Grandpa Ross is now the skipper in Chicago.
The Chicago Cubs are hiring former catcher David Ross as their new manager, longtime baseball insider Jon Heyman reported Wednesday.
Ross, who won a World Series title with the Cubs in 2016, will replace the man who managed that team, Joe Maddon. Chicago and Maddon decided to part ways after the North Siders missed the playoffs this past season, and Maddon since has landed with the Los Angeles Angels.
The Cubs job not only is Ross’ first managerial job; it’s his first job in coaching. He did, however, work as a special assistant in Chicago’s baseball operations department following his retirement in 2016. He also appeared on “Dancing With The Stars,” so there’s that.
Ross certainly has no shortage of big-game experience in his past. His teams reached the postseason in seven of his 15 seasons, and in addition to helping Chicago win its first title in more than 100 years, Ross was a strong veteran presence on the Boston Red Sox team that won the 2013 World Series.
The 42-year-old was recognized for much of his career as a great teammate and was strongly credited for his role as mentor to young players on the Cubs’ title team. Many of those players remain on the roster that Ross now will oversee.
