David Ross' magical run to the 'Dancing with the Stars' finals ended with a second-place finish

Usually a Tuesday night in May doesn't matter much to a baseball player. Sure, they may want to win the game, but it's not a do-or-die situation.
That wasn't the case for David Ross. The former Cubs catcher-turned-pop culture icon used his quickly improving dance skills and a ravenous Cubs fanbase to reach the "Dancing With the Stars" finals. 

Before the finale began, Joe Maddon had a message for Grandpa Rossy: 

Fans atop Wrigley rooftops were in his corner:  

And even the Cubs relievers had their own dance-off before Tuesday's game against the Giants: 

Though Jon Lester is rooting for his catcher, he's shocked Ross made it to the final. 
"I'm surprised he made it this far," Lester told MLB.com's Carrie Muskat. "I told him early to take a fall and pull a hammy and go on home. Apparently, he's been doing really well. It's good to see. I'm sure that's very uncomfortable to get up there and do that in front of millions of people. I can only imagine it. We're all competitors and want to win at everything we do. I hope he wins."
Before the final results, the two-and-a-half hour finale was jam-packed with the eliminated stars dancing one more time. It also meant there was time for Ross and partner Lindsay Arnold to bring back their fabulous "Magic Mike" dance: 

Finally, it was time for Ross' final performance. Dressed in a blue bowtie with red suspenders (Cubs colors, natch), Ross and Arnold pulled off a hybrid foxtrot/salsa.  

It certainly impressed the judges. Though it wouldn't match the dancing duo's perfect score from Monday night, they did receive a series of 9s from the judges. That gave the two a total score of 109 for the final round, which would be combined with the fan vote to decide the winner.
Unfortunately, there would be no joy in Mudville this night. Ross' score just wasn't enough for the two-time World Series champ to add another trophy to his case. Ross and Arnold finished as runners-up to former NFL running back Rashad Jennings and his partner Emma Slater. Perhaps it's fitting -- after all, a catcher is No. 2 in your scorecard. 

Though there may not always be next year in the world of network television dance shows, fans can hope Ross gets the call-up the next time DWTS calls on its All-Stars. While you wait for your next chance to watch a catcher dance, click here to re-live each dance step along Ross' magical run to the finals.