Ricketts' leadership welcome sign

Sometimes the object most easily missed is that which is hiding in plain sight and in front of your nose.

And for all the money the Ricketts family has spent on the Cubs, they have neglected so far to focus on the top of the organization, where Crane Kenney currently resides.

That has led to - among many embarrassments in the last year - the team raising ticket prices right after the Ricketts took ownership and the debacle in Arizona over the Cactus League "Cubs tax."

During a brutal recession, there was no reason to hold Arizona hostage over a new spring palace right now when clearly the state would do whatever possible to keep the Cubs at a more appropriate time.

But in the process the Ricketts looked foolish and greedy. From what we hear, however, the Ricketts were as surprised as anyone when they found about the plan.

Then, there was Kenney's insulting suggestion a few weeks ago about Lou Piniella's age, when he said Cubs brass would see if Lou "feels well" enough after the season to return.

Piniella smartly responded with, "Last time I checked, I'm not on life support."

After that gaffe, Tom Ricketts said last week that no one but GM Jim Hendry would have anything to say about Piniella.

Said Ricketts to the media: "If you insert yourself into that discussion, you're not adding value, for one thing, and you want accountability. It's Jim's responsibility, and he knows it."

That Tom Ricketts is a comforting voice, one that has the sound of authority, credibility and sensibility.

It's one Cubs fans should hear more often as the dominant voice at the top of the organization.

New look Wrigley

One of the latest changes to the ballpark is the installation of mammoth pictures on the Wrigley Field facade behind home plate, surrounding the marquee.

There are very large images of Derrek Lee, Carlos Zambrano, Lou Piniella, Ted Lilly and Aramis Ramirez, to name a few.

Happy anniversary

It was a gift running into 91-year-old Bob Feller at the ballpark Monday, as he celebrated the 70th anniversary of his opening-day no-hitter against the White Sox at Comiskey Park.

Feller - in town courtesy of the Chicago Baseball Museum - spent an hour signing autographs for Navy personnel from Great Lakes, while he chatted and posed for pictures.

"I'll bet you didn't know that when I was in the service, I pitched for Great Lakes and managed the team in 1945," Feller said. "We beat every major-league team that came in, including the Cubs, who won the pennant that year, and I shut them out.

"I had the best baseball team in the country."

Feller won 266 games in the majors but took a four-year leave during the prime of his career to enlist in the Navy, which he did at Great Lakes two days after Pearl Harbor.

"I was stationed on the (battleship) Alabama, and we spent three years in the Atlantic and then went to the Pacific," Feller said. "That's what we all did. I don't know anyone that didn't volunteer."

What a treat meeting a Hall of Famer and a genuine member of the Greatest Generation.

Bet against him?

Swing coach Hank Haney was asked if he thought Tiger Woods could win at the Masters this weekend.

"He wouldn't be here if he didn't think he had a chance," Haney told the Golf Channel on Wednesday. "He's progressing nicely. He played pretty darn good today, and he played pretty darn good yesterday."

As for Woods' preparation, Haney said, "The big thing is he's got his hands back in shape. He hit so many balls for so many days that he had blisters on top of blisters, but now he's got his hands back in shape."

The line

Odds on winning the Masters: Tiger Woods (5-1), Phil Mickelson (11-1), Ernie Els (12-1), Padraig Harrington (16-1), Steve Stricker (22-1), Paul Casey (25-1), Retief Goosen (22-1), Lee Westwood (22-1) and Jim Furyk (28-1).

Lee Westwood is poised to win his first major this year, but the Masters has not been particularly kind to him in the past.

Everybody loves him

After 45 appearances and 1 victory at Augusta, 67-year-old Raymond Floyd has decided he is done, saying, "I didn't want to go out and embarrass myself."

Floyd, a die-hard Cubs fan, retires with 22 PGA Tour wins, including four majors.

The quote

White Sox hitting coach Greg Walker: "Every team has questions, some more than others, but we have the answers if we stay healthy."

Bearing down

E-mailer The Last Bear Fan: "Knowing that the Bears need help in the secondary, the shocking part isn't that they released Alex Brown after telling the world they wanted to trade him. No, I'm more amazed they didn't deal him to San Diego for Nathan Vasher."

Best point

ESPN college basketball analyst Jay Bilas on expanding the NCAA Tournament: "We're getting to Little League status, where everyone plays three innings and everyone gets a trophy."

And finally -

Miami Herald's Greg Cote, on Mike Krzyzewski: "The Indianapolis Star published an illustration that depicted Coach K as the devil, with horns and a target on his head. The comparison was considered incredibly insulting, according to a complaint filed by the devil."

brozner@dailyherald.com

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