Cubs co-owner Todd Ricketts to be the deputy Secretary of Commerce under Trump - MLB

President-elect Donald Trump is reported to have offered Chicago Cubs co-owner Todd Ricketts the job of Deputy Secretary of Commerce. Assuming everyone gets confirmed, Ricketts will report to Wilbur Ross, Trump’s choice for Commerce Secretary.

Ricketts is the younger brother of Tom Ricketts, who is the Cubs Chairman and principal owner. Besides Todd and Tom, other co-owners include Ricketts siblings Peter and Laura and their parents, Joseph and Marlene Ricketts. Todd has run a conservative political action committee for some time and father Joseph Ricketts, the billionaire founder of Ameritrade, is a conservative activist who runs his own PAC. Sister Laura, on the other hand, was a supporter and fundraiser for Hillary Clinton and is a leader of Lambda Legal, which advocates and litigates for gay rights. I’m guessing Thanksgiving dinner conversation was lively at the Ricketts residence yesterday.

Given that Tom is the MLB control person for the Cubs this shouldn’t impact the ball club. One assumes, however, that Major League Baseball — itself run by politically active folks — will be pleased to have one of their own serving in the new administration.

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CLEARWATER, Fla. — Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Rhys Hoskins needs surgery for a torn ACL after injuring his left knee Thursday fielding a grounder in a spring training game and is expected to miss a significant amount of time.

The Phillies did not say when Hoskins would have the surgery or exactly how long the slugging first baseman might be sidelined.

Hoskins hit 30 homers with 79 RBIs last season for the reigning National League champions.

He was backing up to play a chopper on Thursday when the ball popped out of his glove. Sooner after, he fell to the ground and began clutching his left knee. Teammates gathered around him before he was taken off of the field.

Hoskins, a free agent at the end of the season who turned 30 last week, hit six homers in Philadelphia’s playoff run last season. The Phillies lost to the Houston Astros in the World Series.

The injury was another blow for the Phillies, who will be without top pitching prospect Andrew Painter for another few weeks because of a sprained ligament in his right elbow. And slugger Bryce Harper isn’t expected back until around the All-Star break after undergoing Tommy John surgery in November.