Before he was Cubs manager for four years, before he was a World Series hero, before he was “Grandpa Rossy,” David Ross was just another Cubs backup catcher.
Well, not “just” another one. He had been signed
at the recommendation of Jon Lester, who the Cubs signed to a long-term deal before 2015, as Lester and Ross had played more than two seasons together in Boston, including the Red Sox’ 2013 World Series championship team.
Ross did not have a good offensive season in his first year with the Cubs. He batted just .176/.267/.252, which is pretty much Koyie Hill level production, though his defense was solid and pitchers beyond Lester liked throwing to him.
Ross also pitched twice for the Cubs in 2015. This is the story of those games.
The Cubs were playing about .500 ball in early May when they visited Miller Park to play the Brewers. They won the first game of the series, but had lost six of nine when Travis Wood took the mound on Saturday, May 9. He got hit hard. So did Edwin Jackson in relief, and Phil Coke and Jason Motte also gave up runs. James Russell stopped the bleeding in the seventh inning, but the Cubs still trailed 12-4 heading to the bottom of the eighth, and that’s when Joe Maddon sent Ross out to pitch.
The Cubs catcher retired Hector Gomez on a fly ball and Scooter Gennett and Adam Lind on ground balls for a perfect inning, a bit of entertainment in a 12-4 Cubs defeat.
Nearly three months went by. The Cubs were struggling, just five games over .500, and they entered the finale of a three-game series against the Phillies at Wrigley Field having lost the first two games — and been no-hit in the second one by Cole Hamels.
The third game of the set wasn’t really any better. Jason Hammel, Travis Wood and Yoervis Medina — the latter pitching in his final big-league game! — allowed the Phillies 11 runs over the first eight innings. The Cubs trailed 11-2 into the bottom of the eighth. A two-run homer by Addison Russell in that inning seemed just a consolation prize to the remnants of the somewhat bored crowd at Wrigley Field.
But then Maddon sent Ross to the mound again. The result was identical to the game in Milwaukee. Cameron Rupp flied out and Darin Ruf and Cesar Hernandez grounded out.
Here’s that pitching inning — and what happened when Ross led off the bottom of the ninth:
You can tell by the crowd reaction — that was entertaining, even in a blowout loss. It was Ross’ only home run in 2015, hit as a pitcher.
I am not sure whether that game did anything to the Cubs psychologically, but the next night they defeated the Rockies in extra innings, the start of a 46-19 finish to the 2015 season that gave the Cubs 97 wins and a spot in the Wild Card Game vs. the Pirates, which they won. The 46-19 record from July 27 through season’s end was by far the best in the major leagues.
Ross, of course, had a much better year in 2016, batting .229/.338/.446 with 10 home runs. The last of those 10 came during the last home game against the Cardinals, after which he departed to a huge ovation. Then, as you know, Ross homered in Game 7 of the World Series, a key blast in that win.
Ross’ managerial tenure didn’t end the way any Cubs fan would have liked it to. Nevertheless, he’s an important figure in recent Cubs history and should be remembered fondly.
