The Chicago Cubs landed manager Craig Counsell in a stunning move on Monday, and needless to say, the Milwaukee Brewers share in that astonishment.
The reigning National League Central champions will now see their former manager patrolling the dugout on Chicago’s North Side, and majority owner Mark Attanasio was shocked by the news.
In an interview with reporters, including MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy, Attanasio shared how he reacted when he first learned that Counsell was leaving for the Cubs.
“When he first told me, I said, ‘Are you messing with me?’” he said.
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Indeed, Counsell was not joking. After his contract expired with the Brewers, Counsell agreed to a five-year deal worth $40 million with the Cubs, making him the highest-paid manager in MLB history.
Attanasio said that while Counsell played a key role in the Brewers’ success, helping the club to the playoffs in five of the last nine seasons, he said that the culture in Milwaukee is ultimately what makes the team successful, and that he feels confident that the team will bounce back.
“We’ve lost Craig, but I’ve reflected on this. Craig has lost us and lost our community,” he said. “I can’t imagine somebody wanting to be somewhere else.”
MLB
Now, the Brewers will be left to find a new skipper for the 2024 campaign, while the Cubs will move forward as they try to get back to the postseason for the first time since 2020.
