Who is Cody Ross?

WHO IS CODY ROSS?

Five things about Cody Ross, who has hit three home runs in the first two games of the NLCS:

1. As a child, Ross wanted to be a rodeo clown if he could not be a baseball player. He is the son of a team roper and steer wrestler and he would dress up with the big red nose and sit in the stands during weekend events across Texas and New Mexico. "In the back of my mind I knew what I wanted to do when I got older and as a career. I wanted to be a professional baseball player," Ross said last week. "It's the only thing I ever wanted to do after I wanted to be a rodeo clown."

2. A fourth-round draft choice in 1999 by Detroit, Ross has been with five organizations in 7 years: Detroit, the Dodgers, Cincinnati, Florida and San Francisco.

3. Ross was awarded to the Giants on Aug. 22 on a waiver claim from the Florida Marlins, who were trying to save the remaining $1 million owed Ross. The Giants did not seem like an obvious fit, given their surplus of outfielders. The Giants put the claim in partially to block the Padres, who were leading the NL West at the time.

4. Went 4-for-14 (.286) with a double, home run and three RBI in the division series against Atlanta.

5. Had three home runs in 33 regular-season games with the Giants. Now has three in two games of the NLCS and four for the postseason.