Fansided

5 potential candidates to replace Joe Maddon as Cubs manager

By Sean Sears

CHICAGO, IL - MAY 20: Manager Joe Girardi #28 of the New York Yankees stands on the field during the fifth inning against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on May 20, 2014 in Chicago, Illinois. The Cubs defeated the Yankees 6-1. (Photo by Brian D. Kersey/Getty Images)
CHICAGO, IL - MAY 20: Manager Joe Girardi #28 of the New York Yankees stands on the field during the fifth inning against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on May 20, 2014 in Chicago, Illinois. The Cubs defeated the Yankees 6-1. (Photo by Brian D. Kersey/Getty Images) /
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Former Chicago Cubs catcher David Ross visits with manager Joe Maddon, right, during batting practice before action against the Washington Nationals in Game 2 of the National League Division Series at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C., on Saturday, Oct. 7, 2017. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
Former Chicago Cubs catcher David Ross visits with manager Joe Maddon, right, during batting practice before action against the Washington Nationals in Game 2 of the National League Division Series at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C., on Saturday, Oct. 7, 2017. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images) /

5. David Ross

The former MLB catcher has 15 years of experience playing the game, but David Ross has never held a manager position. Granted, he was more of a player/coach for the Cubs in 2016 and has an obvious relationship with the majority of the current Cubs roster.

Currently, Ross is an analyst for ESPN and is regularly a part of the broadcast team, almost always tagging along anytime the Cubs play on ESPN. But the concerns for Ross would be whether or not the Cubs clubhouse would be able to see him as their manager and not “Grandpa Rossy” who’s shown up in Cubs commercials as an “intern” or voting for Cubs All-Stars via rotary phone.

Catchers typically make solid managers but sticking Ross with this current Cubs roster doesn’t feel right. The Cubs need to win now with only a few more years of guys like Kris Bryant under team control, and adding an inexperienced manager now could make sense if they were more like the Craig Counsells of the world. Unfortunately, Ross doesn’t fit that mold and it’s unclear whether or not he’d even want to leave his current job with ESPN or spend less time with his family.

Ross makes sense as a manager, just not for this current Chicago Cubs team.

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