As the 2019 Chicago Cubs' season draws to a close, talk about the eventual departure of Joe Maddon grows louder. Since Maddon doesn't have a contract for next season, it would be as simple as the team allowing him to go without a new offer. Talking heads around the Chicago media are starting to believe the Cubs missing the playoffs, would indeed lead the front office to let him go.

With just a few weeks to go in the season and the Cubs very much on the cusp of missing the playoffs, the questions in some circles have turned from "will Joe Maddon be let go?" to "who will replace him?" While some Cubs fans have been beating the Joe Girardi drum for a few years now, David Ross is the favorite of several analysts more recently.

Grandpa Rossy becoming skipper?

David Ross, otherwise known as Grandpa Rossy to Chicago Cubs faithful has been a bit of a folk hero since his performance in the 2016 World Series. Since retiring, he first talked about wanting out of baseball so he could see his family more often. It didn't take long for him to decide he wanted to be a part of baseball again. These days, he's been a member of the front office, though he's a "special assistant" allowing him to spend time with his family more than if he was playing or coaching.

Cubs Insider points to and agrees with an article in The Athletic written by Ken Rosenthal. In that article, Rosenthal said there would be a "better" chance of the Chicago Cubs hiring David Ross, than Joe Girardi.

That despite the fact that Ross does not have any real coaching or managerial experience. Cubs Inside writer Evan Altman agrees.

Girardi falling out of favor

There was a time when most people in Chicago felt it was just a matter of time before Girardi took the helm when he left the New York Yankees. Girardi is a former Cubs' catcher who was with the team during their cinderella 1989 season.

He's a man that certain Chicago Cubs fans have pined after for years, but he wasn't available while leading the Yankees.

Now he's a free agent and the Chicago Cubs have Joe Maddon. Now that the two sides might be in alignment this postseason, talk of Ross being the top target is heating up in Chicago and around baseball. Some of that is due to a reported souring by the front office in regards to how Girardi manages a game.

Those inside baseball think it would be similar to how Maddon leads his squad.

The question, as Cubs Insider points out, is whether or not Ross would take the job if it were offered. While he has some role with the front office, it isn't a 12 hour-a-day type job that managing is said to be. There are questions whether he would leave his other job, working as a broadcaster, in order to take on the grind of a major league manager.
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