Even in a shortened season, the hiring of David Ross by the Chicago Cubs is clearly paying off.
As soon as the Chicago Cubs fired Joe Maddon before the conclusion of the 2019 MLB regular season, many wondered who the Cubs next manager would be. After multiple names were floated around, Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer settled on David Ross, who had won a world series with the team back in 2016.
All throughout the offseason, many wondered whether hiring Ross was a good idea. One of the main reasons that was cited was the fact that Ross would now be responsible for overseeing guys like Anthony Rizzo and Kris Bryant, his former teammates whom he won a world series with.
However, in a 60-game season, hiring Ross is clearly paying off. The Cubs comfortably sit in first place in the NL Central and should be strengthening their lead but are unable to do so since the St.Louis Cardinals are dealing with COVID-19 in their clubhouse.
While Ross will need to figure out the Cubs bullpen issues, it’s clear that he was the right hire for the job. If there is one thing that’s hard to disagree on, it’s that the best players often end up becoming the best coaches and managers once their career is over.
One of the many things that Ross has clearly done upon arriving in Chicago is creating a unique culture that was sorely missing after the Cubs won with World Series with Maddon. A culture change, for any locker room, can do wonders in the long-term.
With Ross now running the show, you have to wonder what will happen with Bryant, who’s set to hit free agency during the 2022 MLB offseason. If Ross continues to help the club win, will that potentially have an impact on Bryant’s future with the Cubs, especially considering he’s been involved in trade rumors.
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Additionally, another thing to keep in mind is that while Ross and the Cubs continue to win games, it’s also worth noting that these excellent results are coming during a unique and shortened season. This should further provide the Cubs fanbase, as well as front office hope that when a 162-game season does eventually return for the MLB, Ross and the Cubs can continue to deliver.
It may just be a small sample size, however, so far, the Cubs hiring of grandpa Rossy is one that’s paying early dividends. How far Ross can take the Cubs in 2020 is yet to be determined, however, the early signs have been encouraging.
