Even in victory Cubs fans question Craig Counsell’s decision-making
By Mark Powell
The Chicago Cubs defeated the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday night, and are now just two games under .500 for the season. Chicago was off to a hot start in 2024 in their first year under new manager Craig Counsell, but have since fallen back down to earth. Ironically enough, it is Counsell's former team, the Milwaukee Brewers, which hold a seven-game lead over Chicago and the Cincinnati Reds as of this writing.
Counsell's first season is far from a failure, but does showcase how flawed this Cubs team really is. Even with savvy additions like Shota Imanaga and the return of Cody Bellinger, there is much to be fixed if Chicago's front office prefers to consider itself a contender.
That improvement should start in the bullpen, where Counsell is left with a bevy of lackluster options, any number of which will spur a fan riot the minute the skipper picks them to pitch in a late-inning situation.
Craig Counsell keeps rolling the dice with Cubs reliever Hector Neris
Look no further than Hector Neris, who Chicago acquired this winter in the hopes he might be an answer in the ninth.
Rather, Neris has been anything but that, especially of late. The former Astros right-hander has an ERA over four and a 1.636 WHIP. The man lives with runners on the basepaths, and while he has the stuff to escape that type of risky business, it's not a pleasant experience for Cubs fans.
Counsell rode the Neris experience again on Wednesday night, just one game after he blew a save and gave up four runs against the Tampa Bay Rays. Neris allowed three baserunners again on Wednesday -- two base hits and a walk -- before finally closing the door. Fans weren't pleased.
Craig Counsell when he sends out Hector Neris again to close a game: pic.twitter.com/ZkWKmWOzi9
— Matt Eurich (@MattEurich) June 13, 2024
$40 million for Craig Counsell to continually trot out Hector Neris—the worst pitcher in baseball history at any level, even little league—in the 9th inning
— Scott Polacek (@ScottPolacek) June 13, 2024
Counsell’s only reasoning for running Neris out there still is that he’s still a Brewers fan
— Matt Lindner (@mattlindner) June 13, 2024
Craig Counsell continues to send Hector Neris out to close games. His WHIP is 1.64… 1.64!! More traffic on the bases than I-90. pic.twitter.com/vdlqWIgwy0
— PastWatchfulDragons (@JKohmJr) June 13, 2024
No, Counsell is not an undercover Brewers fan these days. As much as Cubs fans may hate to admit it, the best version of their bullpen is one in which Neris -- a much-anticipated offseason addition with electric stuff -- pitches to the best of his ability. If he is struggling in June, so be it, as long as the Cubs reliever can turn around his season by August and September.
Very rarely is any closer a smooth ride over a 162-game season. There are bound to be bumps in the road, and these days many of Neris's bumps are self-induced.
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