David Ross Headlines Cubs Awards Nominations

Cubs manager David Ross has officially been nominated for 2020 NL Manager of the Year. The first-year skipper returned to the 'Friendly Confines' this offseason and enjoyed a fair amount of success. In his first coaching go-around, the Cubs finished 34-26 and climbed back to the top of the Central Division. Perhaps even more impressive, the Cubs were the only team in the league to finish the season without a positive Covid-19 test! In a season that nearly got canceled as quickly as it started, David Ross was able to create a no-nonsense plan that kept the team safe and carved the path to winning a division title. He clearly has a way to get through to his players and earn their respect.

Familiarity Rules

Last offseason the Cubs' front office stated the decision to hire David Ross as Manager was due to his leadership characteristics, not his previous connections to the team. Whether this statement reigned true at the time or not, the old connection proved to be a sparkplug. The Cubs were able to ascend up the standings and claim their 3rd division title in the last 5 years. Despite a disappointing, postseason sweep at the hands of the Marlins and fellow NL Manager of the Year Nominee, Don Mattingly, the team was more poised than previous years.

Ross Leads Quest for Hardware

The Cubs produced very well on the field in 2020 and so far it has shown throughout the short offseason. They have quite the haul of players nominated for awards. Along with Ross getting the nomination at Manager, Yu Darvish also picked up a Cy Young nomination today. The Ace of the pitching staff had a phenomenal season in 2020 going 8-3 with a 2.01 ERA.

Darvish is the second Cubs' pitcher nominated for a major award this season as Jeremy Jeffress earned a nomination for Reliever of the Year, falling just short. Shockingly enough the Cubs' nominations do not stop there as the club also sports a whopping SEVEN Gold Glove Nominations:

• SP: Kyle Hendricks, Alec Mills
• C: Willson Contreras
• 1B: Anthony Rizzo
• 2B: Nico Hoerner
• SS: Javier Baez
• RF: Jason Heyward

Rizzo and Heyward are almost to be expected on this list each year, there are a few pleasant surprises. Most notably Willson Contreras, who had been criticized for his inability to frame pitches consistently in previous seasons.

Ross' Own Experience Bolstered Cubs

David Ross found a way to get through to Contreras as he immediately earned his first Gold Glove nomination. Calling clean games is one of the most important aspects a catcher can bring to a winning team. Contreras has always provided value to the Cubs with his bat, but his aggressive and often shaky approach on defense left questions regarding his long-term fit behind the plate. With Ross at the helm, Contreras elevated his game among the league's best, and the team saw significant boosts to its pitching production in 2020. Ross's ability to bring out the most in Contreras is a great example of why the Cubs felt he was the best option for the job. The energy and production he mustered up all throughout the dugout should provide plenty of optimism for the future of the team. After all, the Cubs have always had talent and David Ross's knack for demanding results seems to be a good mix so far.