Defend your eyes, Brewers fanatics.
Craig Counsell is now formally the chief of the Chicago Cubs.
The Cubs presented the previous Milwaukee supervisor as their very own Monday in a ceremonial information convention that featured president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer decorating Counsell together with his new equipment. It was once an afternoon of birthday party in Chicago and no doubt one among scorn in Brewers circles jilted by way of their former clubhouse chief leaving them for his or her opponents.
Monday was once a formality. It is been every week because the preliminary surprise of Counsell’s go out for Chicago set in in Milwaukee. However it is the first time Counsell’s publicly addressed his choice to depart the franchise he controlled for 9 seasons.
Counsell first confronted the overall media at his information convention, the place he spoke of turning the web page and embracing his new alternative in Chicago.
“It’s time to be a Cub,” Counsell informed journalists. “There may be momentum taking place right here, and it feels shut. And that suggests there’s a in reality thrilling long run forward folks, and now it’s my process to be a part of taking us to the following stage. And that’s the plan.”
In a while, he met with Milwaukee media who’d lined him for years. There, he informed journalists that he “underestimated” the sentiments surrounding his go out for Chicago.
“It was once 17 years,” Counsell mentioned. “I began to needless to say. It’s a very long time. It was once those who imply so much to you and can proceed to. However that dynamic has modified. I realize it all. I perceive the emotion.
“And I did. I underestimated the emotion of that every one. And that’s most certainly why it hits you so onerous.”
Counsell took over because the Brewers’ supervisor in 2015 and led them to the playoffs in 5 of the final six seasons. However he wasn’t simply Milwaukee’s supervisor.
He spent six seasons with the crew as a participant. After he retired in 2011, he took a front-office place with the Brewers. He hung out as a radio analyst calling Brewers video games. He was once intertwined with the franchise for the easier a part of twenty years. Then he up and left for a rival town in Chicago and and NL Central rival within the Cubs.
His dialog with Milwaukee media mirrored the strain of his go out and took at the tone of a breakup of longtime romantic dating.
“My time in Milwaukee running for the Brewers was once superb,” Counsell persevered. “The revel in that I believe we’ve all had there — I believe — has been beautiful darn just right. I’m grateful for that. Very very grateful for that. I’m hoping we will all be glad about that, in reality.
“It’s other now. I am getting it. I realize it. However I’m hoping we will all glance again on it and be very grateful for it.”
Counsell mustn’t be expecting Brewers fanatics to turn him thank you any time quickly. The Cubs will consult with the Brewers for the primary time subsequent season on Might 3. That shuttle to Milwaukee in a Cubs uniform might not be a time for birthday party, thank you or fond remembrance. Brewers fanatics will no doubt let him know the way they in reality really feel from the 41,900 seats at American Circle of relatives Box.
