Baseball Notes: New Cubs owner says team bound for Series

"I'll be honest. I think we have a team that can do it next year," Ricketts said without hesitation yesterday at a Wrigley Field news conference. "The fact is, there is enough talent coming back to this team next season."

Of course, the Cubs have not won it all since 1908 and have not even been to the World Series since 1945. But Ricketts and other family members were upbeat at the news conference.

He said that there was no "magic bullet" to winning a championship but that consistent talent would get the Cubs to the top.

The new new owner said he wanted manager Lou Piniella to return next season, the final year of his four-year deal. General manager Jim Hendry will keep his job, and Crane Kenney, who was the team's chairman, will stay on as team president

Ricketts also said there were plans to improve Wrigley Field while preserving the feel of the storied ballpark on Chicago's North Side.

The family of billionaire Joe Ricketts, the founder of Omaha, Neb.-based TD Ameritrade, paid $845 million to buy a 95 percent controlling interest in the Cubs, the ballpark and 25 percent of Comcast Sportsnet.

Giants. Freddy Sanchez signed a two-year contract extension with San Francisco. Terms of the deal were not announced yesterday, but the Giants held an $8.1 million option for 2010 for the three-time all-star second baseman. Sanchez was acquired from Pittsburgh on July 29 in exchange for a minor-league pitcher.

He hit .293 with seven home runs and 41 RBIs in 111 games for the two teams.

Astros. Houston released righthanded reliever Doug Brocail yesterday. In addition, the Astros signed infielder Geoff Blum to a one-year deal, hired Brad Arnsberg as their pitching coach, promoted Al Pedrique to bench coach, and added Bobby Meacham as their first-base coach.

The 36-year-old Blum got a $1.5 million contract with a mutual option for 2011 at $1.65 million. The 42-year-old Brocail was on the disabled list three times this season. The Astros declined a $2.85 million option and paid him a $250,000 buyout.

Pirates. Former Pittsburgh infielder Carlos Garcia has been hired as the team's first-base coach and infield instructor.

Garcia replaces Perry Hill, who recently quit after one season with the Pirates. Garcia spent the last two seasons as the Pirates' minor-league infield coordinator. Garcia played for the Pirates from 1990 to '96 during a 10-season major-league career that lasted until 1999.

Blue Jays. Toronto manager Cito Gaston signed a four-year consulting contract with the team that will begin when his managerial deal expires at the end of the 2010 season. Gaston, 65, is expected to advise the team in all areas, including spring training, minor-league operations and scouting.