The Chicago Cubs enter 2024 with a new manager in Craig Counsell. That isn’t breaking news. The Cubs hired him in November.
But, as the Cubs get closer and closer to spring training in Mesa, more players are talking about Counsell, even though they haven’t played a game under him yet.
Most of the Cubs have experience with Counsell, as he managed their rival Milwaukee Brewers for nine seasons, from 2015-23.
While the Cubs won the World Series in 2016, Counsell and his staff turned the Brewers into consistent winners.
He went 707-625 during that time, and he led the Brewers to five playoff appearances in his last six seasons, including three National League Central titles.
Those three division titles came at the Cubs’ expense, including last season. The Cubs were nipping at the Brewers’ heels through mid-September before a swoon by Chicago not only cost them a shot at catching Milwaukee but a Wild-Card berth.
That track record is what led the Cubs to sign Counsell to the richest contract of any manager in baseball history, a five-year deal worth $40 million. Hiring Counsell led to the firing of long-time Cubs player and manager David Ross.
Now, his task is to get the Cubs back into the postseason. Their last playoff berth was in the COVID-19 shortened 2020 season. The last time the Cubs made the playoffs in a full season was in 2018.
Players like left fielder Ian Happ, a Gold Glove winner at his position, knows Counsell well and admired his managerial style from afar, even if it did cause him and his teammates consternation from time to time, as he related to The Athletic recently.
It’s a big reason why he’s glad Counsell is on their side now.
“I’ve been frustrated by him across the field for a long time,” Happ said. “He was always really good with the matchup stuff. They always had a good bullpen, but he always ran the bullpen really efficiently. He was always making frustrating moves as an opposing hitter. It felt like it was always the guy you didn’t want to face.”
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