Jan. 09--Kris Bryant, Jason Heyward, John Lackey, Kyle Schwarber, Anthony Rizzo, Joe Maddon, Billy Williams and Ryne Sandberg will headline next weekend's Cubs Convention.
More than 75 Cubs players, coaches, executives and alumni are expected at the 31st annual event, this year at Sheraton Grand Chicago, at Columbus and the Chicago River.
The three-day event is sold out.
The convention begins at 6 p.m., Jan. 15 with an opening ceremony of player introductions and continues through Sunday afternoon.
In previous years, as many as 10,000 people attended the event at the Sheraton, according to estimates.
Highlights include: The "Friday Night with Ryan Dempster" show featuring interviews with Cubs players, coaches and alumni; "Cubs Jeopardy" and "Cubs Feud" trivia; a Cubs business operations update; a panel featuring Maddon and his coaching staff; a session introducing the new Cubs players; a panel of Cubs' Cy Young winners (Jake Arrieta, Fergie Jenkins and Rick Sutcliffe); and an event featuring the Ricketts family.
Among the other notable Cubs expected to attend are: Javier Baez, Dallas Beeler, Ben Zobrist, Jose Cardenal, Lee Smith, Kerry Wood, Chris Bosio, Tom Ricketts, Theo Epstein, Crane Kenney, Jed Hoyer, Pat Hughes, Jim Deshaies, Ron Coomer and Len Kasper.
Last year on the eve of the convention, Rizzo fueled hype when he predicted the Cubs would win the NL Central. This year the hype is more profound, with many oddsmakers picking the Cubs to win the World Series.
Rizzo has yet to make a prediction for 2016.
