The Chicago Cubs have surprisingly hired a new manager, and it’s a name that’s well-known to most Cincinnati Reds fans.
This development came as quite a shock to many. While it wasn’t entirely unexpected that Craig Counsell would find a new managerial position on Monday afternoon, the revelation that he’ll be taking over as the Chicago Cubs’ new manager caught many off guard.
In fact, most of the baseball world wasn’t even aware that the Cubs were in the market for a new skipper. It’s possible that even David Ross, the former Cincinnati Reds catcher who had been leading the Cubs for the past four seasons, wasn’t prepared for this news. Ross, apart from a brief postseason appearance in 2020, had not taken the Cubs to the MLB Playoffs during his tenure.
Most experts anticipated that Craig Counsell would either reunite with his former boss in New York or return to his hometown team in Milwaukee.
However, Counsell, who was rumored to be looking to set a new benchmark for managerial contracts, decided to follow the financial opportunity. According to reports from The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal, Counsell signed a lucrative five-year, $40-million deal, making him the highest-paid manager in the league.
The Cubs clearly believe that Counsell is the right person to lead them to the NL Central title and guide the team back to the postseason. Counsell has a track record of success, with a 7-12 postseason record and three NL Central Division Championships in five postseason appearances during his nine-year tenure as the Milwaukee Brewers’ manager.
Unfortunately for the Cincinnati Reds, they couldn’t prevent Craig Counsell from joining another NL Central team, and now they will have to face the new Cubs’ skipper regularly.
The Reds had previously extended the contract of their manager, David Bell, for three more years earlier this season. Bell, in his sixth year at the helm, has a win-loss record of 333-375 (.470) and might have his best opportunity yet to lead the Reds to the MLB Playoffs.
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