Cody Ross joins crowded outfield, ready to help D-backs

New Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Cody Ross was nearly a Texas Ranger.

A guest of Arizona Sports 620’s Burns and Gambo Thursday, Ross detailed the circumstances that led to him signing with the team.

Saying there was a good amount of interest in his services, Ross noted that most of the calls seemed to be coming from East coast teams. Hoping to stay closer to his Arizona home, one night the phone rang with the right team on the line.

“The Texas Rangers called,” he said. “They were actually, really wanted me, you know, they wanted to move pretty quick.”

Ross said the Rangers flew him into town the next day and he met with the team’s brass, and he was having dinner when his phone started to ring again.

“I excused myself, went to the bathroom and saw that my agent had texted me that the Diamondbacks had called,” he said. “So, long story short, the next day — I flew home that night into Arizona — and woke up and went to lunch with the front office of the Diamondbacks and pretty much almost agreed to a deal at that point.

“It just all came about so quick.”

Indeed it did.

Ross, 32, hit .267 with 22 home runs and 81 RBI last year for the Boston Red Sox. He has spent time with the Detroit Tigers, Los Angeles Dodgers, Cincinnati Reds, Florida Marlins and San Francisco Giants as well, and brings a solid glove to go along with a very capable bat.

However, he knows he is joining an already crowded outfield, and said the team told him early on there was a chance no move would be made. So, Ross is going to have to fight for every bit of playing time he gets.

That’s fine.

Ross said while he prefers playing in center field, he’s comfortable at all three outfield positions.

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