Craig Counsell signing the largest contract in MLB history for a manager wasn't just a gigantic move for Jed Hoyer and the Chicago Cubs, it was an enormous loss for the Milwaukee Brewers. The Cubs didn't only hire the best manager in baseball, they took him away from their division rivals and Brewers fans are not handling it well...at all. Brewers fans are in shambles.
And if you've read even a little bit of the aftermath, you can probably understand the anger. SI's Tom Verducci reported that Counsell, "always wanted to end up with the Cubs."
Via Sports Illustrated.
As the Cubs did their homework, knowing Counsell chose to play this year out rather than sign an extension with Milwaukee, they were told by one of Counsell’s friends, “If he ever managed anywhere else, the Cubs have always been his dream job.”
Hoyer reportedly had a few meetings with Counsell that very few people in the Cubs organization even knew about and by Sunday the Cubs had a deal done with the ex-Brewers manager, who grew up in Wisconsin.
Counsell's five-year contract worth at least $40 million blew away what the New York Mets offered and it seems like he had no interest in giving the Brewers a chance to match Chicago's offer...not that anyone would expect that they would.
So yeah, Counsell, it seems, was waiting until the Cubs gave him a call after his contract officially expired with the Brewers after Oct. 31.
And well, Brewers fans have been in shambles ever since Ken Rosenthal reported that the Cubs hired Counsell on Monday.
Here's the live reaction of the news from The Bart Winkler Show.
ESPN Milwaukee is ready for a Civil War over Counsell.
But this part really is sad. As I mentioned earlier, Counsell grew up in Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin, and after he signed with the Cubs someone vandalized the sign outside of Craig Counsell Park, which is the home to the village's Little League teams. The park was renamed after Counsell in 2012, when he had retired from baseball that ended with five seasons with the Brewers.
But even in their act of anger, Brewers fans are dorks. The spray paint read, "ASS."
Meanwhile, other fans are on the verge of tears.
This take is one I actually think more Brewers fans should get behind. Don't get pissed at Counsell, turn that anger toward ownership.
Anyway, if you're thirsty, here are more Brewers fans tears.
Tune into the Pinwheels And Ivy Podcast for more on Counsell to the Cubs.
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