Breaking Down the Dancing With the Stars Cast By the Odds

DANCING WITH THE STARS – DAVID ROSS WITH LINDSAY ARNOLD – The celebrity cast of “Dancing with the Stars” are donning their glitzy wardrobe and slipping on their dancing shoes as they ready themselves for their first dance on the ballroom floor, as the season kicks off on MONDAY, MARCH 20 (8:00-10:01 p.m. EST), on the ABC Television Network. (ABC/Craig Sjodin)

Lindsay Arnold: David Ross, the baseball player

They’ve had athletes from the three of the big four sports before, but David Ross is Dancing with the Stars’ very first baseball player. He’s also one that’s going to come in with a lot of love and notice. He’s coming off a storybook ending to his playing career. He’d played for eight teams, none of them for more than four years. But the last one was the Chicago Cubs, and he was a vital part in their finally winning a World Series for the first time in over a century. He’s now on their staff, too. He’ll absolutely have the support of the Chicago fans. Maybe some fans from his other teams too.

But it might not be enough to last if he’s not very good. Baseball players are an untested quantity, but they’re often not as athletic as those from other sports. And Ross is 39. That may not be old, but it’s old enough that playing a professional sport has probably taken its toll. Plus he’s not certain of any performance skills either. Really, he’s certain of nothing but some votes. This is too good a field for that to suffice. Lindsay Arnold’s managed to make at least the semifinals her second three seasons, but the odds are against her repeating here.