While the World Series might be happening right now, the biggest topic of discussion in the world of Milwaukee Brewers baseball is where the heck is Craig Counsell going to be next season?
Rumors have been swirling around since before the season concluded as to where Counsell would be next season.
His contract with the Brewers is set to expire soon and he’s been of interest to the New York Mets and the Cleveland Guardians. Counsell reportedly met with the Guardians on Monday to discuss their managerial vacancy, however several MLB reporters are saying that the skipper has shown interest in the opportunity in New York.
Brewers offered Counsell a Contract Offer
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Last year, Craig Counsell was paid $3.50M from the Brewers, and the teams he’s interviewing with have been known to have paid their managers well. The Mets paid Buck Showalter $3.75M in 2023, and Terry Francona made $4.5M with the Guardians. There has been a lot of speculation that Counsell is trying to set a new standard on pay for baseball managers,
Based on this, Couns is due for a raise. Francona was paid what was believed to the highest managerial salary in 2023. Bob Melvin, who made the move from the Padres to the Giants, is set to make $4-million plus again next season. Money isn’t an issue for New York, finding a manager who can lead them to the playoffs like Counsell has with the Brew Crew is. Counsell might just be what the Mets need.
According to the New York Post, Counsell did receive a contract offer from the Brewers shortly after their postseason ended abruptly. There were no details provided in what the contract entailed, all we know is that one was offered. It doesn’t come as a surprise that Counsell is going to weigh all of his options before ultimately settling on one.
However, MLB analyst Jon Heyman went to social media today to say that Counsell’s interest in the Mets is real, and that he could be on the move soon.
Craig Counsell’s interest in the Mets is said to be real, and here’s three reasons why he might actually leave his hometown team
https://t.co/M9JXn39w1J— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) October 30, 2023
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Heyman outlined in his piece why he thinks one of the longest tenured managers might be ready to say goodbye to Milwaukee and try somewhere new. He also said that the Mets are a prime contender as David Stearns, former Brewers GM, worked alongside Counsell for years and is now the President of Baseball Operations for the Mets; So Counsell being a top candidate for Stearns wouldn’t be shocking to many.
While Counsell’s set to become a free agent on Wednesday, the Brewers gave permission to teams interested in interviewing their manager a week early, which would possibly allow Milwaukee to start looking for a replacement if necessary.
He hasn’t met with the Mets yet, but the meeting is expected to happen sometime soon.
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