Craig Counsell made a stunning decision yesterday as he left his post as Milwaukee Brewers manager to join the rival Chicago Cubs.
His contract with the Brewers expired, so him not returning to Milwaukee was not shocking … But his decision to join the Cubs was.
Many had thought that he was possibly on his way to New York to take charge of the Mets … But the ambitious Cubs had other ideas as they handed him an impressive five-year contract worth more than $40 million.
Tom Verducci reports that Craig Counsell always wanted to end up with the Cubs, who acted as quickly as possible to secure the top manager available https://t.co/gun2MWz8hS
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) November 7, 2023
The Wisconsin native held various roles in Milwaukee over the years. He spent six seasons as a player for the Brewers before transitioning to a front-office position.
He also briefly dabbled in color commentary before ultimately taking the reins as the Brewers manager in 2015, where he subsequently clinched the franchise record for the most managerial wins, tallying an impressive 707 victories.
To his credit, Counsell reportedly informed the Brewers players of his decision before the Cubs made the official announcement.
However, many of those players were left with a sour taste in their mouths.
Brewers owner Mark Attanasio shares his thoughts after Craig Counsell's departure pic.twitter.com/aTmOinwjQP
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) November 6, 2023
Reacting to the news, Brewers pitcher Corbin Burnes, a three-time All-Star, shared his initial shock.
“I think my reaction is the same as everyone in the organization and the fan base. We’re just shocked initially,” Burnes conveyed to MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy. “On the personal side, it’s going to be strange,” he added.
Counsell’s departure rendered Brewers catcher William Contreras speechless, prompting the 25-year-old to express his feelings through a series of face palm emojis.
Meanwhile, pitcher Brandon Woodruff, who joined the team in 2017, admitted to still processing the news, particularly due to his surprise at the Cubs becoming Counsell’s next destination.
“Lord have mercy,” Woodruff said.
I think maybe Brandon Woodruff sums up all our reactions to this Craig Counsell-to-the-Cubs news quite well:
"Lord have mercy."
— Todd Rosiak (@Todd_Rosiak) November 6, 2023
What is your take on Counsell’s decision to head to Chicago???