Cubs' David Ross on Lack of Experience: 'I Had an Eye on This My Entire Career'

The Chicago Cubs officially unveiled new manager David Ross on Monday, and he quickly found himself addressing his lack of experience at the managerial level.

But as Ross told reporters, it's a position he's been preparing to hold for the entirety of his career:

Ross, 42, spent 15 seasons as a major league catcher in stints with the Los Angeles Dodgers (2002-04), Pittsburgh Pirates (2005), San Diego Padres (2005), Cincinnati Reds (2006-08), Boston Red Sox (2008, 2013-14), Atlanta Braves (2009-12) and the Cubs (2015-16). 

Most famously, he was a part of the Cubs team that ended a 108-year World Series drought in 2016. He also won a title with the Boston Red Sox in 2013. 

Since retiring following the 2016 season, Ross has served as both a special assistant to Cubs President Theo Epstein and as an MLB analyst for ESPN. 

"We believe David truly has special gifts," Epstein said, per Mark Gonzales and Lamond Pope of the Chicago Tribune. "Behind the scenes, David has been very proactive. ... For David, it was never enough for him or the teams he was on just to show up."

Ross also said that while the media has ascribed to him a "Grandpa Rossy" persona in the clubhouse, he comes into the job ready to hold his team accountable:

Epstein mirrored that idea, saying he doesn't expect Ross to be a puppet for the front office:

Ross has a big task on his hands. The Cubs underachieved in 2019, finishing 84-78 and missing the postseason for the first time since 2014. That led to the end of the Joe Maddon era and prompted the beginning of the Ross era.

For a first-time manager, championship-or-bust expectations bring plenty of pressure. On Monday, Ross said he was ready to handle the heat.