Cubs and the top 3 gifts David Ross wants from Santa

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Yes. It’s that magical time of year when anything is possible. What might new Chicago Cubs manager David Ross desire from Santa Claus this holiday season?

There’s nothing like Christmas in downtown Chicago. Folks are bustling along with their packages, hopefully, some Chicago Cubs gifts! They are stopping in coffee shops and restaurants to get warm, sipping that hot chocolate and talking about the holidays and the new year.

We used to nag our parents during these downtown shopping outings to go to JC Penny’s to see Santa Claus. The JC Santa would be almost on a thrown and kids would line up past the escalators and through the shoe department to see him and make their wish. Santa always heard at least once, but if we were lucky, we could sometimes give Santa our top three.

For new Chicago Cubs Skipper, David Ross, the list of Christmas wishes for his team and upcoming season is probably more than a hundred. However, what are the top three gifts David Ross is asking Santa for this holiday season?

3. Beat Maddon

The number three wish Ross has for Santa is to beat Joe Maddon when their teams meet. Just because the old medicine peddler has left the friendly confines doesn’t mean he isn’t a threat, and Ross will have to be ready for the old trickster if they meet on the field.

Every new and up and coming coach wants to beat their mentor, respectfully, on the field. But was Maddon Ross’ mentor? Ross surely picked up a few things from Maddon as a player, primarily how he handled the infield and pitching. So it will be interesting to see how the two manager’s teams approach each other next season.

Maddon came right out and set the challenge on his first day as the new Los Angeles Angels skipper; his ultimate pipe dream would be to face the Chicago Cubs in the World Series and beat them.

While Ross has plenty of ‘work” to do before he starts worrying about Joe Maddon and a long road to the World Series, don’t think that beating “Broad Street Joe” isn’t his ultimate wish – when the teams and skippers meet again.

(Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images) /

Chicago Cubs: What else is on David Ross list for Santa?

2. Sign a big free agent

While Santa will have a bit of a hard time getting this present down the chimney, Ross’s second wish from Santa is for the Chicago Cubs to sign a big free agent this offseason.

In a go big or go home fashion, why not get a name brand player that’s hot right now and bring him on board. Recent reports have said the New York Yankees Didi Gregorius could be a second base option for the Cubs and a good partner for Cubs shortstop Javier Baez for double plays.

You could get a little expensive and go for the most expensive free agent for Christmas, Washington Nationals third baseman, Anthony Rendon, but a lot of his coming to the Cubs has to do with current third baseman, Kris Bryant’s contract, and his dispute. It would almost seem like a palatable swap Rendon for Bryant, but the chances are slim it can happen or that the Cubs could afford it.

There is still talk that the Cubs, who want outfielder Nicholas Castellanos to come back, are still negotiating to see if they can get the lanky home run hitter back in a Cubs uniform. Any of these free agents would help Ross’ first stint as a full-time manager, be a memorable one that could lead to the postseason or maybe even the championship.

Alex Cora of the Boston Red Sox was the last first-year manager to win a World Series. In the 2018 World Series championship, Cora became the fifth manager to do so in MLB history. So it’s not out of the realm of possibility that Ross could make run for the championship, which brings us to Ross’ number one wish from Santa for next baseball season.

Chicago Cubs: Win baby!

1. Make a run for the postseason and take another championship

If there’s one thing that David Ross would love to do in his first year as a manager and that’s win the whole thing.

Why not?

He’s got front office support and fan support. Ross has got the players support. There is no doubt that they are going to love having him as their skipper. He’s got an owner that would love to give him a good winning team to show – “they” didn’t make a mistake picking the 7th inning 2016 World Series Hero as the new leader of their team. So why shouldn’t he make a run for it?

Ross is in a unique position, whether he knows it or not. The Cubs are at the point where they have to get the max play from their regular horseman due to contracts coming up in the next year or so. The chance and window to capitalize on this team are growing small.

Everyone is hyper-aware that the Cubs have to make a run for the postseason this year or next. After that, the Chicago Cubs will have a new team of young players coming in to take some of those valuable spots on the infield, and we’ll say goodbye to last remnants of the 2016 Cubs for the most part.

By 2022 the team will look different, and maybe just a few pitchers might remain. In most respects, it will be a rebuilding of the team, no matter how competitive Chicago Cubs President of Baseball Operations, Theo Epstein wants or expects them to continue to be. Everyone knows, and everyone is watching because this year and maybe next are our best chances of still winning a championship.

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By all respects, the picking of Ross was a lot like how the Chicago Bears felt several years ago when they thought they had a super bowl team and just needed the right coach to make it all work. Ross has been cast in the savior’s role for the Chicago Cubs.

Can he pull it all together and make a run for the postseason his first year as a manager? It would be one of the tremendous historic MLB and Chicago Cub stories for sure. No wonder its Ross’ number one wish: Win baby!

Let’s hope Santa is listening, as I’ve said before – he is a North Sider.

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