Friday's edition of the Los Angeles Times, a Tribune Company newspaper, carried coverage of Tribco's acquisition by Sam Zell and his plans for the Cubs ("Zell says Cubs are No. 1--to be sold off"). Relative to Zell's declaration that the Cubs would have a new owner by Opening Day 2008, the article says:

Zell's timetable appears highly optimistic, because the bidding has not begun and major league owners must investigate and approve a potential buyer. Even one of Tribune's sale advisors, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the sale, said the deal would be more likely to close when the season ended next fall than when it starts in April.

In the meantime, baseball Commissioner Bud Selig wants to examine the Cubs' management under Tribune's new ownership. Cubs President John McDonough left the team last month.

The Cubs' new management and pending sale are on the agenda for the Jan. 16 owners meeting in Arizona, Major League Baseball President Bob DuPuy said.

"The commissioner will review the situation," DuPuy said.

The Cubs have not won the World Series since 1908 and have not even appeared in the Fall Classic since 1945.

You know what the most hurtful part of that passage is? One little word: "even," as in, "have not even appeared..."

You're cold, L.A. Times. Ice cold.

Regarding the Commissioner's decision to "review the situation" surrounding the Cubs' new management and pending sale, I believe that's Bob DuPuy code for "have a good, long laugh with all of the owners at Mark Cuban's thinking he has a prayer of being approved as the next purchaser of the Chicago Cubs."