Craig Counsell began baseball’s offseason with a stunning decision, leaving the Brewers to become the Cubs’ new manager.
The assumption throughout MLB was that Counsell would join his former general manager David Stearns with the Mets. And no one even knew the Cubs were a possibility as David Ross was still their manager. But the opportunity for a new challenge that allowed Counsell to stay close to his Wisconsin home was appealing.
Getting a significant raise to become the highest-paid manager in baseball was also a very attractive reason for changing jobs. Most of the surprise over Counsell’s decision faded amid reports that the Cubs agreed to pay him $8 million per season. The record-high salary more than doubles what Counsell earned with Milwaukee.
Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY Sports
During this week’s GM meetings in Scottsdale, Ariz., Brewers general manager Matt Arnold was asked to describe his reaction to Counsell going to the Cubs. He echoed the reaction among baseball fans.
“Very shocked,” Arnold said, via ESPN’s Jesse Rogers. “We’ve been super supportive of him and his opportunity to assess the market. That was up to him.”
Arnold probably thought he had public sentiment on his side, especially from Brewers fans surprised that Counsell would move to an intra-division rival. However, there was little sympathy on social media for management expressing shock that an employee would leave for a much larger salary. Check out some of the responses:
Checks notes...
— AJ Williams (@PyratHouseAJ) November 9, 2023
Employer is shocked when they tell employee they can can go look for another opportunity and the employee finds it for more money than current employer was offering and they take the new job.
More at 11.
How dare he accept a league altering payday instead of staying in an organization that annually trades away top talent before they have to pay them.
— Sean LaCreta (@TypicalCat18) November 9, 2023
Fans should be mad at the GM not the guy who left. If you feel strongly about someone you don’t let them test the market to save a few bucks
— b (@peyton976) November 9, 2023
This is some top tier propaganda coming out of Brewers brass trying to paint this as 100% his decision as if they weren't only willing to pay him like a 3rd of what the Cubs were willing to pay
— yeyeyeye (@dunlapperBrut) November 9, 2023
They’re catering to perhaps the saltiest fan reaction in recent sports history. It’s as if CC defected to another country.
— Fab (@FabioBurgos7) November 9, 2023
Arnold and the Brewers reportedly offered Counsell a contract that made him the highest-paid manager in baseball. Perhaps they believed that seeking a change might compel him to leave, though likely not for the big-market grind of New York.
But then the Cubs came in with an unexpected offer that completely changed the pay scale for major-league managers. Judging from the reaction, few non-Brewers fans begrudge Counsell for taking a far bigger paycheck.
