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CHICAGO − At this year’s Cubs convention, Chicago Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts faced heavy criticism from fans who accused him of not spending enough to compete with teams like the Dodgers and Mets.

Fans reacted with boos when president Jed Hoyer chose not to comment on interest in acquiring free-agent third baseman Alex Bregman. There was clear disappointment expressed when the team announced it would focus primarily on improving their bullpen and bench.

Every winter during this convention, a large crowd gathers, cheering for everyone from the mascot to minor league talents and stars like Sammy Sosa, all while holding onto the hope of replicating the success of 2016 when they ended a 108-year championship drought.

Despite Ricketts’s view that the Cubs should be the top contenders in the NL Central due to being the only major market team in the division, many fans are unhappy with the team’s current payroll of approximately $180 million, which places them just 14th in baseball. This figure pales in comparison to the Dodgers, Mets, and Yankees.

“Other teams have more resources than we do,” Ricketts said during an interview with YSL News Sports at the Cubs Convention. “I can’t change that. I encourage our team to focus on doing their very best.”

However, the passionate Cubs fans aren’t looking for explanations; they want action. They want Ricketts to allocate more funds for better players.

“I don’t believe fans should spend their time worrying about how much money other teams are spending,” Ricketts remarked during his radio session with 670 The Score. “This narrative can be distracting.”

Unfortunately, that narrative is unlikely to fade away, especially in the third-largest market in the U.S. where the Cubs rank as one of baseball’s wealthiest franchises.

“Certainly, the Dodgers have done an impressive job with smart business and player choices,” Ricketts noted. “They’ve built a strong competitive team. I can’t fault them for that, similar to how the Yankees operated decades ago.”

“I think our fans may mistakenly believe we possess the same financial power as the Dodgers, Mets, or Yankees, when in reality, we aim to break even at the end of the year.”

Ricketts maintains that they still have funds available for acquisitions, whether before spring training, before their trip to Japan in March, or at the trade deadline in July. According to a top Cubs executive, the payroll budget for 2025 is $220 million, ensuring they avoid surpassing the luxury tax threshold for a second consecutive year.

However, the Cubs have mostly been onlookers as other big-market clubs make significant moves in free agency.

The team’s most substantial action involved trading for Houston Astros All-Star right fielder Kyle Tucker, signing him for $16.5 million instead of going to arbitration. This move necessitated parting ways with All-Star outfielder Cody Bellinger, who carried a $27.5 million salary, as he was traded to the Yankees.

“I believe Cody is an excellent player,” Hoyer explained. “We felt it was smarter to reallocate those resources in a way that would better benefit the team. Once we had Tucker, we knew it was the right decision.”

In contrast, we saw the Mets move players to secure Juan Soto’s staggering 15-year, $765 million deal or the Dodgers clear salaries to afford Blake Snell for $182.5 million and Teoscar Hernandez for $66 million, in addition to acquiring promising Japanese pitcher Rōki Sasaki.

Though the Cubs undoubtedly have the financial means to thrive in the National League Central, worth an estimated $4.2 billion to $5.3 billion and being the fourth-most valuable franchise in baseball, their spending in free agency this winter has totaled just $48.3 million – less than what Soto will earn in the upcoming season alone.

Despite this, competing in the NL Central offers certain advantages. The Cubs’ winter expenditures nearly double that of their division rivals combined. The Milwaukee Brewers, who have dominated the division with postseason berths six out of the last seven years and four division titles, have lost All-Star shortstop Willy Adames to free agency, traded All-Star closer Devin Williams, and remain inactive in free agency. The Cardinals, the only other team to win the division since 2012, are currently rebuilding and haven’t made any signings either.

“We should definitely be the frontrunners in the NL Central,” Ricketts remarked. “We must get back to winning.”

Indeed, that’s the expectation, but it wouldn’t be shocking to see the Brewers clinch the division again or for Terry Francona to revive the Cincinnati Reds. Financially, the Cubs should assert dominance in the division every year, akin to how the Dodgers command the NL West.

“Winning the World Series is everyone’s ultimate goal,” Ricketts acknowledged, “but to achieve that, making the playoffs consistently is crucial. If you keep reaching the playoffs, you’ll eventually get a chance at the title.”

The Cubs last made the playoffs in a complete season back in 2018, ending their four-year postseason streak. They are not directly competing with the Dodgers and Mets for playoff spots, especially facing a relatively weak NL Central.

“We’ve got two teams in the National League that, from a financial perspective, can do things that other teams simply can’t,” Hoyer pointed out. “This does elevate the stakes for everyone involved.”

“People seem to focus on the Dodgers’ payroll and deferments, but it’s truly an exceptional organization running on all cylinders. They excel at drafting, scouting internationally, making informed trades, and finding valuable players without spending excessively. Plus, they can sign big-name free agents.”

Although the Dodgers may continue to stay one step ahead, it would certainly ease the pressure on the Cubs if they began to invest in nine-figure contracts themselves. The Cubs have opted out of pursuing Soto, passed on ace Corbin Burnes, who received a $210 million deal from the Arizona Diamondbacks, and are not currently in contention for first baseman Pete Alonso. Additionally, unless there’s a significant drop in costs, they appear to have stepped back from the Bregman negotiations.

The Cubs’ hopes for a major acquisition seemed tied to landing Japanese superstar Sasaki, for whom the team dedicated significant resources in preparation and recruitment as one of eight finalists. However, they were left disappointed when Sasaki signed with the Dodgers.

This marked the Dodgers’ third signing of a Japanese star over the past 13 months, adding to their recent $1.025 billion expenditures on Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, while Sasaki was secured for just $6.5 million from their international spending fund.

“They hold a significant presence in Japan,” Ricketts observed. “When a player can make a choice based on equal economics, it’s incredibly challenging to vie for a Japanese talent against the allure of the Dodgers.”

Yet, the Cubs deserve credit for not sulking over their setback or participating in rumors of a possible private deal; they maintain that the entire process was legitimate.

It’s the outcome that’s left the team feeling frustrated.

“It was a fair process,” Cubs GM Carter Hawkins stated. “We had the opportunity to present our case to Rōki and his representation. He listened to everything we had to convey. It’s disappointing not to secure him, just as it is for the other 29 teams that missed out.”

“Complaining won’t fix anything; we must determine our next move.”

The challenge lies in keeping pace with teams like the Dodgers and Mets without heavily engaging their financial resources.

“I think it would be foolish for us to complain,” Hawkins remarked. “I feel confident in our ability to compete with these large markets. If someone is willing to pay more, they will. That’s not something we can let distract us.”

As for now, that unease will be felt within their dedicated fanbase, hoping this will be the year the Cubs finally break their postseason drought. If it doesn’t happen, it will be Ricketts who faces the crowd’s discontent at next year’s Cubs convention.

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