Ask Anthony Rizzo What He Thinks Of David Ross
Well fuck me. When you put it like that I can't possibly imagine there's a world people would 2nd guess him being the new manager.
Personally I've had my fair share of encounters with Rossy over the years. And before I continue I'm still trying to figure out what to call him now that he's the manager. Ross is too plain. Grandpa too lame. David no way. Rossy seems natural but it's not awesome. I digress.
Point is I've had a handful of social encounters with him. There was a time he smuggled me into a team dinner at RPM Steak the night before the convention in 2016. No reason why - just saw me at the end of the night at a charity even and was like Hey Carl Come To Dinner You'd Love It.
Okay so I'm at dinner and he's holding the door and even now years after the fact it's still a hilarious story. I've told it before on Red Line I won't exhaust details here.
Advertisement
For now and on subject of Red Line - there's one Ross story I would like to personally share.
He was supposed to come on the podcast last year right before baseball season. March 2018 specifically. It was before Red Line was a Barstool podcast. Just me and WSD in a closet at my office. Ross was the biggest name we could have possibly landed and even now I'd say the same. Real stoked he was coming on the show.
Day comes around he's supposed to be on and I get a phone call. It's 12pm and I'm just getting back to my desk from White Castle. Phone is buzzing. It's David Ross. Didn't see this coming and not ready for it.
Hello?
Carl buddy.... got some bad news
David Ross didn't have to call me to tell me that he couldn't record the interview. That he ran it past certain people who cut certain paychecks and that it just wasn't good timing. That he was so sorry and knew it meant a lot because I wanted to get the podcast to Barstool and how I needed more credibility and he was hoping to help me and blah blah blah. I could hardly believe he remembered ANY of the stuff we talked about... and there he is months later repeating it back to me in conjunction with an apology for not coming on my podcast? Like an honest, sincere, real fucking apology and his word that we'd make it up when things
I thanked him for the call. I think. I can hardly remember how I responded other than I was very impressed he would take the time to pick up the phone. To make me feel important and that I was worth his time.
I share you with this because all things equal, I am a complete fucking nobody. And between you me and the wall, this story was 18 months ago when I was even less of a nobody selling life insurance. And there's David Ross putting in the phone call to personally deliver bad news but then build me up in the process.
I realize I'm making this a big deal but think about it like this.
If David Ross is willing to make me feel this way about essentially NOT coming on Red Line, then what's he gonna do with Javy Baez? Like imagine people that mean shit to him in his universe. If I'm over here getting dusty about him being like I know this sucks now but shit's gonna work out then just consider what he'll do for the 25 guys entrusted under his leadership on a daily basis.
It's a weird time to say what makes a good MLB manager. Probably all we can agree on is that it's different than what we've come to know. Is it someone who can take marching orders but unite a clubhouse? A statistics first, front office friend? Someone who played and won and walked in the players shoes? Or is it a player-first veteran that's a ballbuster for everyone who doesn't wear his uniform?
Who fucking knows.
As far as Rizzo and I are concerned David Ross is a perfect fit and if you got a problem with it you can kiss our asses.