The Joe Maddon era has come to an end in Chicago.
After a five-year stint that delivered the Cubs their first World Series championship in 108 years in 2016, the team decided to part ways with the 65-year-old manager after a disappointing season that saw the club finish 84-78 and miss the playoffs for the first time in Maddon’s tenure.
The search for a replacement obviously is in its infancy, but team president Theo Epstein was able to confirm one person as a potential candidate for the opening — former Red Sox catcher David Ross.
Ross spent two seasons in Boston, helping the team claim its third World Series title in nine years in 2013. He finished his career with the Cubs and a was a key clubhouse piece to Chicago’s title in 2016.
It’s important to note that with several potential candidates with teams still in the postseason hunt, Epstein is unable to talk much about the search process. Ross, meanwhile, was brought in as an analyst by ESPN following his retirement, and has not coached at the professional level.
It’s safe to say Ross may be a long shot for the job. But there certainly is precedent for former players going straight from TV to the dugout — Aaron Boone and Alex Cora (who served as bench coaches before becoming managers in New York and Boston) as the two biggest examples.
