Massive contract leaves new manager Craig Counsell no time to waste with Cubs
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It appears to be championship or bust for the Cubs in 2024.
After signing manager Craig Counsell away from the Brewers by giving him a monster $8 million per year contract, Chicago made its intentions known for next season.
The contract is the highest in MLB by a significant margin. Retired Guardians manager Terry Francona previously made the most money as a manager, $4.5 million annually.
Per NBC Sports Chicago, Counsell will be the highest-paid manager in MLB history, making more than former Yankees manager Joe Torre made after winning four World Series titles in five years from 1996-2000.
In nine years as Brewers manager, Counsell led Milwaukee to five playoff appearances and a winning record in its past six 162-game regular seasons.
It might be a tough pill for some Cubs fans to swallow, considering the move comes at the expense of local folk hero David Ross, who managed the team the past four seasons and was the team’s catcher during its World Series title run in 2016.
The Cubs finished 83-79 this season, their best record since 2019, but nosedived in September. Per Baseball Reference, Chicago had a 96.1 percent chance of reaching the postseason on Sept. 6 when it was 76-64. The Cubs went 7-15 over their final 22 games and missed the playoffs by one game, the NL’s final wild-card spot going to the eventual league champion Diamondbacks.
Chicago is banking on Counsell to get it back over the hump. The fan base will quickly turn on the hire if the Cubs struggle out of the gate next season.
The decision to move on from Ross for the more experienced Counsell also makes the Cubs the most intriguing team to watch during free agency.
Chicago has several talented young players. Per FanGraphs, it has the top farm system in the league. Developing that young talent will be essential for the Cubs, but it also wouldn’t be a surprise for the front office to add veterans with playoff experience to the mix.
Thanks to the Counsell’s market-resetting contract, the Cubs don’t have time to waste.
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