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- Why Is Counsell an Upgrade?
Hey Tater Nation! Welcome to an edition of our guest writer series, where we bring in the heavy hitters to swing for the fences on the hottest topics in baseball. Today, we're diving into a question that's been buzzing around the ivy at Wrigley: Why is Craig Counsell a major-league upgrade over David "Old School" Ross for the Cubs? Our guest writer is stepping up to the plate to break down Ross's shortcomings and how Counsell's playbook from Milwaukee could be the game-changer the Cubs are desperately seeking.
Why Is Counsell an Upgrade?
Craig Counsell was brought into the Cubs to address certain specific failings of David "Manages like your Grandpa" Ross made. This article will focus on two things that Ross failed at, and how Counsell showed in Milwaukee to be the antithesis of this.
LINEUP CONSTRUCTION:
Ross failed in his lineup construction for much of the season. My main complaint was just how many at-bats he gave to veteran baseball players who really weren't good at all. Trey Mancini, Eric Hosmer, Tucker Barnhardt, and Patrick Wisdom had over 800 PA between all of them; this cost the Cubs production and possible development time for the Cubs youngsters. There's just no justifying having these guys making this many at-bats.
Another area I'm sure Jed Hoyer was concerned with was player development. Matt Mervis got screwed by Ross. He may not be good, but the fact that we don't know for sure at this point is solely Ross's fault. By not giving Mervis a shot to adjust, like a real shot with consistent playing time, we now have even more uncertainty at first base. Not playing PCA and Canario more down the stretch was a lesser yet still damaging decision, not to mention Christopher Morel starting in the minors.
The actual lineup was a concern as well. I feel like Rossy was loyal beyond a fault to his guys and didn't adjust his lineup as new data came in. Ian Happ's batting third was complained about all season; he's not a great hitter and was overmatched in this spot.
BULLPEN MANAGEMENT:
Counsell is not loyal to guys in certain roles. Ross would pitch poor Julien Merryweather in the 7th inning of every close game, regardless of fatigue concerns. You have to use your entire bullpen. Counsell has consistently churned out elite bullpens with non-elite arms and I imagine Jed anticipates more of this as the Cubs won't spend big on the bullpen.
The Cubs missed the playoffs very narrowly despite a solid run differential and an expected 90 wins based on this metric. Counsell is also the best manager OF ALL TIME in one-run games. If the Cubs can beef up their roster, this move could lead the Cubs into 90-win territory.
And there you have it, folks! Our guest slugger has taken a deep dive into the managerial shift from Ross to Counsell, laying out why this could be a grand slam move for the Cubs. It's clear that Counsell's fresh approach, especially in lineup construction and bullpen management, might just be what the Cubs need to turn those close losses into thrilling wins. As we dream of a 90-win season and a playoff berth, remember, in baseball, as in life, it's all about making the right calls at the right time. Here's to hoping Counsell's the man with the magic playbook! Stay tuned to 'The Daily Tater' for more off-season scoops and hot takes. Keep swinging, baseball fans!
In classic Daily Tater fashion, we’ll send you off with some home runs. Here’s every Cubs home run of the 2023 season.
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