David Ross: No second thoughts about coming to Cubs’ 2016 reunion
CHICAGO — “Forever Young” played on the Wrigley Field sound system as David Ross emerged from the ivy on Saturday afternoon, walking through the gates beneath the bleachers in right-center field. As the public address announcer introduced members of the Chicago Cubs’ 2016 World Series team, Ross drew some of the loudest ovations, the crowd recognizing what he gave to the franchise — and also what was taken away without warning.
Abruptly fired by Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer in November 2023 — after Hoyer secretly negotiated a five-year, $40 million contract with current manager Craig Counsell — Ross said he had no second thoughts about attending this weekend’s 10-year reunion.
“This is all about the brothers,” Ross said. “Personally, I try not to carry stuff too long. That’s just negative stuff for me. There’s been nothing but a lot of positive energy and great moments here at this field with this team. The manager thing feels like a whole different chapter of my life.”
In planning a “Champions Gate” monument on the Wrigley Field plaza to mark the franchise’s three World Series titles in 150 years, Cubs officials probably needed this past decade as a buffer to reduce some of the awkwardness.
Joe Maddon, the only manager to guide the Cubs to a championship title since Theodore Roosevelt’s presidential administration, never received a contract extension from former team president Theo Epstein, who believed Ross’ leadership skills would reenergize the club after the 2019 season and maximize the remaining talent from that core championship group.
In dismissing Maddon, the Cubs projected Ross’ two World Series rings and 15 years as a major-league catcher would outweigh his lack of formal coaching experience.
“I was the grumpy grandpa that tried to keep guys in check,” Ross said, remembering the scene in Cleveland’s visiting clubhouse before an epic Game 7 in 2016. “I walk in, and these guys are playing Mario Kart. I’m losing my mind, the old salty guy, trying to focus. But in that moment, it’s not about you. It’s just about the group.”
Teammates carried Ross off the field on their shoulders after the Cubs won that Game 7, ending a 108-year championship drought. Since then, he joined Epstein’s front office as a special assistant, worked as an ESPN broadcaster and appeared on “Dancing with the Stars.”
Unimaginable circumstances framed Ross’ first year as manager during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, when the Cubs won a division title before drastically reducing baseball operations. Epstein resigned with a year remaining on his contract, leaving Hoyer, the longtime general manager who was elevated to team president, to shape the organization’s future.
A series of budget cuts and contract disputes preceded Hoyer’s massive sell-off at the 2021 trade deadline. Those Cubs would never become a dynasty.
Ross, though, showed signs of growth as a manager, maintaining a competitive culture and earning a contract extension despite overseeing an obvious rebuilding period. The Cubs went 39-31 after the 2022 All-Star break and finished one win shy of a playoff berth in 2023.
Ross appeared to have solid job security and was working ahead on next year’s plans when Hoyer showed up at his Florida home with the bad news. When Counsell’s contract with the Milwaukee Brewers expired, Hoyer pounced on the opportunity to hire a manager away from a division rival.
Ross downplayed any mixed emotions, turning the page when he attended Cubs Convention this January and enjoying all the stories on his “Lovable Reunion” podcast with former Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo. Ross laughed when asked a question about how different his life would have been if the Cubs had lost that Game 7.
“I’d be a lot poorer, I know that,” Ross said. “This team’s let me dance. It’s gotten me an ESPN gig. It’s gotten me a podcast. It’s gotten me a managerial job.”
During Saturday’s pregame ceremony, Counsell watched from the home dugout while Epstein and Hoyer stood in foul territory behind home plate. A crowd of 39,508 showed up on a postcard 81-degree afternoon to see the Cubs’ 6-2 victory over the Minnesota Twins. As John Vincent belted out the national anthem, Ross stood near the mound with the World Series trophy in his hand.
“This group of guys, whatever they’re doing, I wouldn’t miss that,” Ross said. “I came to celebrate us, and this 2016 World Series championship. It’s easy to see how we won when you look back, and you get to reengage with everybody on a personal level and feel everybody’s energy. It’s a special group.”