|
CHICAGO -- It’s rare that a major league baseball player doesn’t believe he can be an every-day player, but Chicago Cubs catcher David Ross is kind of a rarity. “I know I can’t catch every day,” Ross said after homering in the Cubs' 7-2 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday. “I’ll tell you that. I’m not an every-day catcher. Nope. Not that guy.” Ross, 39, has been pressed into near-every-day duty due to injuries to two catchers who began the season on the 25-man roster. Miguel Montero (back) has joined Kyle Schwarber (knee) on the disabled list, though the Cubs believe Montero's stint will be short. The team called up Tim Federowicz to take Montero’s spot on the roster, but with Federowicz having just 89 career big league games under his belt and a career .194 batting average, Ross will have to carry the load.  Ross did just fine on a chilly afternoon, hitting a 3-2 pitch from Brewers starter Taylor Jungmann onto the street beyond the left-field bleachers in the bottom of the second inning. Considering the hitting conditions, it was an absolute blast -- and Ross knew it.
“I was going to keep running out the gate in right if that thing didn’t go out, because that’s all I got,” Ross joked after the game. “There are things that tell you throughout your career it’s time to go home. [If] that one didn’t go out, it may have been that time, because that’s all I had.” It was Ross’ 98th career home run, and with more playing time looming, he’ll have a chance to get to 100 sooner rather than later. It’s a milestone his teammates have been anticipating. “I have a good approach,” Ross said. “I’ve had it since spring. ... If I’m in there I’m going to play hard. If not I’m going to cheer the guys.” Ross joked a day earlier -- during some of the discussion of performance-enhancing drugs surrounding Thursday’s starter, Jake Arrieta -- that no one wanted to test him even though he’s off to a good start at the plate. His re-worked swing has provided some memorable moments already in his final season in the big leagues. Thursday’s home run is one of them. “I’ll take my shirt off, you’ll see these love handles,” Ross laughed in regard to his less-than-perfect physique. “I was thinking if that doesn’t go out I got problems. We have serious problems.”
|
