The feather-ruffling move of Craig Counsell from the Milwaukee Brewers to the division rival Chicago Cubs last offseason didn't work out too well for the manager in the Windy City. The Cubs fell short of the postseason and, while Counsell largely handled himself well, it would be impossible for Cubs fans not to be hoping for more in the 2025 campaign and Counsell's sophomore season at the helm.
Unfortunately, the Cubs haven't gotten off to the most favorable start. As Chicago fell twice in as many games against the juggernaut Dodgers in the early-opening MLB Tokyo Series, it simply looked as if the club might be a step behind the real World Series contenders. Of course, there are still 160 games stateside to change the tenor of the season.
However, as Counsell and the team returned from Tokyo, it seems as if they're already setting up some excuses if this team continues to less than stellar start to the season.
Bob Nightengale of USA Today spoke with several Cubs players and Counsell, all of whom indicated that they're still struggling to adjust after the trip home from Tokyo with less than a week until Opening Day proper in the United States. While there's still time to get over the jet lag and rigors of that trip, though, it was some of Counsell's comments that struck a confusing chord.
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Craig Counsell already has excuses for Cubs after Tokyo Series
Though the Cubs manager acknowledged that it was a great experience for him and the team, Counsell also indicated that the trip took a toll on everyone, Shota Imanaga in particular, with a bit of an open-ended response regarding the pitcher's health thereafter and to get into the true start of the regular season.
"That trip was a lot for everybody, but for him in particular," Counsell said. "So we’re just going to give him a little extra time to recover fully."
Maybe I'm reading way too much into this, but this feels like a manager who knows that things aren't quite ideal with the Cubs right now and is loading up some excuses for an incoming slow start. That's not what I'm wishing, to be sure — baseball is a helluva lot more fun when the Cubs are good and relevant. However, the tone from Counsell and his team sounds a lot more like a team that appreciated the experience in Tokyo but might also have been giving a wake-up call.
The addition of Kyle Tucker this offseason, albeit coupled with the subtraction of Cody Bellinger, should put the Cubs in the thick of the NL Central. However, things have to click, especially with the team's pitching. That didn't happen in Tokyo, Imanaga is being held out a bit longer after the series, Steele was roughed up in Tokyo, and now there are questions.
Again, once Opening Day proper arrives, perhaps this sneaking feeling that Counsell may have excuses ready to make for the Cubs will subside. But in the immediate aftermath of their opening two-game set in Japan, this leaves some questionable vibes floating in the ether.