Another blog post, another bit of news from Chi-ball, another piece of gossip tangentially related to Sam Zell. I’m beginning to think Chi-Ball is Sam Zell’s cat, exacting its revenge — like so many famous pets before him — by writing on the Internet.

Today’s little scoop? That Mark Cuban is getting straight played by Tribune owner Sam Zell to drive up the price of the Cubs. Rather than considering selling to Cuban, Zell has been using Cuban’s financial exuberance to boost bidding. Devious.

Is it true? I don’t know. But I do know is that despite not really having considered it before, it feels right. Before, the question was over whether Zell and Cuban would sue Major League Baseball if the owners voted against the sale, but, after consideration, just why on Earth would Sam Zell want to do that? Why not use Cuban as his crutch, field high bids from other more palatable people, and get the best of both worlds. It makes perfect, evil sense. I can actually hear Zell cackling as I write this.

Reason No. 4,305,093 why Sam Zell is a billionaire and I’m a blogger: He actually thinks of this stuff. I make fun of it after it happens. Sigh.