Cubs’ Ricketts tries to reassure players, calm storm

MESA, Ariz. — Chairman Tom Ricketts reassured his Cubs players Monday that his father’s racist emails don’t represent the organization while defending him as well as the franchise’s new partnership with conservative-leaning Sinclair Broadcasting and not pursuing high-profile free agents. Ricketts also lent support to suspended shortstop Addison Russell.

“I wanted to let [Cubs players] know if there was anything that we had done in our organization that ever made them comfortable or something we had missed, to let me now,” Ricketts said in a 34-minute news conference after delivering his annual spring training speech to the team before their rain-soaked first full-squad workout.

Ricketts spoke in a firm tone while addressing several non-baseball incidents that have clouded the Cubs’ offseason.

“He was very honest about everything, and the players listened,” manager Joe Maddon said.

Ricketts’ meetings occurred a couple hours after the team announced a partnership with several Muslim groups to fight Islamophobia and bigotry after racist emails involving family patriarch Joe Ricketts surfaced two weeks ago thanks to Splinter News.

“We’ll follow through on that kind of stuff,” Tom Ricketts vowed. “The fact is it’s kind of fresh. We want to do it right. We’ll make sure our actions back up our words.”

Those actions could include the participation of notable Muslims in Cubs and Wrigley Field traditions, anti-hate public-service announcements involving team personnel helping to raise public awareness against Islamophobia and the organization’s support for three community initiatives: anti-bullying efforts, diversity and inclusion training and scholarships.

Ricketts reiterated his father’s emails were “unacceptable” but stressed he has no direct role or any economic interest in the team, adding that he never heard him say anything remotely racist.

“He realizes those statements cause pain,” Ricketts said. “But I love him. He’s my dad. He’s a great man.”

Tom Ricketts said his father has helped children throughout the world, including those attending 1,700 schools in Africa and in Islamic East Africa.

Ricketts emphasized that the team’s partnership with Marquee Sports Network to start their new Cubs channel in 2020 will be completely separate from the political leanings of Sinclair that owns the network.

“[Sinclair] has a strategic interest in getting into sports,” said Ricketts, adding that the company operates the Tennis Channel. “I think they’ll be great partners.

“There’s nothing political in anything we’re doing with our new station.”

That partnership could be worth billions to the Cubs, but those massive wheelbarrows of cash won’t be spent on any remaining high-impact free agents.

“We don’t have any more [money],” said Ricketts, who added the cost of a commitment in the 10-year range of up to $300 million could negatively affect the team’s efforts to retain its young core players.