David Ross
Ross in 2022
Catcher / Manager
Born: (1977-03-19) March 19, 1977
Bainbridge, Georgia, U.S.
Batted: Right
Threw: Right
MLB debut
June 29, 2002, for the Los Angeles Dodgers
Last MLB appearance
October 1, 2016, for the Chicago Cubs
MLB statistics
Batting average.229
Home runs106
Runs batted in314
Managerial record262–284
Winning %..480
Teams
As player
As manager
Career highlights and awards
Medals
Men's baseball
Representing  United States
World Junior Baseball Championship
Gold medal – first place 1995 Massachusetts Team

David Wade Ross (born March 19, 1977) is an American former professional baseball catcher and manager. He managed the Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball (MLB) from 2020 to 2023. He played in MLB for 15 seasons.

Ross played college baseball for Auburn University and the University of Florida and participated in two College World Series. He started his major league career playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2002 and also played for the Pittsburgh Pirates, San Diego Padres, Cincinnati Reds, Boston Red Sox, Atlanta Braves, and Chicago Cubs. Ross had two World Series wins, one with the Boston Red Sox in 2013 and the Chicago Cubs in 2016. The Cubs named him their manager prior to the 2020 season.

Early years

Ross was born in Bainbridge, Georgia, in 1977, but was raised in Tallahassee, Florida.[1] He was born into a family of athletes—his father, David Ross Sr., played in a men's softball league, and his mother, Jackie, played basketball. Ross's uncles were both football players in college.[2] He attended Florida State University's laboratory school, Florida High School, in Tallahassee, Florida, where he played high school baseball for the Florida High School Demons.[3] Ross is one of five children; he has an older sister, Shannon, and a younger sister, Nikki.[4]

College career

Ross received an athletic scholarship to attend Auburn University in Auburn, Alabama, where he played for the Auburn Tigers baseball team from 1996 to 1997. In 1996, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Brewster Whitecaps of the Cape Cod Baseball League.[5] The defining moment of his college career came in the semifinal of the East Regional tournament during the 1997 College World Series when he hit a walk-off three-run home run against Florida State to advance to the regional final. The Auburn Tigers would advance to the College World Series, getting knocked out in the 2nd round by Stanford. He transferred to the University of Florida after the 1997 season, and played one additional season of college baseball for the Florida Gators baseball team in 1998. Ross is one of the few players to have played in the College World Series with two different colleges, first with the Tigers in 1997, and then the Gators in 1998. Ross decided to forgo his final season of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) eligibility after his junior season with the Gators, when he was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers.[3]

Playing career

Los Angeles Dodgers

Ross was drafted in the 19th round of the 1995 amateur draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers, but did not sign and accepted a scholarship to attend Auburn University instead. In 1998, the Dodgers drafted Ross again, this time in the seventh round.[3]

Ross made his MLB debut on June 29, 2002, striking out as a pinch hitter. On September 2, 2002, with the Dodgers leading 18–0,[6] the Diamondbacks put first baseman Mark Grace in to pitch after he volunteered, to rest the bullpen. Ross hit his first major league home run off Grace with two outs in the 9th inning, capping a 19–1 win. Ross's Dodger career was stalled, however, by the large number of catchers in the Dodger system. Paul Lo Duca was the starting catcher through most of Ross's time in Los Angeles, and teammates like Brent Mayne, Koyie Hill, and Todd Hundley competed with him for playing time. Ross stayed with the team until 2004.[6]

Pittsburgh Pirates / San Diego Padres

The Dodgers sold Ross's contract to the Pittsburgh Pirates on March 30, 2005.[7] After 40 games with the Pirates, he was traded to the San Diego Padres on July 28, 2005, for infielder J. J. Furmaniak.[8] He played in 11 games with the Padres.[9]

Cincinnati Reds

Ross playing for the Cincinnati Reds in 2008

The Padres traded Ross to the Cincinnati Reds during spring training for the 2006 season. On January 15, 2006, Ross signed a two-year, $4.54 million contract with the Reds.[9]

While Ross was most often used as the "personal catcher" for right-hander Bronson Arroyo, whom the Reds received in a spring training trade with the Boston Red Sox for outfielder Wily Mo Peña, the consensus among Reds fans was that Ross had proven himself deserving of being the everyday catcher due to his better offensive numbers and that one of the other Reds catchers, Jason LaRue or Javier Valentín, should have been traded (possibly as part of a package deal) for a relief pitcher. LaRue was the one most frequently cited, but no deal was made by the July 31 trade deadline.

On November 20, 2006, LaRue was traded to the Kansas City Royals for a player to be named later. Ross's 2007 season started with four hits in 38 at-bats with no home runs and 17 strikeouts. On April 21, 2007, his slump hit rock-bottom when with runners on first and second base, he grounded into a rare 5–4–3 triple play against the Philadelphia Phillies. Ross finished the 2007 season with a .203 batting average and 17 home runs. On August 10, 2008, Ross was designated for assignment and was released on August 18.[9]

Boston Red Sox

Ross signed a minor-league contract with the Boston Red Sox[10] on August 22, 2008. He came up to the MLB club on August 29 and became a free agent after the season.[11]

Atlanta Braves

Ross with the Atlanta Braves in 2012

The Atlanta Braves signed Ross to a two-year, $3 million deal on December 5, 2008.[12]

In 2009, Ross hit .273 in 54 games. On July 27, 2010, he signed a two-year extension to stay with the Braves through 2012.[13] He managed to hit a career-high .289 for the Braves in 59 games in 2010.

Ross was the Atlanta Braves secondary catcher behind Brian McCann for his four seasons with the Braves. His hot start in the 2011 season (hitting .333 after starting seven games, with three home runs) highlighted his strengths, as Ross has always been known as a strong defensive catcher (in 2009, he committed one error in 52 games). Ross hit the first ever home run in the Wild Card Game when the new playoff format was introduced in 2012.[14]

Boston Red Sox (second stint)

Ross with the Red Sox in 2014

Ross signed a two-year, $6.2 million deal on November 10, 2012, to return to the Red Sox as "more than a backup but not a starter"[15] behind primary catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia.

Ross suffered two concussions during the 2013 season and spent over two months on the disabled list; however, his health returned and he played a key role in Boston's run to the World Series championship over the St. Louis Cardinals that year, starting in four games during the series and driving in the game-winning run with an RBI double in Game 5. He was also behind the plate to catch the series-clinching out in Game 6 when Koji Uehara struck out Matt Carpenter.[16]

In 2014, Ross played as Jon Lester's personal catcher.[17]

Chicago Cubs

The Chicago Cubs announced on December 23, 2014, that they had signed Ross to a two-year, $5 million contract.[18]

On May 9, 2015, in his first appearance as a pitcher in his professional baseball career, Ross recorded a perfect inning against the Milwaukee Brewers.[19] On July 26, he repeated the feat against the Philadelphia Phillies, then led off the next inning by hitting a home run off of Héctor Neris.[20]

On April 21, 2016, Ross caught his first no-hitter, against the Cincinnati Reds, his former team, with starting pitcher Jake Arrieta.[21] Ross hit his 100th career home run off of Adam Morgan of the Philadelphia Phillies on May 27, 2016.[22]

Ross announced his plans to retire following the 2016 season, after playing 15 seasons in the major leagues. During Game 7 of the 2016 MLB World Series against the Cleveland Indians, Ross hit a home run, making him the oldest player to do so in World Series history at 39 years old. The Cubs went on to win Game 7 8–7 in 10 innings, earning Ross his second World Series ring.[23] On January 14, 2017, the Cubs named Ross as a special assistant to baseball operations for the 2017 season.[24]

Kansas Stars

Following his retirement from MLB, Ross joined the Kansas Stars, an independent baseball team made of former MLB stars who play an abbreviated tournament lasting a few weeks out of the year.[25]

Post-playing career

The Cubs named Ross a special assistant after his retirement.[24] ESPN hired Ross as a baseball color analyst in January 2017.[26]

Managerial career

Ross with the Cubs in 2023

On October 24, 2019, the Cubs hired Ross as their manager to replace Joe Maddon, signing him to a three-year contract.[27] Ross began his managerial career on July 24, 2020, with a 3–0 win at home against the Milwaukee Brewers.[28]

On March 11, 2022, the Cubs announced they agreed to a contract extension with Ross through the 2024 season. The deal includes a club option for the 2025 season as well.[29]

After the Cubs missed the playoffs in 2023 and team underperformance there was a growing call for Ross to be dismissed.[30] Nevertheless, this was rejected by the Cubs’ ownership and front office, who stated that they were staying with Ross through 2024.[31] However, Ross was dismissed on November 6, 2023, and Craig Counsell was hired to be the Cubs’ next manager.[32]

Managerial record

As of games played on October 1, 2023
TeamYearRegular seasonPostseason
GamesWonLostWin %FinishWonLostWin %Result
CHC2020 603426.5671st in NL Central02.000Lost NLWC (MIA)
CHC2021 1627191.4384th in NL Central    
CHC2022 1627488.4573rd in NL Central    
CHC2023 1628379.5122nd in NL Central    
Total546262284.48002.000

Dancing with the Stars

On March 1, 2017, Ross was revealed as one of the contestants on season 24 of Dancing with the Stars and was paired with professional dancer Lindsay Arnold.[33] Ross is the first professional baseball player ever to compete on the show.[34] Despite only having the sixth-highest scoring average, Ross and Arnold outlasted higher-scoring couples and ended up placing runner-up to winner Rashad Jennings and partner Emma Slater.

Personal life

Ross is divorced from Hyla Ross as of 2020.[35] Together they have three children.[2] As of 2016, they resided in Tallahassee, Florida.[2]

Ross is a Christian.[36] He has worked with several Chicago charities, including Cradles to Crayons, that benefits underprivileged Chicago youth.[37]

Ross worked with author Don Yaeger, on a book titled Teammate: My Life in Baseball, which was published in May 2017.[38]

Ross has made an appearance on Saturday Night Live, along with some of his teammates, to celebrate the Cubs championship win.[39] Ross has also made an appearance in the recent commercials for "The Bryzzo Souvenir Company" as an intern trying to meet the standards and requests of his bosses, Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo.[40]

On May 8, 2021, Chicago Med star Torrey DeVitto announced via Instagram that she and Ross were dating.[41] Per her March 8, 2023 guest appearance on Unqualified with Anna Faris, the two broke up recently.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Doyle, Ricky (May 1, 2014). "David Ross' Parents Crossed State Lines To Give Birth To Red Sox Catcher". NESN. Retrieved May 6, 2017.
  2. 1 2 3 Muskat, Carrie (June 14, 2016). "David Ross' retirement means more family time". Major League Baseball. Archived from the original on June 30, 2016. Retrieved May 6, 2017.
  3. 1 2 3 Waldstein, David (November 3, 2016). "David Ross, Oldest Player in World Series, Ends Career in Climactic Game 7". New York Times. Retrieved November 3, 2016.
  4. ↑ Henry, Jim (November 3, 2016). "Friends, family of David Ross celebrate achievement". Tallahassee Democrat. Retrieved May 6, 2017.
  5. ↑ "Major League Baseball Players From the Cape Cod League" (PDF). Cape Cod Baseball. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 7, 2012. Retrieved January 9, 2020.
  6. 1 2 "Los Angeles Dodgers at Arizona Diamondbacks Box Score, September 2, 2002". Baseball-Reference. September 2, 2002. Archived from the original on December 17, 2007. Retrieved May 16, 2021.
  7. ↑ "History of MLB trades by the Pittsburgh Pirates for 2005 - MLB Trade Tracker". MLB Trade Tracker. Archived from the original on August 26, 2016. Retrieved May 16, 2021.
  8. ↑ "Padres acquire catcher Ross from Pittsburgh". ESPN. July 29, 2005. Archived from the original on May 17, 2021. Retrieved May 16, 2021.
  9. 1 2 3 Stultz, Brian (July 24, 2020). "A look back at Auburn legend David Ross' illustrious MLB career". USA Today. Archived from the original on August 12, 2020. Retrieved May 16, 2021.
  10. ↑ Silva, Steve (August 21, 2008). "Report: Sox sign catcher Ross to minor-league deal". Boston Globe. Retrieved October 23, 2013.
  11. ↑ Remme, Mark (August 29, 2008). "Sox call up Ross, send Casey to DL". MLB.com. Archived from the original on June 6, 2011. Retrieved August 30, 2008.
  12. ↑ Bowman, Mark (December 5, 2008). "Braves sign Ross to two-year deal". Atlanta Braves. Archived from the original on December 6, 2008. Retrieved November 18, 2009.
  13. ↑ Rosenthal, Ken (July 27, 2010). "Report: Ross, Braves reach two-year extension". NBC Sports. Archived from the original on October 9, 2012. Retrieved February 9, 2016.
  14. ↑ Anderson, R.J. (October 6, 2012). "Playoff Prospectus: NL Wild Card Game Recap: Cardinals 6, Braves 3". Baseball Prospectus. Archived from the original on May 17, 2021. Retrieved May 16, 2021.
  15. ↑ Rosenthal, Ken (November 10, 2012). "Red Sox, Ross agree to two-year deal". Fox Sports. Archived from the original on November 13, 2012. Retrieved November 13, 2012.
  16. ↑ "2013 World Series Game 6, St. Louis Cardinals at Boston Red Sox, October 30, 2013". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 13, 2021.
  17. ↑ Skrbina, Paul (October 24, 2016). "David Ross-Jon Lester bond began by chance in Boston". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved July 13, 2021.
  18. ↑ Sullivan, Paul (December 23, 2014). "Catcher David Ross officially signs two-year deal with Cubs". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on December 24, 2014. Retrieved December 23, 2014.
  19. ↑ Hoehn, Jim (May 9, 2015). "Catcher Ross pitches a perfect eighth inning". MLB.com. Archived from the original on May 13, 2015. Retrieved April 25, 2016.
  20. ↑ Garno, Greg (July 26, 2015). "Ross pitches perfect ninth, homers for Cubs". MLB.com. Archived from the original on July 30, 2015. Retrieved April 25, 2016.
  21. ↑ Muskat, Carrie (April 22, 2016). "Memories of catching no-no enough for Ross". MLB.com. Archived from the original on May 17, 2021. Retrieved May 16, 2021.
  22. ↑ Muskat, Carrie (May 27, 2016). "Ross reaches milestone with 100th homer". MLB.com. Archived from the original on May 17, 2021. Retrieved May 16, 2021.
  23. ↑ Smith, Alex Martin (November 2, 2016). "Former SEC star David Ross makes World Series history in final career game". SEC Country. Archived from the original on November 4, 2016. Retrieved November 2, 2016.
  24. 1 2 "Cubs Name David Ross Special Assistant to Baseball Operations". NBC Chicago. January 13, 2017. Archived from the original on January 15, 2017. Retrieved February 28, 2017.
  25. ↑ Hawley, Larry (July 10, 2017). "Former Cubs catcher David Ross is returning to diamond – for the Kansas Stars". WGN9. Archived from the original on July 10, 2017. Retrieved July 10, 2017.
  26. ↑ "Former Chicago Cubs catcher David Ross to be baseball analyst for ESPN". ESPN. January 30, 2017. Archived from the original on February 1, 2017. Retrieved January 30, 2017.
  27. ↑ Rogers, Jesse (October 23, 2019). "Cubs bring back former catcher Ross as manager". ESPN. Archived from the original on October 24, 2019. Retrieved May 16, 2021.
  28. ↑ Bastian, Jordan (July 25, 2020). "Hendricks' shutout nets Ross 1st win as skip". MLB.com. Archived from the original on May 17, 2021. Retrieved July 25, 2020.
  29. ↑ Bastian, Jordan (March 11, 2022). "David Ross, Cubs agree to extension through '24 with an option". MLB.com. Retrieved March 14, 2022.
  30. ↑ Sullivan, Paul (November 9, 2023). "Wailing over Craig Counsell's deal is silly--neither he nor the Chicago Cubs did anything wrong". chicagotribune.com. Retrieved November 9, 2023.
  31. ↑ "David Ross Has Already Received at Least One Major Vote of Confidence - Bleacher Nation". October 2023.
  32. ↑ "Cubs hiring Craig Counsell to replace David Ross as manager". November 6, 2023.
  33. ↑ "'Dancing With the Stars' 2017: Season 24 celebrity cast and partners revealed on 'GMA'". ABC News. March 1, 2016. Archived from the original on March 1, 2017. Retrieved March 1, 2016.
  34. ↑ Kubicek, John (April 17, 2017). "'Dancing with the Stars' Recap: The Magical World of Disney Night John". Buddy TV. Archived from the original on April 18, 2017. Retrieved April 21, 2017.
  35. ↑ Greenwood, Steve (February 28, 2020). "Hit hard on the personal front, Cubs' David Ross keeps managing with a positive outlook". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved July 5, 2021.
  36. ↑ "David Ross Speaker & Agent Info: Christian Speakers 360". Christian Speakers 360. Archived from the original on June 13, 2014. Retrieved May 16, 2021.
  37. ↑ Crumpton, Tony (April 8, 2018). "David Ross Donates Money, Diapers to Families in Need". Cradles to Crayons. Archived from the original on May 17, 2021. Retrieved May 16, 2021.
  38. ↑ Cosman, Ben (December 14, 2016). "David Ross is writing a book about his career and Game 7 of the World Series". Major League Baseball. Archived from the original on December 15, 2016. Retrieved May 6, 2017.
  39. ↑ Axisa, Mike (November 4, 2016). "The Cubs will appear on this week's episode of 'Saturday Night Live'". CBS Sports. Retrieved May 6, 2017.
  40. ↑ Neveau, James (April 21, 2017). "David Ross Struggles as 'Bryzzo' Intern in New Clip". NBC Chicago. Archived from the original on April 27, 2017. Retrieved May 6, 2017.
  41. ↑ "Torrey DeVitto on Instagram". Instagram. May 8, 2021. Archived from the original on December 26, 2021. Retrieved May 8, 2021.
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