Ross' bet with Schwarber almost prevented his retirement
David Ross, known as "Grandpa Rossy" and the newest member of the Chicago Cubs front office, almost lost his chance to walk away from baseball thanks to a bet with Kyle Schwarber.
During the season, when Ross was getting playing time as the Cubs starting catcher, he felt confident enough to make a bet with Schwarber that involved him returning for another season if he reached an offensive benchmark.
"When I had success, I had a bet with Schwarber and our traveling secretary that if I hit 10 home runs, I was gonna come back," Ross said on Rob Bradford's podcast, according to Tony Andracki of CSN Chicago. "I ended up hitting 10, plus two in the playoffs. I felt like my skill set was kind of diminishing and it was about time for me to leave and I had a decent year in my role."
Despite the 39-year-old losing the bet, Schwarber didn't force his hand.
Ross' production and leadership helped the Cubs win its first World Series in 108 years. His 10 regular-season home runs were the most he'd hit since 2006, and his .688 slugging percentage was first among Cubs players in the postseason.
Ross will enter 2017 as special assistant to baseball operations for the Cubs after 15 years in the majors.