The 2023 MLB season wrapped up just over two weeks ago, but the belle of the managerial ball has already been swept off his feet into a new cushy gig.
Craig Counsell has agreed to take his talents to the Windy City. The former Brewers manager will now call Wrigley Field home as he takes control of the Chicago Cubs. Counsell becomes the highest-paid manager of all time after agreeing to a five-year $40 million deal. He takes the record from legendary Yankees manager Joe Torre, who made $7.5 during the height of the Yankees dynasty in the early 2000s.
Counsell made just over $20 million in his 16-year playing career and will now double that in just five years managing the Cubs.
The Cubs move on from the David Ross era and are eager to enter into a new realm of relevancy. Chicago hopes the former divisional foe will be the one to push them over the top and the powerhouse of the NL Central.
Managerial changes have occurred around the league since early October when the Angels didn’t bring back Phil Nevin after a disappointing season. The Mets got rid of Buck Showalter after not making playoffs to complement a $425 million shopping spree in the 2022 offseason. The Giants got rid of Gabe Kapler after yet another mediocre season in San Fransico, and two legends reached the end of the line. The legendary Dusty Baker finally hung up his Sketchers after the Houston Astros lost in the ALCS, and Terry ‘Tito’ Francona called it quits after managing for 26 years.
The rumors surrounding the managerial openings centered around Counsell, the man responsible for taking the mediocre Milwaukee Brewers to the top of the NL Central three of the seven years he was in charge. Counsell has been in charge of the Brewers since 2016. He brought them to the playoffs five times and finished with a losing record only once, despite their subpar rosters. He holds the most wins in franchise history for the Brewers. In just seven of the 55 years Milwaukee has hosted a franchise, Counsell sprinted to the top of the rankings and will hold the record for years to come.
The Giants were the first to fill their managerial void, bringing in the veteran Bob Melvin. Melvin began his managerial career over 20 years ago, starting with the Mariners before moving on to the Diamondbacks, Athletics, and most recently, the Padres. Melvin oversaw the incredible early 2010 Oakland Athletic teams that never amounted to anything but bad trades. Then he moved on to the San Diego Padres, who have one of the most incredible rosters ever assembled but couldn’t get them past the NLCS in the two years he was in charge. Now, he moves onto the third California team of his coaching career, hoping to turn the tides.
The Mets filled their role with a lowkey hire. Sources around the league believed Counsell would end up on the Mets, but Carlos Mendoza separated himself in the interview process and wound up with the job. Mendoza was never able to break into the majors as a player but spent 15 years within the Yankees system. He managed their minor league team in 2011 and spent the past four seasons as Aaron Boone’s bench coach and in the same role for Team Venezuela in the 2023 World Baseball Classic. Many thought Counsell would end up in Queens because the Mets had the highest payroll in baseball history last season, but instead, they stayed off the grid and hired Mendoza.
After being forced into the managerial hunt, the Guardians made quick work of their choices, bringing in first-time coach Steven Vogt. The two-time All-Star will travel to Cleveland to create a new home and attempt to fill the massive shoes left behind by Tito Francona. Vogt was never the best player on the field, but he was someone you needed on your team for leadership and morale. After retiring in 2022, Vogt knew his next goal was to be in charge of a major league baseball team. This clip was recorded just days after his final game in October ‘22, and it encapsulates everything I would want in a manager.
Four more teams are still searching for their new leader, and they better make quick work of the candidates because the race for Shohei is on, and every day, we take another step closer to see where he will wind up.
