In their first postseason appearance since the COVID-19-shortened 2020 campaign, the Chicago Cubs have booked a ticket to the NLDS, thanks to a dramatic Game 3 victory over the San Diego Padres in Thursday’s winner-take-all, wild-card matchup.
The last time the Cubs were in the playoffs, they were managed by David Ross, a celebrated member of their 2016 World Series champion team. The backup catcher was famously carried off the field after the franchise ended its 108-year championship drought.
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He went from calling games behind the plate to calling the shots in the clubhouse from 2020 to ’23, but his four-season run as manager came to an abrupt end following the 2023 season. Ross was unexpectedly fired, and president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer went a different direction, hiring former Brewers manager Craig Counsell, who has since guided the Cubs back to October baseball.
Ross told The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal this week that he wants another managerial opportunity in the majors.
“Badly,” he said Tuesday in a phone interview with The Athletic. “It’s an itch that hasn’t gone away.”
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In an interview with The Associated Press Thursday, Ross — a 48-year-old Bainbridge, Georgia, native who was a part-time starter for the Atlanta Braves from 2009 to ’12 — said landing the vacant Braves job “would be amazing,” though Ross reportedly didn’t speak extensively about that position, as he’s not sure if he’ll be on the Braves’ list of candidates.
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He is sure, however, about his desire to get another crack at running the show in a major-league dugout.
Ross went 262-284 in his four seasons managing the Cubs. He led Chicago to an NL Central title during the pandemic-affected season, but the Cubs quickly bowed out of the playoffs with a speedy wild-card defeat to the Miami Marlins.
Ahead of the 2023 season, the Cubs committed $300 million to free agents, eying a return to title contention. While Chicago flirted with that kind of success, a September collapse left the club on the outside of the NL wild-card picture.
Ross told The Athletic that he wasn’t contacted for any of the managerial openings last offseason. This time around, there are already more jobs available. The Braves, Baltimore Orioles, Los Angeles Angels, Minnesota Twins, San Francisco Giants and Washington Nationals are all looking for new leadership — and the Colorado Rockies and Houston Astros could join that list soon.
After helping the Cubs win the World Series as a player in 2016, David Ross took over as the team’s manager from 2020 to ’23. (Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB via Getty Images)
(Rob Tringali via Getty Images)
There are things Ross would do differently if he got another chance, he told The Athletic.
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“I still had a player’s mentality,” said Ross, who didn’t have coaching or managing experience prior to his role with the Cubs. “I don’t want to yell and scream at umpires all the time. I probably did that way more than I ever expected. I loved umpires when I was catching.”
Ross added, via The Athletic: “You’re trying to fight for players. You’ve got to take some of that emotion out of managing and continue to talk through it with the guys. Fight for your players, but there were some emotions sometimes that got the best of me from a managing standpoint, if I’m being honest.”
Ross also discussed in his interview with The Athletic a greater appreciation for the importance of communication with the front office, especially during a rebuild, like the one he was overseeing with the Cubs.
While Ross said he has turned down bench-coach opportunities the past two offseasons, he’s ready to wear a uniform again — as a manager. He’s thankful for his time in Chicago, as a player and as a manager, but he’s also champing at the bit for his next swing.
“I just have a little bit of emptiness from some unfinished business,” he said, via The Athletic. “I loved going to work every day and grinding with those guys.”
This news was originally published on this post .
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