Cubs pull a shocker and hire Craig Counsell as manager |
The Chicago Cubs have hired former Brewers manager Craig Counsell as their next manager.
Reportedly, his salary is five years for $40 million, which is the largest managerial salary in major league history. He also interviewed with the New York Mets and Cleveland Guardians. No other manager in baseball currently earns more than $4.5 million per season. 53-year-old Counsell has a career 707-625 record with a .531 winning percentage and led the Brewers to the playoff five times in nine seasons. The Brewers won the NL Central division in 2018 and 2021. Despite votes of confidence by the Cubs management about David Ross in recent mouths, the organization decided that they would go after the most highly-coveted free agent manager in baseball. This entire deal was done after Nov. 1. Ross still had one year left on his contract, and he went 262-284 in four seasons with the Cubs. The Cubs reached the playoffs under his leadership in the COVID-shortened season in 2020. Obviously, the baseball world, including Cubs fans, are pretty shocked by a new manager in the Northside. Check out some of the reactions on Twitter on this ballsy managerial move: Counsell had options. So he must feel confident about Cubs making commitment to spend. This is how big-market teams behave. It’s cutthroat but consequences of David Ross’s team blowing playoff berth in September. And Ricketts was clear season wasn’t success. Action supports that. Craig Counsell's $8 million-a-year deal with the Chicago Cubs is an industry-shaking deal. In recent years, multiple coaches have pointed out that it's more lucrative financially to take a job with a college program than an MLB team. Counsell's deal could help change that in MLB. The Cubs’ deal w Craig Counsell is for about what the A’s total payroll was last season. The Cubs needed to ask the Brewers permission to speak to Counsell before Nov.1. They did not. So this ALL came together in the last few days. Its likely to be the most expensive managerial hire in MLB history. Within the last 30 minutes Chicago Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer informed members of the organization that David Ross is being let go and the team is hiring Craig Counsell, per sources. Stunning, seismic and a terrific move. I love it. Craig Counsell is one of best managers in baseball. This announces #Cubs as World Series contenders. This is bold but path Cubs have chosen before by firing Rick Renteria and hiring Joe Maddon. I like Rossy but this is an upgrade. https://t.co/2EbnUsr3L8 Craig Counsell has reportedly been named the next manager of the Chicago Cubs!@JonHeyman gives an instant reaction to the news ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/RMRIanoel4 #stlcards will host the #Brewers on April 19. WELCOME TO CHICAGO CRAIG COUNSELL pic.twitter.com/UHda39bU0Z DAVID ROSS OUT Cubs hiring Counsell, sources tell @TheAthletic The Cubs are hiring Craig Counsell, per reports. pic.twitter.com/iqOliIAvzl #Breaking: The #Cubs are hiring Craig Counsell as their manager. Two managerial vacancies have been filled today (Mendoza/Mets, Vogt/Guardians) and Craig Counsell will be taking over the Cubs. That leaves four manager jobs still open: Angels, Astros, Brewers and Padres. This joke is so much funnier now: In an effort to lure Craig Counsell to Chicago, the Cubs are putting a new roof on Wrigley Field. Counsell is exactly what the Cubs need in a manager. pic.twitter.com/V6UDpMqF9x The Cubs are going to be aggressive as hell this offseason now, aren't they? You can't make this move and not put the pedal down as hard as you can. Craig Counsell walking into Wrigley 😎 pic.twitter.com/BGcUltKHMi https://t.co/Khso7HjamJ pic.twitter.com/s120fhY1we SHOCKING #CUBS NEWS. Geography clearly mattered to Craig Counsell Craig Counsell is the manager of the Chicago Cubs and he’s bringing back the red bill hats! This photo is real and the statement is true. #Cubs #CraigCounsell pic.twitter.com/O0pZdd6JSu The Chicago Cubs are getting serious. This is what we wanted. Breaking: The Chicago Cubs are hiring Craig Counsell as their manager, sources tell @JeffPassan. You can love David Ross and also understand Craig Counsel is a better manager. Both can be true. This is an upgrade. I’m on my cheeks still. Craig Counsell is a Chicago Cubs. David Ross is not. WTF Craig Counsell's 5-year contract with the Cubs is worth more than $40 million, per @Ken_Rosenthal Cubs player reactions to this news are going to be really interesting. .@dan_bernstein and @LaurenceWHolmes react to the stunning news that Craig Counsell will replace David Ross as the Cubs' manager. Craig Counsell's 5-year, $40 million contract from the Chicago Cubs was about twice as much as the Milwaukee Brewers' offer to retain Counsell. Craig Counsell is calling Brewers players right now so they hear the news from him. I'm wondering how much Ross was making and how when you add that to the $8M Counsell is making, the Cubs might spend like $10M on the manager spot next season! Wild. Awesome. Love to see them flex the checkbook. I can’t believe Jed Hoyer is driving off with Craig Counsell in the getaway car while David Ross and the Brewers are staring blankly at each other in the motel bar exclusive video of Craig Counsell's call with Brewers players https://t.co/ztyw83Dsfg pic.twitter.com/9dnWstyXgh Regardless of what happened today, David Ross is a Cubs legend for life.pic.twitter.com/KjzvFpBGLr
But they won't see Craig Counsell until May 24.
Not sure about the quality of baseball, but goodness what fun the NL Central will be for the storylines.
CRAIG COUNSELL IN pic.twitter.com/Sv508E67Ct
via @Ken_Rosenthal
— CHGO Cubs (@CHGO_Cubs) November 6, 2023
Feels like ⚾️ outside today too.@espn1000 & 100.3 HD2
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Watch https://t.co/lMDnR1oAn8 or youtube live pic.twitter.com/5CXpfpFryx
He is moving 90 miles south pic.twitter.com/Hf1dAMSAqq
I can’t believe it lol.
The news was first reported by The Athletic. pic.twitter.com/EiqEuQkZEo
Counsell will be the highest-paid MLB manager. pic.twitter.com/Yq5EH7vtEi
Some guys are gonna be *pissed.*
Some guys are gonna be *stoked.*
Some guys are gonna be both.
Some guys are gonna just kinda want a sandwich, because they're hungry, and wait what happened?
"This is seismic," Holmes says. "I love this."
"That's a badass move," Bernstein says.
Listen to full segment: https://t.co/UZx1j8VLTz pic.twitter.com/g5vYwFJUaq
