| Craig Counsell | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Counsell at the 2015Winter Meetings | |
| Chicago Cubs – No. 11 | |
| Infielder /Manager | |
| Born: (1970-08-21)August 21, 1970 (age 55) South Bend, Indiana, U.S. | |
Batted: Left Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| September 17, 1995, for the Colorado Rockies | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| September 28, 2011, for the Milwaukee Brewers | |
| MLB statistics (through 2025 season) | |
| Batting average | .255 |
| Home runs | 42 |
| Runs batted in | 390 |
| Managerial record | 882–774 |
| Winning % | .533 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Managerial record at Baseball Reference | |
| Teams | |
| |
| Career highlights and awards | |
Craig John Counsell (born August 21, 1970) is an American former professionalbaseballinfielder and activemanager for theChicago Cubs ofMajor League Baseball (MLB). He was previously the manager for theMilwaukee Brewers and holds the Brewers’ franchise record for managerial wins.[1] He led the team to five post-season appearances, winning one playoff series. After joining the Cubs he led them to a playoff run in the2025 season.
Counsell was an infielder who played 16 seasons in MLB for five teams, and was known for his unique batting stance. He won the1997 World Series with theFlorida Marlins, batting in the tying run and scoring the winning run. He was named theNLCS Most Valuable Player in 2001, and was on-base for theArizona Diamondbacks when they subsequently wonthe World Series.
Counsell was born inSouth Bend, Indiana. He grew up inWhitefish Bay, Wisconsin, and attendedWhitefish Bay High School, where he played baseball. His father, John, worked for theMilwaukee Brewers as their director of the speakers bureau and community relations. Counsell attended theUniversity of Notre Dame, where he played for theNotre Dame Fighting Irish baseball team.[2][3] He was an infielder for the Irish, with a career batting average of .306, 204 runs, 166 RBI, 50 doubles and twice as many walks (166) as strikeouts (82), graduating in 1992.[4]
TheColorado Rockies selected Craig Counsell in the 11th round of the1992 MLB Draft. He made his MLB debut with the Rockies on September 17, 1995, appearing in only three games that season. In July 1997, the Rockies traded Counsell to theFlorida Marlins forrelief pitcherMark Hutton. Counsell quickly became the Marlins’ startingsecond baseman and played a pivotal role in their1997 World Series victory, a 4–3 series win over theCleveland Indians. InGame 7, he drove in the tying run with asacrifice fly in the bottom of the 9th inning and scored the winning run onÉdgar Rentería'swalk-offsingle in the bottom of the 11th inning.[5]
In June 1999, the Marlins traded Counsell to theLos Angeles Dodgers for aplayer to be named later (minor leaguer Ryan Moskau). The Dodgers released Counsell during 2000spring training, and he signed with theArizona Diamondbacks. His stay with the Diamondbacks lasted four years. Counsell batted 8-for-21 (.381) with 4runs batted in (RBIs) and 5 runs in the2001 National League Championship Series (NLCS), and won theNLCS Most Valuable Player Award.[6] He washit by a pitch byMariano Rivera to load the bases forLuis Gonzalez in the bottom of the 9th inning ofGame 7 of the2001 World Series, after which Gonzalez drove in the winning run for the Diamondbacks, a bloop single over the drawn-in infield.[7]
.jpg)
After the 2003 season, the Diamondbacks traded Counsell to theMilwaukee Brewers, withChris Capuano,Chad Moeller,Lyle Overbay,Jorge de la Rosa, andJunior Spivey, forRichie Sexson,Shane Nance, and a player to be named later (minor leaguer Noochie Varner). With the Brewers, Counsell started atshortstop in 2004. After one season with the Brewers, Counsell returned to the Diamondbacks as afree agent for two more seasons.[8]
Counsell returned to the Brewers as a free agent for 2007 and filled the role ofutility infielder. He recorded his 1,000th career hit on August 16, 2008, againstDerek Lowe of theLos Angeles Dodgers.[9] In 2011, he was the fourth-oldest player in the National League, and had the second-best career fielding percentage of all active second basemen (.991).[10][11] In 2009, Counsell gained more regular playing time due to injuries and inconsistent play from other Brewers players, and had a .285 batting average, along with 8 triples, finishing in the top 10 in the National League in the latter category.
In 2010, Counsell was chosen as the 13th-smartest athlete in sports bySporting News.[12]
From June 11 to August 3, 2011, Counsell tied the all-time record for consecutive at-bats without a base hit for a position player, going hitless over a streak of 45 at-bats as a bench player and spot starter. The record was set by notoriously poor hitterBill Bergen in 1909, and later tied by infielderDave Campbell in 1973. It had been reported Bergen's streak was 46 at bats; however, subsequent research definitively established that Bergen's streak stopped at 45, meaning that Counsell tied but did not break the record.[13] The record was broken only a few weeks after Counsell tied it, byEugenio Vélez of theLos Angeles Dodgers.[14]
For much of his career, Counsell had a distinctive batting stance, usually holding his bat high, with his arms fully extended above his head. As he reached the end of his career, Counsell lowered his bat more in his stance, though he would nearly have his back to the pitcher, to where the number on his back was almost completely visible to the pitcher. Counsell also didn't wear batting gloves for the majority of his career, with the exception of his rookie season and his final season.
By the SAFE: Spatial Aggregate Fielding Evaluation method of evaluating defense, Counsell was both the highest-rated second baseman and the highest-rated third baseman over the period from 2002 to 2008, with an average runs saved of 10.18 and 5.86, respectively.[15]
Primarily known as a second baseman, shortstop, and third baseman, Counsell also played four games at first base, with two games in2001 and two in2003 for the Diamondbacks. He even spent part of a game inleft field for the Brewers in2011, playing twoinnings without recording anytotal chances.
In early 2012, Counsell retired as a professional baseball player, and took a front office position with the Brewers. Counsell served as special assistant togeneral managerDoug Melvin.[16] In 2014, Counsell was named a part-timecolor analyst for Brewers radio broadcasts. He rotated withDarryl Hamilton andJerry Augustine to call games withJoe Block when primary announcerBob Uecker was absent.[17]
On May 4, 2015, Counsell was hired by the Brewers to become theirmanager afterRon Roenicke was fired the day before. He signed a three-year contract with the team.[18] The Brewers, going through a rebuild, went 61–76 and 73–89 under Counsell in his first two seasons as manager.[19]
In 2017, the team went on a surprising run, going 86–76. They finished 2nd in the NL Central, falling one win short of a wild card berth.[20] Counsell finished fourth in NL Manager of the Year voting.[21]
In their 2018 campaign, the Brewers went 96–67 under Counsell in the regular season and won theNL Central by defeating theChicago Cubs by a score of 3–1 in a tiebreaker game.[22] In 2018, he was successful on the lowest percentage of replay challenges than any other MLB manager with 10 or more challenges at 20.6%.[23] The Brewers advanced to theNational League Championship Series after a sweep of theColorado Rockies in theNational League Division Series. The Brewers won the first and sixth games of the 2018 National League Championship Series against theLos Angeles Dodgers atMiller Park in Milwaukee and the third game of the series atDodger Stadium inLos Angeles, before falling to the Dodgers in seven games. Counsell thus became only the second Brewers manager to lead the team to the postseason after managing a full season with the team. After the season ended, he finished 2nd in NL Manager of the Year voting, losing toAtlanta Braves managerBrian Snitker.[24]
On September 18, 2021, Counsell won his 500th game as a manager, a 6–4 Brewers victory over the Chicago Cubs. He finished 2nd in NL Manager of the Year voting, losing toSan Francisco Giants managerGabe Kapler, with one first place vote, 22 second place votes, and four third place votes.[25]
On June 15, 2022, with a win over theNew York Mets, Counsell passedPhil Garner (563) for most wins as a Brewers manager.[26]
On September 19, 2023, Counsell won his 700th game as a manager, a 7–3 Brewers victory over the St. Louis Cardinals.[27]
Counsell's contract with the Brewers expired on November 1, 2023.
On November 6, 2023, Counsell was hired as the manager of theChicago Cubs on a five-year contract worth over $40 million, making him the highest-paid manager in Major League Baseball history, both in annual average value and total value.[28] The move was described as a surprise by observers, who had expected Counsell to sign with theNew York Mets orCleveland Guardians if he did not remain with the Brewers.[28][29]
As a result of Counsell's unexpected move to the Cubs, the sign for Craig Counsell Park, located in his hometown ofWhitefish Bay, was vandalized.[30] The Whitefish Bay little league primarily plays in this park.
He was also greeted with a swarm of booing from fans upon his return to American Family Field in May 2024.[31]
The Cubs finished the2024 season with an 83–79 record, tied with their record from the year prior and ultimately missing the playoffs.[32]
| Team | Year | Regular season | Postseason | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Games | Won | Lost | Win % | Finish | Won | Lost | Win % | Result | ||
| MIL | 2015 | 137 | 61 | 76 | .445 | 4th in NL Central | – | – | – | – |
| MIL | 2016 | 162 | 73 | 89 | .451 | 4th in NL Central | – | – | – | – |
| MIL | 2017 | 162 | 86 | 76 | .531 | 2nd in NL Central | – | – | – | – |
| MIL | 2018 | 163 | 96 | 67 | .589 | 1st in NL Central | 6 | 4 | .600 | LostNLCS (LAD) |
| MIL | 2019 | 162 | 89 | 73 | .549 | 2nd in NL Central | 0 | 1 | .000 | LostNLWC (WAS) |
| MIL | 2020 | 60 | 29 | 31 | .483 | 4th in NL Central | 0 | 2 | .000 | LostNLWC (LAD) |
| MIL | 2021 | 162 | 95 | 67 | .586 | 1st in NL Central | 1 | 3 | .250 | LostNLDS (ATL) |
| MIL | 2022 | 162 | 86 | 76 | .531 | 2nd in NL Central | – | – | – | – |
| MIL | 2023 | 162 | 92 | 70 | .568 | 1st in NL Central | 0 | 2 | .000 | LostNLWC (ARI) |
| MIL total | 1,332 | 707 | 625 | .531 | 7 | 12 | .368 | |||
| CHC | 2024 | 162 | 83 | 79 | .512 | 3rd in NL Central | – | – | – | – |
| CHC | 2025 | 162 | 92 | 70 | .564 | 2nd in NL Central | 4 | 4 | .500 | LostNLDS (MIL) |
| CHC total | 324 | 175 | 149 | .540 | 4 | 4 | .500 | |||
| Total | 1,656 | 882 | 774 | .533 | 11 | 16 | .407 | |||
Counsell and his wife, Michelle, have four children together. The family resides inWhitefish Bay, Wisconsin.[33] Counsell's oldest son, Brady, played college baseball at the University of Kansas and was drafted with the 303rd pick in the 2025 MLB draft by the Arizona Diamondbacks. His younger son, Jack, was on Whitefish Bay High School's state championship baseball team in 2023[34] and played baseball at the University of Michigan but has since transferred to Northwestern.
· Baseball Almanac