Retirement on the horizon for Cubs' Ross
Catcher entering final year of contract, says 2016 season is probably his last
CHICAGO -- Catcher David Ross says he'll probably retire after the 2016 season. Ross, 38, is entering the final season of a two-year, $5 million deal with the Cubs.
"I think this is probably going to be it for me," Ross said Monday in an interview on MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM. He added it's "time to be a dad."
The 2016 season will be Ross' 15th in the big leagues. He began his career with the Dodgers in 2002 and has played for the Pirates, Padres, Reds, Red Sox, Braves and now the Cubs. Ross has a World Series ring from the '13 season with the Red Sox.
The catcher contributed much more to the Cubs than his statistics show. He batted .176 with one home run and nine RBIs, but his veteran presence was key in the Cubs' young clubhouse. Who knows? Maybe Ross will convert to pitcher. He appeared in two games in 2015 on the mound, and he retired all six batters he faced.
Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo isn't ready for Ross to go. He posted on Twitter: "Whoa whoa whoa what's this about retiring? TWO MORE YEARS!!!"
This wasn't the first time Ross has talked about how 2016 will be his last year. After the '15 season ended, he told Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe that 2016 would probably be his final season.
"It was a great ride," Ross told Cafardo in late October about the Cubs' postseason run. "It's more sad we didn't play well and [the Mets] played great. A lot of positives as I look back, but I thought we had a legit chance at the World Series. I really wanted to get [Jon] Lester and [Jake] Arrieta another start."