It’s been one year since the Brewers and fans were shocked by the departure of Craig Counsell
One year ago today, breaking news shocked the Brewers organization and fans alike. Craig Counsell had decided to take over as manager of another team. While it was a possibility that many fans were preparing for, what shocked everyone was the destination. Counsell was signing with the Cubs, a team that already had an established manager. However, sensing a major opportunity, the Cubs made Counsell a record offer for a manager, and he took it.
This was a second blow to the organization after another loss just a few months prior. Even though fans saw it coming from a mile away, David Stearns had officially signed with the Mets to take over as their general manager and president of baseball operations. This one wasn’t as much of a shock. It had become obvious that Stearns was just waiting out his contract to jump ship. Matt Arnold had established himself as the general manager of the Brewers, with Stearns just an advisor now. The Mets’ job was a dream job for Stearns. It’s hard to fault him for that at all.
As the two changed organizations, they didn’t directly say anything bad about the Brewers. However, some of their feelings came out through their comments. The new teams provided better resources than the Brewers ever could. Ownership was holding them back from making the improvements that they felt were needed. Now, in new locations with much better resources, they saw it as an opportunity to get where the Brewers couldn’t take them.
Despite these changes, the Brewers’ organization had to keep moving forward. A week later, Arnold named Pat Murphy as their new manager. They also brought in another former player, Rickie Weeks, to serve as the new bench coach. There was optimism that the Brewers could maintain some continuity with these changes. However, doubts still remained. Was Murphy going to be a long-term manager, or was he a stop-gap in a potential rebuild?
These questions lingered as the Brewers worked through the offseason. Fans waited to see a big move or two, hoping for something to provide a big boost of excitement. However, the big move never came. The Brewers made some smaller signings, and a few trades to bolster the organization. The biggest move may have been the signing of Rhys Hoskins.
Then, February hit. At the start of the month, the Brewers traded Corbin Burnes to the Orioles. The return for him was good, but it felt like another hit in the offseason. A rebuilding year was looking more and more likely. The Brewers were going to play the young talent and see what happened.
What followed was a season that not many expected to see. The Brewers began the season with a sweep of the Mets. They went on to win 10 of their first 13 games. The last date that they didn’t hold at least a share of the division lead was April 29. From then on, the Brewers led the NL Central.
The young players showed growth as the season went on. Jackson Chourio worked through his early season struggles and became a force in the National League. Brice Turang bounced back from a rough 2023 and became one of the top defenders in the National League. Joey Ortiz came over from the Orioles and locked down the third base position. Tobias Myers came out of seemingly nowhere to become the team’s top pitcher. Those were just a few of the standout performances the Brewers got in 2024.
As the second offseason following Counsell’s departure gets underway, many of the same questions remain. The Brewers have holes to fill in the roster this offseason. Willy Adames is a free agent, and the chances of him re-signing are slim to none. The rotation still could use a boost, though the pieces are there for a potentially stronger rotation. We’re also seeing some early indications that more veterans could be on the trade block. Devin Williams is one of those names after his option was declined, though he’s still arbitration-controlled for one more season.
It’s another reminder that the Brewers don’t have the same resources as other teams. They won’t be able to make the big free-agent acquisitions that can fill the holes in the team. Maybe we will see one big signing, but we’ll have to hope it doesn’t backfire on the team. However, if there’s one thing that they’ve shown, it’s that you can’t count them out. Regardless of what happens, the Brewers will fight for a title again in 2025.