We knew that the Craig Counsell file was going to take up space. That said, I don’t think anyone believed he was going to be named manager of the Cubs.
It was being played (publicly) between New York and Milwaukee, but for a while, I didn’t believe in the Brewers. Otherwise, why did you give him permission to talk to the Mets and Guardians in October?
Meanwhile, the Cubs did things differently. They waited until his contract expired on November 1 before talking to him and, ultimately, giving him a bridge.
Because yes, at $40 million over five years, he is more than well paid. At eight million dollars per year, he joins Joe Torre, who signed a contract like this a while ago.
Without Counsell, the highest paid manager in MLB was in the $4 million range. It’s very little for everything they do in a year, compared to the players.
The Brewers, who wanted to do everything to keep him, had an offer to make him the highest paid manager in MLB, but it was far from that of the Cubs. And that doesn’t make the Brewers people happy.
Counsell therefore chose to leave for a division rival in the name of the managers’ cause… but also to become rich.
Because no, what he earned as a player does not compare to what he will do as a manager in the next five years. But above all, it doesn’t compare to football or basketball guys…
It is not because Counsell will be paid better than each of the A’s players that the problem of managers’ salaries should not be adjusted.
And Counsell, doing a bit like Mike Babcock in the NHL in 2015, hopes it ends better for him in Chicago than for the former Maple Leafs – and Blue Jackets – coach.
All that to say that it completed a busy day for the managers.
After all, if only the Giants had found a new manager for 2024 before now, that’s now no longer the case as the Cubs, Guardians and Mets have moved on.
By necessity, Carlos Mendoza will forever be compared to Counsell.
There are therefore four positions to fill in the MLB (Anaheim, Houston, Milwaukee and San Diego) and we must wonder, at this point, if David Ross will not be a candidate of choice.
After all, reportedly, the Cubs had no intention of firing Ross until Counsell became available.
Without it, Ross would still be in office.
We can therefore think that the Angels, the Astros, the Brewers and the Padres must pause their process to talk to David Ross.
I would find it hilarious to see him in Milwaukee…
But OK. For the moment, he has had his job stolen by Counsell and I imagine that he must first absorb the shock of the news.
If he doesn’t get a job as a manager, could he bounce back as a bench coach in the meantime? In the media? To have.
- Joke of the day: The Cubs should have kept David Ross and named Craig Counsell as president of manager operations.
- Free agents: what will the Blue Jays do?
- Luis Rojas as Yankees bench coach?
- Adam Ottavino becomes a free agent.
- Charlie Morton remains in Atlanta.
