With the off-day in the World Series, the Chicago Cubs were permitted to make official today what everyone already knew: the new manager of the club is old friend David Ross.
The #Cubs today named David Ross the 55th manager in franchise history, agreeing to terms on a three-year contract through the 2022 season with a club option for 2023. pic.twitter.com/gbIrUm5m2C
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) October 24, 2019
Ross, 42, gets a three-year deal with a club option for the fourth year (that’s become a relatively standard first contract for new managers who are well-liked). The contract is not among the primary considerations here, but it’s notable that first-year managers tend to make around or just under $1 million annually, and Joe Maddon was making $6 million. So let’s hope those savings are deployed soundly elsewhere in the organization.
The introductory press conference will come on Monday, which means that’s when we can really dig in – too far, even! – on whatever soundbytes Ross provides.
Statements from Tom Ricketts, Theo Epstein and David Ross… pic.twitter.com/eq2Uxp55zv
— Jordan Bastian (@MLBastian) October 24, 2019
Until then, consider the upside with this hire (young, smart, good communicator, pushes players, synced up with the front office, knows the org very well), and also consider the risks that the front office is assuming:
Cubs Are Prepared to Assume the Risks That Come with Hiring David Ross … And I Dig It https://t.co/uMtGT4puQM pic.twitter.com/LcUMXsmbOY
— Bleacher Nation (@BleacherNation) October 23, 2019