Cubs 'non-sale' could prevent Zell from paying $300 mil in taxes

The sale of the Chicago Cubs has seemingly dragged on longer than the team's World Series title drought, but we've generally been able to ignore it if we've so wished.After all, unless it affected the team's abilities to trade for Jake Peavy(notes) or add more deadline difference makers like John Grabow(notes) and Tom Gorzelanny(notes) (heh), who really cared what rich guy was going to walk away with a shiny new plaything thing?But as the sale finally lurches toward a possible completion between Mr. Potter Sam Zell (right) and the Ricketts family, the public's scrutiny on the sale is becoming much more warranted and deserved. Currently in question is the legal maneuvering that Zell and the Ricketts are trying to pull off so that the former can avoid paying taxes on any profits made from the latter and put the savings of about $300 million toward the enormous debt that he saddled the Tribune Company with. No, the Cubs may not be headed to the World Series, but Zel...