OF getting crowded with the signing of veteran Ross
Free agent gets 3-year contract reportedly worth $26 million
The Diamondbacks already had a surplus of outfielders, but that didn’t stop them from adding another on Saturday, signing veteran Cody Ross to a three-year deal reportedly worth $26 million.
The news came as a surprise on multiple fronts. Not only had the Diamondbacks not been connected in any rumors to Ross, but they already had four outfielders who arguably are good enough to be everyday players.
So with Ross joining Justin Upton, Jason Kubel, Gerardo Parra and rookie Adam Eaton, one of either Kubel or Upton seems likely to be traded. Then again, Ross’ signing wouldn’t have been considered “likely,” so who’s to say what the Diamondbacks might do?
“There may be a move down the line,” Diamondbacks General Manager Kevin Towers said. “There may not.”
Still, Towers admitted his phone “pretty much blew up” when word of Ross’ signing got out, with teams asking about “all of our outfielders.”
Ross, who turns 32 today, hit .267 with a .326 on-base and .481 slugging last year for the Boston Red Sox. He is a career .262/.324/.460 hitter in parts of nine seasons.
Towers said the deal for Ross came together in the past week. He said he and Managing General Partner Ken Kendrick independently put together short lists of the top free agents still available. Both liked Ross.
“He’s a guy who has always been a proven winner, who always delivers when the game is on the line,” Towers said. “He’s a clutch performer. I think one thing that our club was missing a little bit last year was some energy. I think he certainly brings energy to the ballclub.”
Ross has had an up and down career. He bounced between the Tigers, Dodgers and Reds before establishing himself with the Marlins. He has never hit higher than .270 in a full season, but he’s averaged close to 20 home runs a year and has excellent career numbers against left-handed pitching.
He has not, however, fared nearly as well against right-handers, hitting just .256/.313/.416 in 1,793 at-bats since beginning to get regular playing time in 2008. Though his production last year for the Red Sox was good, he struggled outside of Fenway Park, hitting just .232 on the road.
It remains unclear how the Diamondbacks plan to use him. Towers said that if a deal doesn’t happen, the club could option Eaton to the minor leagues and start the year with Kubel in left, Parra and Ross in center and Upton in right.
That would likely be a downgrade defensively. Parra is better suited for a corner and scouts say Ross lacks the range to play above-average defense in center.
Throughout the off-season, Towers has said he wants to get better defensively. If he wants to stay true to that, moving Kubel would make the most sense.
Towers said he isn’t compelled to make a deal for budgetary reasons; he said the payroll as currently constituted is around $95 million and that club ownership is comfortable opening the season at that figure.
Ross, who lives in Scottsdale with his wife and two children, said he had always wanted to play for the Diamondbacks and was “ecstatic” to get the opportunity. He said he was comfortable signing here despite the crowded outfield.
“Obviously, if they thought that the outfield was going to be too crowded, they wouldn’t have came after me,” Ross said. “I knew they were going to get me enough at-bats and playing in the right places and the right position, and I just went with it.”