Dream Chicago Cubs starting rotation featuring Craig Counsell’s Milwaukee ties

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.