Craig Counsell has more in common with David Ross than Cubs fans want to believe

Through roughly the first month of the 2024 MLB season, the Chicago Cubs have looked the part under new management. Skipper Craig Counsell would have the Cubs in the NL postseason if the season ended today, albeit as the No. 5 seed with a 17-10 record. Counsell came over from the division rival Milwaukee Brewers to take this team to heights David Ross could never seem to reach.

What might make Cubs fans cringe a little bit is that 17-10 mark through his first 27 games as the Chicago manager is exactly what Ross had through 27 games in his first season ever as a manager in 2020. It may be purely coincidental, but you have to look at the common thread here, which is the Cubs. They've been pretty good for a decade-plus, but outside of 2016, they have underachieved.

Where I think could be some cause for concern is Ross had the Cubs playing very hard in 2020 in the immediate aftermath of Joe Maddon's untimely departure. What I have noticed as a casual observer of the team, and as a former Wrigleyville resident, is these managers struggle to have staying power. Counsell's resume is and was greater than Ross' was as a first-time manager this time four years ago.

Then again, you have to wonder why Milwaukee let him go, a team Chicago is looking up at in-division.

Craig Counsell may have more in common with David Ross than expected

Both big-league skippers spent more than a decade playing across MLB with several different franchises. Admittedly, Counsell was the better player as a middle infielder than what Ross was as a glorified backup backstop. Interestingly enough, they both played on two different World Series championship rosters. Counsell did it with Florida and Arizona, as Ross was with Boston and Chicago.

Ross may be spending the year out of baseball, but I expect that he will be back managing or on a coaching staff at some point here soon. I get that the Cubs wanted to go with a complete outside hire after essentially promoting Maddon's former backup backstop from within. Given his lack of experience, I would say that Ross is deserving of another shot at getting to lead his own MLB team.

I would also argue that now is the time where Counsell needs to put it all together. He was a great manager in Milwaukee, helping the usually middling Brewers have staying power in a transitional period in the NL Central. He may have grown up a Brewers fan, but he also played his college baseball at relatively nearby Notre Dame. Counsell has the tools to be the guy Chicago has been hoping for.

All I know is if Counsell doesn't win big soon that Chicago will run him off like everyone before him.