Grading the Chicago Cubs’ Signing of David Ross
By Vinny Lanni
@vinnylanni
Getty Images
There have been some big moves for the Chicago Cubs in the offseason, but not everyone needs to make a huge impact. The Cubs have agreed to a two-year, $5 million deal with catcher David Ross, and he brings a level of comfort for the team’s other new signing in Jon Lester.
With the addition of the former Arizona Diamondbacks‘ catcher Miguel Montero, Ross will provide a right-handed bat and catching partner for Lester. I fully expect Montero to see most of the work behind the plate — he is the better overall player — but Ross is a nice veteran presence for the Cubs to have in case Montero struggles or gets injured.
Ross is a .233 career hitter and hit a terribly low .184 average for the Boston Red Sox last season. Honestly, those numbers don’t matter because Ross’ job is to make sure that Lester is at his best when he is on the mound. At $2.5 million a year, Ross is not expected to carry the Cubs or provide an impact bat in the lineup; he is there for one job only.
Cubs GM Theo Epstein knows the relationship that two players have had in the past, and he is smart to reunite them with the Cubs. Sometimes it’s not all about eye-popping stats and millions of dollars; it is the small moves like this that complete a roster.
Grade: B
Vinny Lanni is a New York Jets writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter or add him to your network on Google.
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