(670 The Score) Having left the small-market Brewers for the big-market Cubs, new Chicago manager Craig Counsell understands the spotlight on him has grown.
With that comes lofty expectations for him personally as well as his team. And to that end, he’s embracing it.
“I want expectations,” Counsell said on the Parkins & Spiegel Show last Friday from Cubs Convention. “Our players want expectations. That’s why we’re here. We should be held to those expectations. That’s part of this. That’s a great part of it. And you work hard, you work really hard to get expectations, and you want to be in an atmosphere that produces the pressure of expectations. We want that. And if you don’t want that, we’re in the wrong place.”
The Cubs are coming off an 83-79 campaign in 2023 in which they missed the playoffs by one game. President of baseball operations Jed Hoyer then stunningly fired David Ross to install Counsell as his new manager in early November.
Counsell has enjoyed the experience early in his Cubs tenure, explaining that his initial focus has been building a rapport with everyone in the organization.
“The intimidating part is just getting to learn the number of people,” Counsell said. “Look, I’ve told you managing people, you’re managing people. Establishing those relationships is a really important part of this job, letting them know you.”