D-backs OF Cody Ross may start season on disabled list

The Arizona Diamondbacks regular season is just days away and it doesn’t look good for new outfielder Cody Ross.

Manager Kirk Gibson told Burns and Gambo on Tuesday he would prefer Ross start the season on the disabled list and that feeling was confirmed Tuesday night at the ballpark before the D-backs game against the Angels.

“Think at some point in the near future, rather than him push it and injure himself for six to eight weeks, let’s make sure we get it right. If we have to DL him to do that than certainly that’s an option,” Gibson said.

Ross left the D-backs game against the Giants on March 3rd and hasn’t seen any game action since. He’s been dealing with a calf injury.

“If we have to DL [Ross], then somewhere after the 6th (of April) when we get back from Milwaukee, I hope that he’d be really ready to go,” Gibson stated.

Gibson also elaborated on the plan to get Ross (and Didi Gregorius) back from the DL if that’s where they start the regular season.

“If we do that, he [Ross] would go to Visalia and Gregorius would go to Reno right out of the gate and those guys would get at-bats. [Ross]’s ready to run and Gregorius is ready to throw. They can play those games there,” Gibson said.

The 32-year-old Ross has played in just four games this spring, recording only seven at-bats.

Gibson has said throughout spring that the plan is constantly changing due to the health of his players. Nothing is set in stone until the Opening Day roster has to be determined.

“There’s a lot of ‘ifs’ when you have injuries, then it adds that element. It’s just something you try and think it all out and you react as time lets you do.”

Gibson may have even more to react to after Tuesday night’s game against the Angels. Second baseman Aaron Hill left after the bottom of the first after getting hit by a pitch and shortstop Willie Bloomquist left in the third inning in the middle of an at-bat after fouling off a pitch.

And lastly, left-fielder Jason Kubel’s night was done after four innings, but no word yet on why.

Their injury status is yet to be determined.

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