Cubs' David Ross Wants The Tommy La Stella 'That I Know' Back

(CBS) As the drama surrounding Cubs reserve infielder Tommy La Stella stretches into its 13th day without him accepting his minor league assignment, the team's elder statesman expressed a willingness to welcome him back to big leagues, if the circumstances were right.

"He's a great human being, great teammate, great player," veteran catcher David Ross said on the Spiegel and Goff Show on Thursday. "I want him back, to be honest with you. We're a better team with him on it. But I want him to be the Tommy La Stella that I know. I don't want him to be a guy who's dealing with whatever he's dealing with."

La Stella, 27, was optioned to Triple-A Iowa on July 29 but instead of heading to Des Moines, he returned home to New Jersey. He's re-evaluating his career, telling ESPN.com that he'll only play for the Cubs and that his identity isn't rooted in playing baseball. For their part, manager Joe Maddon and general manager Jed Hoyer have made clear that for La Stella to return to the Cubs, he'll have to first get work in at Triple-A.

La Stella is currently on the temporary inactive list in the minor leagues.

Cubs teammates have publicly supported La Stella, and Ross did so again Thursday while at a fan luncheon along with center fielder Dexter Fowler. Regarding whether players would need an explanation from La Stella to accept him back in the locker room, Ross said, "Tommy would talk to us about what he's thinking and why he was doing it, just knowing Tommy."

Still, the bewilderment is as pervasive in the Cubs clubhouse as it is with outsiders.

"I try to give people the benefit of the doubt in not knowing what's going on in their lives and what they're dealing with," Ross said. "I think Tommy had to make an adult decision for himself, and he's making an adult decision. Whether that's a decision I would make or Dexter would make, I think those, probably not.

"He's a grown man. I'm not making decisions for Tommy. He's not making decisions for me. So it's his career, and I'm going to leave it at that."

Added Fowler: "You don't know what's going on with him. Something might've happened. Like I said, you never know. Until he comes back or we have him back and you can sit down and talk to him about it, there's nothing really that you can say. He's grown, he's going to make his own decisions for him and his family."

Listen to the full interview with Fowler and Ross below, as they discuss many on-field topics as well.