If you had Craig Counsell, now managing the Chicago Cubs, talking about the Milwaukee Brewers winning the 2024 NL Central on your bingo card, you must be pretty fortunate. Counsell, considered one of the top managers in baseball, left the Brewers after his contract expired and shocked the league by joining the Cubs.
When Counsell made the move, the odds for the NL Central shifted in favor of Chicago. The Brewers had dominated the division during his tenure, winning three division titles and making five playoff appearances in his nine seasons. However, losing Counsell and trading ace Corbin Burnes caused a significant shift away from Milwaukee after their previous year’s division win.
Now, with the season nearing its end, the Brewers have already clinched the division and secured a playoff spot, while the Cubs are preparing for an offseason of reflection and, hopefully, improvement after a disappointing year.
Counsell didn’t shy away from addressing the gap between his Cubs and his former team, admitting it will be tough to compete with the Brewers next year.
“There’s a big gap,” Counsell said in an interview with The Athletic. “They’re way ahead of us. It’s a talented team on and off the field, and we have a lot of ground to cover. No doubt about it. It’s daunting.”
Despite leaving Milwaukee, there seems to be no hard feelings, as his departure was amicable, and relations remain positive. However, given the Cubs’ high expectations for this season, it’s likely Counsell is feeling some frustration.
Cubs left wondering what could have been
It’s always tough when a team enters a season as a favorite but ultimately falls short of expectations. The Cubs came into Spring Training with playoff hopes, but baseball can be unpredictable, and the realities of a long season can be hard to accept.
Chicago struggled to navigate its challenges and, unfortunately, fell out of the division race early on. They sparked some excitement in August with a winning streak that brought them close to a Wild Card spot, but the gap proved too wide to close.
Looking ahead, the Cubs have a promising future with several key players. For them to succeed, the supporting cast needs to come together and perform well, especially since expectations will remain high for 2025. The Cubs aim to compete for victories and playoff spots, which is why they brought in Craig Counsell as the highest-paid manager in baseball.
