Ross, Cubs eyeing return to playoffs, another title run

CHICAGO (AP) — David Ross slipped on his old No. 3 jersey, as if it was 2016 all over again, though he and the Cubs insisted this is not about the past.

It's a step toward a future they hope includes a return to the postseason and more World Series championships.

The Cubs introduced Ross as their 55th manager on Monday to replace Joe Maddon with their sights set on getting back to the playoffs after missing out for the first time in five years.

"I've been a part of a lot of winning teams," said Ross, a revered leader on the 2016 championship team who also played on a World Series winner in Boston. "I know what winning looks like. There's things that I expect out of players, out of myself, that entail winning."

The Cubs gave Ross a three-year deal last week with a club option through the 2023 season. President of baseball operations Theo Epstein and general manager Jed Hoyer are under contract through 2021, and stars Anthony Rizzo and Kris Bryant are under club control through then.

"I think he signed a fairly standard length for a first-year manager," Epstein said. "I never for one second think about my contract or the duration of it. We're always trying to act in the best interest of the organization for the long haul and trying hard to make sure that that big picture and the long view manifest in winning seasons in the current year. I think he's somebody that the entire organization felt good about. It wasn't one person picking him; he was the consensus choice throughout the organization. Hopefully, he's here for a really long time."

The most immediate issue for Ross will be deciding which coaches to keep and which outsiders to hire.

Ross said he has texted the Cubs' coaches, but he has not begun to assemble a staff.

Epstein said Ross plans to keep "a number of...

source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/Ross-Cubs-eyeing-return-to-playoffs-another-14568863.php