Craig Counsell left the Milwaukee Brewers for the Chicago Cubs, making enemies with the state of Wisconsin in the process. Will Counsell regret his decision? Only time will tell, though, if Chicago made the right call.
The Cubs dumped David Ross for Counsell, who seemed blindsided by the decision, given Jed Hoyer and the Chicago front office essentially backed the then-Cubbies manager despite his late-season collapse.
Ross wants to be a manager again, but in the meantime the Cubs are building around Counsell. Starting pitching is an area of need for this team, especially with Marcus Stroman likely headed elsewhere. Assuming the Cubs cannot sign Stroman, their dream rotation could feature multiple former Brewers that Counsell is familiar with.
Jameson Taillon will be in the Cubs rotation next year
Jameson Taillon's Cubs tenure has been filled with injuries, just like his Yankees career. Unfortunately, Taillon struggles to say healthy, However, in a perfect rotation he'll be the No. 5 starter, ideally with a lot of depth behind him in case Taillon goes down. Anthony Rizzo helped guide Taillon to Chicago in the first place, and given they do not trade him away, he'll be a solid No. 4 or No. 5 starter.
"I did research and talked to a guy like Rizzo," Taillon said at the time. "He said he was at a wedding last offseason and [David Ross] was there and there were a bunch of guys there. I bumped into Rizzo in New York in the offseason and he was just like, 'they really want you. Here's why you're gonna love playing there.'"
Taillon has been a solid pickup, though perhaps underplaying his current contract. Still, as a No. 5 option, he's exactly what Chicago should be looking for.
Kyle Hendricks shouldn't go anywhere, but the Cubs can't rely on him
The Cubs picked up Kyle Hendricks option this offseason, meaning the longtime Chicago pitcher will stay in the Windy City for another season. Hendricks is solid enough, especially as a No. 4 starter. Jed Hoyer and the front office prefer Hendricks over another mid-rotation starter.
"He's been one of my favorite Cubs players to be around since we got here," Hoyer said. "It's hard to imagine a better teammate. He redefines low-maintenance. He just does whatever the team needs, and it's just a joy to have him around."
Hoyer's 2022 season ended early, but the Cubs were impressed with how he came back from injury. In 2023, Chicago received plenty of production out of Hendricks.
"Truly, I didn't have a great sense of what we were going to get out of him," Hoyer said. "He was confident going into Spring Training and throughout the winter that he was going to get back and be the old Kyle Hendricks, and he did. It was really impressive to watch."
Hendricks has done more than enough to prove himself a mid-rotation starter.
Cubs should sign Wade Miley in free agency
Wade Miley declined his mutual option in Milwaukee, and for good reason. He will receive more money elsewhere, and Chicago ought to pull the trigger. Miley is a solid veteran who pitched to a sub-3.50 ERA last season. It's tough to find that sort of production from a veteran starter, especially one who has connections to your manager. Because the Cubs stole Counsell from the division rival Brewers, they are in a good spot.
Miley has also pitched for the Cubs previously, and considered retirement this offseason. On a short-term deal, he makes sense if he considers Counsell an elite manager.
"I wanted to get my shoulder healthy. I did a little program right after the season was over and it didn't feel good at all. I did it for four weeks and it was awful. That's when I went into – I wouldn't call it depressed mode, but I was like it's not worth it. At that moment, I was like, 'I think we're done.' Me and my wife talked, and I said, 'I think this might be it,'" Miley said.
If the Cubs are able to sign Miley on a one or two year deal, it's worth the risk.
Justin Steele should be a No. 2 starter in Chicago
Justin Steele loves pitching in big games, but he's still developing as a starter. Perhaps eventually he will be a No. 1 starter in Chicago. For now, though, he's a solid No. 2 on a team that should contend for an NL Central title next season. The Cubs do not hide from Steele's talent, despite the late-season collapse.
"It's rare in this game to see a guy simplify," Cubs pitching coach Tommy Hottovy said. "It's so refreshing to see a young guy go that way. So many guys come up and think, 'I have to add a cutter, I have to add another pitch.' He's gone the other way."
It's unclear if Counsell will keep much of the same coaching staff, but he should take note of what the Cubs say of Steele before urging Chicago to upgrade their pitching staff. Steele is a large part of the Cubs future, and it's safe to assume that this organization would like to build from within.
"That's what it's all about," Steele told ESPN recently. "I love pitching in big games. Give me the ball."
Hopefully under Counsell, Steele will get that chance.
Corbin Burnes can be the ace the Cubs need
Corbin Burnes is a top trade asset for the Milwaukee Brewers this offseason. Even if Counsell had stayed in Milwaukee, there's a good chance he'd be available in trade chatter. The Brewers front office was always unlikely to sign Burnes long term, as noted by FanSided MLB Insider Robert Murray last offseason.
"Going to an arbitration hearing, and ripping the best young pitcher in baseball to his face, over less than $750,000 is not worth it. Sure, it saved the Brewers money now. It saved them money in the future, too," Murray noted last February.
Heck, Burnes even noted the frustration himself, stating that the Brewers betrayed his trust in so many words.
"There's no denying that the relationship was definitely hurt from what (transpired) over the last couple weeks. There's really no way to get around that," Burnes said. "When some of the things that are said … they basically put me in the forefront of the reason why we didn't make the postseason last year. That's something that probably didn't need to be said."
While a Brewers trade with the Cubs seems unlikely, it should be noted thst GM Matt Arnold will deal Burnes to the highest bidder. If Chicago makes the right offer, he'd be a perfect ace under Counsell, who has managed him previously.
