PHOENIX -- Cody Ross could not help but chuckle.
The Rangers wooed Ross, bought him dinner and were on the verge of signing him to a free-agent contract over the winter before the Diamondbacks swooped in with their three-year, $26 million deal. Ross and his wife were in a car with Rangers GM Jon Daniels when the D-backs texted their interest.
So how has he repaid them? With a home run that made the difference Monday.
Ross’ bases-empty homer in the fifth inning accounted for the fourth run in Arizona's 5-3 victory over Texas in the first game of a doubleheader at Chase Field.
He laughed when it was brought up.
“I didn’t really think about it until some friends that are here and my wife were just here talking about it,” Ross said between games. “It's funny.”
The Rangers did not make an offer when they hosted Ross, although it was obvious they were interested after losing Josh Hamilton and Mike Napoli from their potent offense. Ross took the D-backs’ offer at lunch the next day, and Texas later added Lance Berkman
Ross is not surprised at the Rangers’ success after the little contact he had with the the team's management.
“All those guys ... I met with (manager Ron) Washington, Jon Daniels, Thad Levine. All of those guys were great guys. Class-act organization. You can tell even his year. Everyone was kind of writing them off because of what they lost and they are playing really great,” Ross said.
“A testament to them.”
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