SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — As quickly as experiences of Craig Counsell’s shock vacation spot circulated on-line, one Nationwide League government, unprompted, texted a reporter two exploding head emojis together with three letters: WTF. When requested to elaborate, the manager defined, “It’s lots to digest. I’m not certain what’s extra stunning — the place he landed or how a lot he received.”
Counsell turned the highest-paid supervisor in baseball on Monday, when phrase emerged that he’d be the following Cubs skipper. This was notably notable as a result of the membership already employed a supervisor in David Ross. Now Ross is out of a job and Counsell has a brand new five-year, $40 million deal, the tip results of an sudden growth that despatched shockwaves all through the trade.
Virtually nobody knew about Chicago’s secret courting of Counsell, who had been linked to a number of groups with managerial vacancies. The Athletic spoke to almost a dozen individuals across the recreation, granting anonymity as wanted in order that workers of different organizations might converse freely, with the intention to survey the ripple impact that Counsell’s choice might need on managerial jobs and baseball as an entire.
“About time managers receives a commission what they’re value,” one present big-league supervisor mentioned. “(Having) no coaches union has harm this a part of our recreation for years. Hate it for Rossy, however love what Craig did for the trade.”
A former supervisor instructed The Athletic that he had as soon as been in the identical place as Counsell: supplied a job that was at present occupied by another person. He declined it as a result of “it simply felt incorrect” and wonders why the “brotherhood” of managing appears to have passed by the wayside. This former supervisor mentioned he’s a fan of Counsell, although he doesn’t know him effectively, however identified that the brand new Cubs skipper hasn’t received a World Collection and thought the hysteria and bidding conflict surrounding him was a bit a lot.
“(Bruce) Bochy? Now if it was Bochy I’d perceive,” he mentioned of the reigning World Collection champion Texas Rangers supervisor.
When The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reported that Counsell would handle in 2024, however it could be for a staff with out a recognized opening, the Rangers have been a typical guess within the trade as his touchdown spot, with the idea that Bochy was retiring and that Counsell was his substitute. Then the remainder of the story got here tumbling out: Per Rosenthal, Counsell was headed to the North Aspect.
“I used to be a bit like ‘whoa.’ Not shocked as a result of there’s been managers which have made that a lot. However nonetheless, the best way it occurred,” mentioned Astros basic supervisor Dana Brown, who had curiosity in Counsell for the Astros’ open place resulting from Dusty Baker’s retirement. “It was fast. Sort of out of nowhere. However I’m completely satisfied for him. He’s been a lifer within the recreation and he’s completed some fantastic issues.”
Stated one other former skipper: “Craig Counsell is an elite supervisor. Have a look at his document in one-run video games. Have a look at his document in comparison with projections yr after yr. He deserves to be paid.”
Some within the recreation consider Counsell’s deal will assist drive up salaries for different skippers sooner or later: “a much bigger piece of the pie,” as one agent put it.
“The reality is, nobody will ever notice their most worth till or until you’re prepared to be a free agent,” Dodgers supervisor Dave Roberts mentioned. “That’s simply the actual fact of the matter. Counsell was prepared to try this. Gamers do it yearly. It shouldn’t be checked out as taboo for a supervisor to train his proper to develop into a free agent. I feel the trade has type of frowned upon that and I give Counsell a variety of credit score and respect for speaking via it along with his household and being prepared to try this.”
Others have been skeptical that it could make any significant change.
“Have a look at what the Mets simply paid (Carlos) Mendoza,” mentioned an American League exec of the Mets new skipper, who’s making $4.5 million complete for 3 years, a lot lower than Counsell. And, even when it’s finally a great factor for supervisor salaries, some questioned the ethics of the Cubs ready to dismiss Ross till Counsell had agreed to take the job.
“The rationale supervisor and coaches’ salaries don’t transfer a lot is as a result of somebody is at all times prepared to take your job,” a present member of a major-league teaching workers mentioned. “If I had fought for an additional 40K or one other yr they wouldn’t have renewed me as a coach. I don’t know the way a lot entrance workplaces actually worth (the contributions). I don’t suppose Counsell adjustments that a lot as a result of take a look at what the Mets simply did.
“I feel the one time it could actually change is that if individuals actually roll the cube and say, ‘I feel I’m value greater than that,’ and take the chance. However there’s at all times somebody prepared to take your job. We actually must unionize, however take a look at how lengthy it took the minor-league gamers to type a union. It’s nonetheless a tradition of ‘be glad you may have a job.’”
It’s the “managerial Starvation Video games,” a former supervisor joked earlier than mentioning some historical past. The scheme from Cubs president Jed Hoyer took a web page from former government Theo Epstein, who employed Joe Maddon to take Rick Renteria’s place after the 2014 season. (Renteria’s contract was terminated every week after Maddon opted out of his cope with the Tampa Bay Rays.)
“It’s of their playbook,” mentioned a former supervisor. “I’m glad Counsell got here out and mentioned the bar must be set greater for supervisor wage, however I’m unsure I’d have taken a job the place there was a supervisor already in place.”
Are the optics actually that unhealthy? Hoyer instructed reporters on the GM conferences his job is to win as many video games as attainable “within the brief time period and long run” and there was “nothing about this transfer” to get Counsell that didn’t meet that standards.
In that vein, Ross was only a casualty in an trade usually mercilessly searching for an edge.
“If you happen to take away the emotional side of it and take a look at it from a pure enterprise standpoint, it occurs in each firm,” mentioned one other present supervisor, who thinks Counsell’s deal shall be good for the opposite 29 groups. “Baseball is leisure, nevertheless it’s a enterprise and these transitions happen ceaselessly (in enterprise). In our trade, it’s checked out as taboo.”
The identical supervisor believes that the Cubs have been finally doing Ross a disservice by publicly saying he was their man — after which privately making an attempt to improve.
“If I’m in a company that doesn’t worth me I don’t wish to be there,” the supervisor mentioned. “To me, the intimacy of these relationships (between a entrance workplace and supervisor) are what we’re searching for. My bosses present that in making me really feel valued and grateful for the work I’m placing in.”
Even Counsell’s former boss was shocked.
“I didn’t see that coming,” mentioned Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns, who was with Counsell in Milwaukee. “Craig can play issues fairly near the vest. On this case, clearly he performed it very near the vest, as a result of none of us had any concept of the place this was headed.”
(High photograph of Craig Counsell as Brewers supervisor: Patrick McDermott / Getty Photos)
