Some dreams do come to fruition. When asked when was the first time you said to yourself, “I want to own the Cubs?” Tom Ricketts, chairman and new owner of the Chicago Cubs, reminisced about that moment that came in 1990.

“Last fall I was going through some papers on my desk and I found my business school application. It was an essay written in 1990, and one of the questions they asked was to tell what your dream job would be. I wrote “I’d like to own the Chicago Cubs, or a baseball team,” says Ricketts. At the time, he was living with his older brother, Pete above the Sports Corner bar at the corner of Sheffield and Addison. “It has been a dream for a long time.”

While Ricketts did not grow up in Chicago, he became a fan by watching the Cubs on WGN, and he has lived in Chicago long enough to call it home, even attending the University of Chicago. Ricketts was involved in Fantasy Baseball for a while and read everything Bill James wrote.

“Obviously living right up here and going to so many games how can you not [fall in love with the Cubs]? I love business, I love baseball. Being able to do both at once is terrific. And then to combine it with the family, it’s [great],” he states.

Ricketts makes it very clear that the money to buy the Cubs came about because of his father’s success with Ameritrade. When he realized that Tribune was going to have to sell the Cubs, Ricketts went to his family, talked to them about owning the team, they agreed and they threw their hat into the ring.

Since introducing the family, which included his brothers Pete and Todd and sister Laura, at a press conference at the end of October, Ricketts has had somewhat of a crash course on who and what the Cubs are. He knew from a fan’s point of view (a fan who really did meet his wife in the bleachers), but not from the business side.

He and Crane Kenney, president of the Cubs, have made trips to see all Cubs operations, including a couple of trips to the Dominican Republic. Unlike many owners who want to have a hand in everything, Ricketts is watching and learning and letting the people hired to do their jobs do them and be held accountable for their actions.

The family is putting money into the team at all levels, and Ricketts is firm in pointing out that all revenue generated from the team will go back into the team to help continue improving not only talent, but fan game day experiences. Some of those changes will be evident on Opening Day.

In addition to writing her Chicago Cubs column for Examiner.com, Miriam Romain has been published in several Cubs annuals by Maple Street Press and is a contributor to SportsClimax.com . Romain is currently covering the Cubs and MLB from Arizona during Spring Training.

Copyright © 2010 – Sports Climax™

If he was nervous about pitching for the first time for the Washington Nationals, it didn’t show in Stephen Strasburg’s spring training debut against the Tigers on Tuesday.

The 21-year-old right hander impressed both his team and the opposing Tigers by throwing two shutout innings, striking out one and allowing just two hits in the two innings he pitched. His fast ball reportedly went no lower than 96, and as high as 100 miles per hour.

The Nationals chose Strasburg as the overall first draft pick in this year’s Player Draft. The 2009 Golden Spikes Award winner signed a $15.1 million four year deal with the Nationals on August 25.

He made his professional debut with the Phoenix Desert Dogs of the Arizona Fall League on October 16. Strasburg was named the 2009 USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award winner last summer. The award is given to the nation’s top amateur baseball player.

Strasburg was the only collegiate player selected to represent the United States Baseball team during the 2008 Summer Games in Beijing, China. In his only start in the Olympics he pitched seven innings striking out five of the fist six batters he faced. He allowed only one run. The game was called after eight innings because of rain.

The 6’4″ 220-pounder throws and bats right. His fast ball has been clocked consistently at 95-97 miles per hour. Strasburg finished the 2009 season 31-1 with a 1.32 ERA for San Diego State University.

He allowed only 59 hits, 15 earned runs, 19 walks and had 195 strikeouts in 109 innings pitched. His first career no hitter came on May 8, 2009, in his final home start against the Air Force. He struck out 17 batters in that game.

In addition to writing her Chicago Cubs column for Examiner.com, Miriam Romain has been published in several Cubs annuals by Maple Street Press and is a contributor to SportsClimax.com . She is also writing a book with the working title “Summers at Wrigley with my Dad.”

Copyright 2010 © Sports Climax™

The Arizona Diamondbacks announced in a press conference this afternoon that they have come to terms with Justin Upton to keep him in Arizona though 2015.

According to a report from USA Today’s Inside Pitch, The breakdown of the deal is as follows: $1.25 million signing bonus and $500,000 this year, $4.25 million in 2011, $6.75 million in 2012, $9.75 million in 2013, $14.25 million in 2014 and $14.5 million in 2015.

The Sporting News broke the signing bonus down further reporting Upton will receive half of that bonus on April 15 and the remaining amount on July 15.

The 22-year-old Upton is an outfielder for the Diamondbacks but played shortstop in high school at Great Bridge High in Chesapeake, Virginia. After being switched to the outfield by the Diamondbacks, he is said to have difficulties gauging fly balls but is considered by many to have one of the stronger arms in baseball.

Upton is a solid hitter at the plate, last year hitting .300 with 26 home runs and 86 RBIs.

The Arizona Diamondbacks drafted Upton as the first overall pick in the 2005 MLB draft. At the young age of 19, he was called up to the majors in 2007.

“Justin’s age (22) played a major factor in the decision,” Larry Reynolds, Upton’s agent said. “This financially sets him up for life, and the bottom line is that he’ll still be a free agent at a time he’s just 28 years old.”

The six-year deal is the second largest contract in Diamondback history. The largest was Randy Johnson’s four-year $53.4 million deal in 1999. Had Upton not signed the deal, he would have been eligible for salary arbitration after this season.

In addition to writing her Chicago Cubs column for Examiner.com,Miriam Romain has been published in several Cubs annuals by Maple Street Press and is a contributor to SportsClimax.com . She is also writing a book with the working title “Summers at Wrigley with my Dad.”

© 2010 – Sports Climax^TM

LAKELAND, Fla. – It’s finally official; Johnny Damon is a Detroit Tiger.

After reports first surfaced this weekend on SI.com on Saturday night that Damon had signed a one year deal for approximately $8 million with the Detroit Tigers pending a physical, Tigers’ GM Dave Dombrowski told MLB.com that “significant progress” had been made in talks with Damon but he could not confirm a signing.

Today, in a press conference held at the Tigers’ spring training facility in Lakeland, Florida, Damon was officially presented as the newest Tiger.

The 36-year-old outfielder has an impressive resume that includes being a part of two World Series winning teams, the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees.

A two-time American League All-Star, Damon hit 24 home runs and drove in 82 runs for the Yankees last year and since 2007 has batted .325 at Comerica Park.

Over the past couple of weeks, rumors were flying that the Atlanta Braves had thrown a hat into the ring along with the Tampa Bay Rays and Chicago White Sox. Both Atlanta and Detroit hold spring training in Florida near Damon’s Orlando area home so they were the front-runners when the bidding began.

According to MLB.com reports, when the Braves learned Damon was interested in the team, he was offered a one year contract that included deferred funds. However, according to one MLB.com report, the Braves made the offer “with an understanding that they would likely be outbid by the Tigers or another Major League club.”

Other reports surfaced that Damon’s wife wanted to go to Chicago. During today’s press conference when Damon was introduced and given a Detroit Tigers No. 18 uniform, he said repeatedly that Detroit was where he and his family wanted to be.

He also warned that talk that his wife did not want to go to Detroit was untrue and that if the quotes did not come directly from him or his wife, then they probably were not true.

“This is where I wanted to be. Detroit is the team I wanted to play with. It finally worked out, “said Damon.

In addition to writing her Chicago Cubs column for Examiner.com, Miriam Romain has been published in several Cubs annuals by Maple Street Press and is a contributor to SportsClimax.com . She is also writing a book with the working title “Summers at Wrigley with my Dad.”

Copyright © 2010 – Sports Climax™

CHICAGO – If you haven’t been able to follow this morning’s Tweets from Mesa Mayor Scott Smith or the group CubsWinInAZ, you’ve missed out on being part of the hearing where HB 2736 was presented to the House Commerce Committee. Despite some negativity, the bill was passed by the committee 6-2.

Among the Tweets Smith shared with followers was, “Interesting how some people don’t let facts get in the way of a good argument.” And, “Interesting how everybody wants the Cubs to stay (and love their fans and their money), but nobody wants to pay. Shocking! Simply shocking!”

But there is also news that the Goldwater Institute could bring a lawsuit charging violation of a state prohibition against government gifts to private entities.

Under the new bill, the Cubs would buy the land for the new ballpark, turn it over to the City of Mesa for development but would get, among other things, naming rights and the right to book extra events at the stadium.

The Chicago White Sox and Arizona Diamondbacks have openly voiced opposition to the bill that would raise ticket prices by a dollar throughout the Cactus League, and raise rental car prices. In this morning’s meeting, however, according to a Tweet by CubsWinInAZ, Representative Rich Crandall put the Diamondbacks in their place, stating that moving their stadium to an Indian Reservation hurts Maricopa County taxpayers because there is no revenue for the community.

Goldwater Institute attorney Clint Bolick called the plan one-sided in favor of the Cubs, which it is. The City of Mesa is trying to keep the Cubs in Mesa. Bolick and Smith have agreed to sit down and discuss this situation soon.

The Goldwater Institute is an independent government watchdog group.

In the midst of this vote and controversy, pitchers and catchers reported to Spring Training today.

In addition to writing her Chicago Cubs column for Examiner.com, Miriam Romain has been published in several Cubs annuals by Maple Street Press and is a contributor to SportsClimax.com . She is also writing a book with the working title “Summers at Wrigley with my Dad.”

More Cubs Here:
Buzz Surrounds Dawson Going to HOF as an Expo

CHICAGO – Last week, Andre Dawson found out, as the rest of us did, that he will not be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame this summer wearing a Cubs cap – he will be enshrined as an Expo.

Dawson was disappointed and expressed his feelings during an interview on ESPN 1000 in Chicago, saying he expected the HOF to confer with him more before making a decision.

Dawson spent the first 10 years of his career as a Montreal Expo; however, he wanted his Hall of Fame plaque to show him in a Cubs cap because Chicago, where he played for six years, is where he says he was catapulted into Hall of Fame status. It was during that time, in 1987, that he won the MVP award, on a last place team.

During the interview on the “Waddle & Silvy Show” on ESPN 1000, Dawson, who described the decision as “gut wrenching,” said he tried to explain his preference to Hall of Fame representatives and thought his word would carry more weight than it did.

Cubs fans have been Facebooking and Tweeting their opinions since the news. Sue Land, who caught the signed cap thrown by Dawson at the Cubs Convention, posted that she was peeved, and that the Expos aren’t even a team anymore, to which a friend of hers responded that all Cubs fans should wear Expos caps to the induction ceremony – if they can find one.

Another fan posted she was disappointed in the cap selection, but glad Dawson was going to the Hall. Yet another fan Tweeted, “Andre Dawson going to the HOF as an Expo…my world has been crushed.”

But sentiments on the Andre Dawson Fan Page on Facebook were mixed, most fans just happy the Hawk was going to the Hall.

The Hall of Fame is about preserving the history of baseball, and the fact that the Montreal Expos no longer exist may have been one of the deciding factors. He will join Gary Carter, the only other Expo inducted into the Hall of Fame to date, this summer.

Mark Loiacano summed things up when he said, “The HoF is about preserving baseball’s legacy. Gary Carter is the only Expo in there, though it is a shame to not have Dawson in as a Cub… We all know where Andre’s heart is at. That is what matters most!”

In addition to writing her Chicago Cubs column for Examiner.com, Miriam Romain has been published in several Cubs annuals by Maple Street Press and is a contributor to SportsClimax.com . She is also writing a book with the working title “Summers at Wrigley with my Dad.”