Dec 5, 2023; Nashville, TN, USA; Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell answers questions at a press conference during the 2023 MLB Winter Meetings. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Schwab-USA TODAY Sports
The Milwaukee Brewers and Chicago Cubs will play their inaugural game at American Family Field on Memorial Day. These two teams met previously in the month, with the Cubs winning two of three games at Wrigley Field. This matchup tells the narrative of Craig Counsell’s first return to Milwaukee as an opposing manager.
Craig Counsell has his Chicago Cubs trending in the wrong direction prior to starting a four game series against the Milwaukee Brewers.
As of May 27, 2024 the Brewers and Cubs are the top two teams in the National League Central. Milwaukee has a 3.5 game lead as they have a 30-22 record. They came just shy of sweeping the Boston Red Sox and just finished 4-5 over a long nine game road trip. Chicago is just one game above .500 and their record has dropped to 27-26. They have lost their last four games and have won just three out of their last 10.
Some Chicago Cubs are questioning moves made by Craig Counsell.
After shockingly signing Craig Counsell to a five year, $40 million deal this off-season there was a lot of optimism from Cubs fans that receiving the best manager in the game would help lead them back to the post season. Mismanaged bullpens had been an issue for them in the past and Craig Counsell was supposed to be the solution to a lot of their previous woes under previous manager David Ross. In regard to the bullpen issues a lot of Counsell’s moves have backfired this year as per Jesse Rogers at ESPN they have lost seven games when leading in the eighth inning or later this year.
Craig Counsell speaks on facing the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field for the first time.
Patrick Mooney of the New York Times wrote a piece about Craig Counsell’s return to American Family Field. He cited Counsell as remarking concerning the scenario, “It’s probably going to be the same reaction it usually gets in that stadium.” There will be a lot of Cubs fans there. There will be a lot of Brewers supporters there. So there will be both good and bad. Counsell is true in this assertion, but fans on both sides may be supercharged because it is a 3:10 PM CT game on a holiday, and fans will have plenty of time to tailgate prior to entering the stadium.
