors put out a statement,” Ricketts said. “It’s really not appropriate for us really to talk much beyond that. We just all hope it gets resolved as quickly as possible and everybody moves forward.”

Epstein was not talking specifically about Castro. But he acknowledged that the Cubs will have to be able to find and develop players who can deal with all the temptations in this city.

“It’s been a factor in ruining some careers,” Epstein said. “I’m sure it’s been (an) impediment to the Cubs of winning. Especially (given) what we’re trying to do – develop a young core of players – (the) approach that we’re going to have (is) the opposite of laissez-faire.

“We’re not just going to say, ‘Oh, that’s the way it is in Chicago, boys will be boys, I’m sure they’ll get enough sleep and be able to show up the next day ready to play.’ That’s failure on the organization’s part.”

That opportunity to build something and think more broadly about an organization matched Epstein up with Ricketts.

Last October, Ricketts told Cubs executive Crane Kenney to ask Red Sox president for permission to speak with Epstein. Ricketts got a call back from John W. Henry, the principal owner of the Red Sox, and a few days later Epstein was spotted at a Starbucks in Lincoln Park.

“We were so secretive,” Ricketts said, “and then he hops out of the car to get an iced coffee and someone spots him. Why not just fly you in on United and put up a billboard for God’s sake?”

That wouldn’t be shocking anymore, because at the moment Epstein is the face of the franchise.

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CSNChicago.com Cubs pushing Wrigley Field into 21st century By: Patrick Mooney

This will bother the traditionalists, but might appeal to anyone who can’t put down their BlackBerry. The Cubs always seem to provoke strong reactions whenever they make changes to Wrigley Field.

Trying to steal some business away from the surrounding rooftops, the Cubs will build a patio deck in the right-field bleachers and install an LED board that’s roughly 70-feet wide.

Team executives unveiled the plan on Saturday at the Cubs Convention and expect everything in place by Opening Day. The LED signage will show game information – pitch count, player pictures and statistics – but probably not instant replay.

President of business operations Crane Kenney said it would be “challenging” to play video there. Budweiser, the patio’s name sponsor, will be part of a rotating series of advertisements. These changes will not require approval from the city.

“This isn’t touching really a landmarked feature,” Kenney said. “The contours of the bleachers aren’t really impacted and it really doesn’t touch the scoreboard or the ivy or any of the other aspects that are protected.”

The Cubs intend to collapse six rows of bleachers into three and raise the seats, to improve the obstructed views into center field that slowed ticket sales there.

Marketing chief Wally Hayward said the area will be available for corporate outings and birthday parties and can accommodate up to 150 guests. The tickets will include food and drinks.

This reconfiguration won’t change the distance to hit a and shouldn’t impact wind patterns. These aren’t exactly the Green Monster seats dropped on top of Fenway Park. The bleachers will stay at the same height.

The Cubs will also experiment with dynamic pricing in the bleachers this season. This is a method used in the airline industry, where the earlier you buy your tickets, the better deal you’re going to get. The team won’t allow it to drop below the season-ticket price.

Chairman Tom Ricketts said the Cubs are not lobbying to add more night games to the schedule, though they would like to get some flexibility from the city that would allow them to play on Friday nights.

Approaching the ballpark’s 100th anniversary in 2014, the Cubs still haven’t secured the financing for their grand renovation plans. In the meantime, the Ricketts family recently purchased the McDonald’s lot opposite the Wrigley Field marquee for a reported $20 million.

“We just decided that property in Wrigleyville doesn’t come up for sale that often,” Ricketts said. “I think one of the things the previous ownership (Tribune Co.) maybe missed on was making sure they bought some of the land around Wrigley to better control the environment.”

The restaurant will remain there for the time being. Long term, Ricketts said he won’t know what his family’s developers will do with the land on Clark Street until the stadium renovation plans are finalized.

“It could be everything from parking, shopping, dining, hotel use,” Kenney said, “all the things that we think (are probably) a gap in the Cubs ecosystem for new amenities.”

Until Wrigley Field gets renovated, the Cubs do not expect to be awarded an All-Star Game. With a few modern touches, the place won’t look the same in April. Team officials know Cubs fans won’t be shy letting you know what they think.

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ESPNChicago.com Anthony Rizzo can handle adversity By: Melissa Isaacson

CHICAGO -- In the future-value-over-past-performance philosophy of Theo Epstein, Anthony Rizzo would seem to fit the mold perfectly.

At 22, the future is as vast and as promising as it can be for a kid who went 3-for-7 in his first three big- league games, including a 400-foot triple to dead center in his first at-bat. But when the Cubs president of baseball operations acquired Rizzo from the in a deal that included Cubs right- hander Andrew Cashner last week, he was also putting considerable faith in a young man whose past had already shown Epstein more than he needs to know.

After those first three games, things didn't go quite as well for Rizzo as he proceeded to bat .141 in 128 at-bats. "Pitchers adjusted to him a little bit more quickly than he adjusted back last year," Epstein said.

But Epstein and Cubs general manager Jed Hoyer knew Rizzo. And not just as a 6-foot-3, 220-pounder who tore up the minor leagues, hitting .452 with six home runs and 24 RBIs in his first 15 games at Triple-A Tucson last year and .365 (with an OPS of 1.159, 16 homers and 63 RBI) in 200 at-bats over 52 games.

"I do like the way he grinds his at-bats," Epstein said of the Cubs' first baseman of the future. "He'll swing and miss and he'll strike out but he sees the ball really well and knows how to work an . He's not looking to walk, although he will walk, but he's looking to get the counts where he can look for his pitch instead of the pitcher's pitch, and then drive the ball. . . ."

But Epstein was just as impressed with the off-field virtues of the young man whom he, Hoyer and Cubs scouting director Jason McLeod originally drafted for the in 2007.

It was then, barely into his professional career, when he was diagnosed with Stage 2 Hodgkins lymphoma. "It was my first year in the minor leagues and & I came back from a road trip and I had gained 12 to 15 pounds," recalled Rizzo, just 18 at the time. "They ran tests a couple weeks later and next thing I know, I'm getting chemo."

Boston doctors told Rizzo and his family there was a 97 percent cure rate, which only sounds good if you haven't lived through it. And even an 18-year-old knows when he no longer feels invincible.

"We're all so competitive, we think we can do anything and then it hits you and you don't know what to do," he said. "But you can't just sit there and say 'Why me?' I'm very lucky. Very lucky."

He went through six months of chemotherapy and was declared cancer-free, but said he will never forget the support he received from Epstein, Hoyer and the rest of the Red Sox organization.

"We got to go to a game after the first treatment," Rizzo said, "and Theo took my dad and brother and I to the [Red Sox] lockerroom to talk to . And just all the calls we got weekly and monthly from everyone . . . helping not just me out but my parents because it was harder on them than on me."

Lester had a similar type of cancer and came back to help pitch the Red Sox to the 2007 World Series championship a year after being diagnosed. Shortly after Rizzo was diagnosed, in May of '08, Lester pitched a no-hitter and called the youngster the next day.

Rizzo said he still thinks about what he went through.

"I think that whatever I hit in the big leagues is kind of small in the grand scheme of things," he said. "It kind of keeps things in perspective. It's better for me now that I know I can help little kids and people in the community fighting it right now."

When Epstein talks about liking Rizzo's "makeup," this is some of what he is referring to.

"Off the field, for a 22-year-old kid, he has a lot of leadership abilities," he said. "He's mature beyond his years. He's already overcome adversity in his life with the cancer that he beat. I think that's important because baseball is really all about overcoming adversity. Failure is inherent in this game. So if you're looking for one characteristic in a player, you want to look for how he handles adversity."

And how does Rizzo interpret what Epstein was talking about makeup?

"I think that's just from my parents bringing me up that way, teaching me the ways to do things and how to speak to people," he said. "I try to be honest and respectful to the media and with everyone else. I try to play hard and do things the right way. That's just the type of person I am."

Epstein said he was also impressed with Rizzo's "natural leadership abilities."

"Even in the minor leagues, he put the team first," Epstein said. "He wasn't all about his statistics and because of his imposing size and his character and the fact that he cared about his team and his teammates, he was kind of magnetic. His teammates, even those who were older than him, rallied around him as one of the leaders of the team. Those are some of the characteristics we look for in our players."

If this is rebuilding, Cubs fans should be encouraged. Getting on base and hitting for power is a very good thing, and Rizzo is that kind of player. His average with runners in scoring position (.463) is not too shabby either. But this is the kind of person you want in a clubhouse for a long time. And it is surely not the kind of player who is going to let a bad call-up last season affect him.

"You start to question yourself but that's just the game," he said. "Everyone has a bad span of at-bats and I caught I mine in the big leagues and started trying harder and started thinking way too much about what was going on. But did I ever lose my confidence? I don't think so. I still walked around the same person I am. I tried not to let it affect me really at all.

"I know it's just a game and there are a lot worse things going on."