Exclusive: As the Chicago Cubs begin their inaugural spring training, Craig is mourning his mother.
Manager of the Chicago Cubs Craig Counsell said his mother farewell after telling her again how much he loved her. Craig’s mother, Jan Counsell, 81, departed from this life last Thursday in Milwaukee.
Now, here was Counsell on Wednesday, his first-ever Cubs uniform on, hoping that spring training would offer a release from his agony of the previous two weeks. Jan Counsell had been afflicted with dementia for the previous five years. However, her condition rapidly worsened after she fell in her Milwaukee home two weeks ago.
At the end, Counsell told USA TODAY Sports, “it was very peaceful.” “You observe how your parents lead a particular life. In an odd sense, it was a blessing. Certainly difficult for my dad, after 56 years of marriage.
“I was fortunate to have my parents alive for 80 years, man, but that’s just the stage of life.”
Counsell, 53, looks aside but knows he had to be here with his new team, so he’s not crying anymore. John, Counsell’s father, will be visiting Phoenix on Thursday, accompanied by his wife, Michelle. This weekend, their two boys, Brady and Jack, will also be in town to play baseball for their respective collegiate teams at Michigan and the University of Minnesota.
Counsell, who will be back in Milwaukee the weekend of February 24 for his mother’s memorial service, remarked, “It’s good to be back, it really is.” It was difficult. I was so busy taking care of her that I actually lost focus on my work for two weeks.
“I was prepared to genuinely consider an alternative approach, if it makes sense. “I’ll just say that I’m happy to be working.”
Counsell almost grew up in the Brewers organization; while living in Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin, as a child, he handled fan letters for future Hall of Famer Robin Yount. John, his father, directed the Brewers’ community relations division for ten years. After a 16-year career that included 700 games with the Brewers, Counsell retired as a player after winning two World Series. In 2012, he started working as general manager Doug Melvin’s special assistant in the Brewers front office. Upon taking over as manager in 2016, he achieved the record for most victories in franchise history and guided the Brewers to five playoff appearances in six years.
You were competing against Craig Counsell in addition to the Brewers. Cubs pitching coach Tommy Hottovy stated, “That’s what it felt like there for the last six, seven, eight years.” They excelled at many different tasks. They followed the proper procedures.”
When Counsell became available as a free agent on November 1st, the New York Mets and Cleveland Guardians joined the Brewers in a bidding war for his services. The Astros in Houston were also interested. However, the opportunity to oversee a legendary team with enormous resources while remaining at home, only ninety minutes from Wrigley Field door to door, paid him roughly twice as much as the Brewers were prepared to.
His thirty-year agent Barry Meister stated, “The only way for him to get paid for what he was worth was to get leverage.” And becoming a free agent was the only way to obtain leverage.”