Chicago Cubs: David Ross under more pressure in short season

How can the Chicago Cubs’ David Ross produce a championship team in his first season under these conditions?

Even with a three-year deal in his back pocket, and half of his first seasonal obligation already completed without ever having to take the field, Chicago Cubs new skipper would still like to take home the short 60-game season victory.

How will Ross” need to win something in this short season affect his decision-making?

In Ross” mind, the short season is to his advantage as a new coach. Someone like former manager Joe Maddon would most likely have an ”approach” to this short season based on experience, knowing players’ tendencies and watching player’s performances with a discerning eye for any trouble.

Ross doesn’t have any of these issues as a first season skipper; he has only had a short spring training to see his players perform. During that time, the Cubs rookies and free agents played quite a bit of time, so Ross had never gotten to see his horses run, except last year when he was on the microphone.

So perhaps Ross” lack of an ”approach” to a 60 game season due to inexperience is a good thing. It makes for some exciting competition and competitiveness in the dugout, that’s for sure. When you’re not looking at egos and jersey numbers, that’s when people start swinging the bat.

There are a lot of those players on this Cubs team, like Albert Almora Jr., who would love to have a hit-off to decide who takes the field for the Cubs. It just may get down to that very scenario real quickly. Ross will be looking at who is performing right now at this moment, not last year or even during the spring. How you swing the bat tomorrow, and the next day is what Ross is looking for.

Unlike Maddon, Ross won’t care who gets hot at the end of the season. For Ross to start winning consistently, he knows that he’s’s got to play the ”hot hand”.

Chicago Cubs: The reason David Ross feels he has to win

To the great credit of the Tom Rickett’s family, almost anyone you talk to will tell you that the Chicago Cubs are hands down, a great organization to work for. If the little people love their company that much, imagine what it’s’s like at the very highest levels of the organization?

Well, if Maddon’s departure is any kind of measuring stick, it seems like even the high paid managers want to stick around the organization. Maddon knows he has a future home in Chicago also if it’s just autograph sessions for the guy who managed the last Championship Chicago Cubs team; it pays to be a Cub.

Imagine if Ross, in his first year as the Cubs manager, makes a run for it and wins the short season championship. Ross could almost write his own ticket anywhere in Chicago from Mayor to owning his own Bistro. It’s that kind of pressure that has Ross scrambling to figure it out as fast as possible.

Ross is feeling that same pressure as anyone who wants to impress his organization, and although he has time to figure it out with a three-year deal, he has already lost half a season and not learned anything new about his players, coaches, or club. Ross is smart enough to know that if he wins this short season, the hangover effect will probably last his contract.  So for Ross, there is a benefit for the Cubs to win the short season.