The Chicago Cubs are just a day away from getting their second shot at Opening Day, this time with a road series against the Arizona Diamondbacks after getting largely dominated by the Los Angeles Dodgers in Japan.
Though the Cubs record may say 0-2, the season has not truly started yet and they should use this opportunity to reset and get ready for what will be a long gauntlet of a year, hopefully off to a better beginning this time around.
Expectations were high for Chicago entering last season after they made Craig Counsell the highest paid manager in the history of baseball and in the process stole him away from their hated rival Milwaukee Brewers.
One year later however, Counsell posted the same 83-79 record as the 2023 season and the Brewers once again won the National League Central even without Counsell.
Now entering the 2025 campaign, those expectations despite a lack of results to this point are even higher, something fans have every right to do.
After all, not only is it Counsell's second year on the job, but the Cubs also improved the roster with a trade for Kyle Tucker which in the process may have sent away a future superstar for just one season of Tucker.
Though the pitching depth was not addressed as much as some fans would have liked - for which you can blame president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer - Chicago should still have what is a very solid Major League staff.
Hoyer is seen as the one on the hot seat with his contract set to expire after the season, and if the Tucker trade does not pan out it will likely mark the end of his tenure.
However, should Counsell possibly have a target on his back as well?
Undeniably last year's team was an underachievement, but putting that in the rearview, a similar record and failure this season would be significantly more than just an underachievement; it would be a cataclysmic failure.
Sure, injuries happen and situations that become out of a manager's control, though with the roster Counsell has had assembled for him, not at least even making the playoffs would be at least partially the result of a complete botch job on his part.
Granted, Counsell is under contract for three more seasons after this year and the only thing the Cubs hate more than paying for production is paying for someone not to be here anymore. Counsell being fired would obviously spell quite the shock based on where the team is currently at.
With that being said, if the team falls flat on its face once again, there is a strong case to be made that Counsell is not capable of getting the most out of his group, because this team is absolutely equipped to do some very special things this year.
The spotlight is rightfully on Hoyer, but if things start to go south on the Northside, then changes will be made and more than just Hoyer's head will deserve to roll.
