Already, there's been much speculation about the future owner of the Chicago Cubs in the post-Tribune Co. era. Mark Cuban? Tom Begel? The Colangelo family?

Now, Fortune Magazine posits that John Canning, the CEO of private-equity firm Madison Dearborn Partners, might be the Cubs' next owner. Beside his immense personal fortune, Canning enjoys one big advantage: he's buddies with Bud: MLB commissioner Bud Selig.

Fortune reports that Tribune has hired J.P. Morgan "to advise on the sale" and estimates that the franchise (as well as the Wrigley Field property and a 25 percent share of Comcast Sportsnet Chicago) could fetch upwards of $1 billion. (Credit to Deadspin for the initial post.)