Things didn't go the way anyone wanted them to for the Chicago Cubs in the first season of the Craig Counsell era after giving the former Brewers skipper the largest contract for a manager in the history of baseball last offseason.
The Cubs finished the season with the exact same record in 2024 as they did in 2023 at 83-79, six games out of the Wild Card and still ten games behind Counsell's old team in Milwaukee. While the results of the season were not what anyone wanted them to be, the decision makers in Chicago have not had their faith in Counsell waiver at all.
Cubs general manager Jed Hoyer spoke to the media this week in his season-ending press conference and expressed nothing but supreme confidence in the direction of the franchise under Counsell's leadership and the fact that the team has the right man for the job.
"I couldn't be happier that he's a Cub," Hoyer said of Counsell. "He's a great manager, a brilliant baseball mind, I think all of us learn from him on a daily basis. We signed him to a 5-year deal, not a 1-year deal. I think his impact on the organization, his impact on all of us, myself included, will continue to grow. I'm just as glad he's here as the day we signed him and he's gonna have a huge impact on the Cubs going forward for sure."
As the team prepares to navigate the offseason, they must act as if they are in win now mode. The Cubs are right on the cusp of being a legitimate playoff team but of course, like many others, will need to re-tool and be willing to spend in order to make that happen. Chicago has a solid situation pitching wise and was top-10 in the league in terms of team ERA, but the lineup desperately needs a power bat added to it.
Whether it be Pete Alonso of the Mets or someone else, team brass must be willing to open up the checkbooks and put finishing touches on what is already a very solid roster. With the confidence of his bosses and the ones who make financial decisions, perhaps Counsell can do some convincing by telling them directly what he thinks he needs in order to make the Cubs more competitive in 2025.
