Exclusive: Craig Counsell mourns his mother as first spring training with Chicago Cubs begins

MESA, Ariz. — There were long embraces and hugs. Stories shared among the family the past two weeks. And tears. Lots and lots of tears. 

Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell once again told his mom how much he loved her, and then said good-bye. 

Jan Counsell, Craig’s mother, passed away last Thursday in Milwaukee at the age of 81. 

Now, here was Counsell on Wednesday, wearing a Cubs uniform for the first time, believing spring training will be a catharsis from his pain these past two weeks. 

Jan Counsell had been suffering dementia for the past five years, but two weeks ago fell in her Milwaukee home, and her health quickly deteriorated. 

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“It was very peaceful at the end," Counsell told USA TODAY Sports.  “You see your parents live a certain way. ... It was a blessing in a weird way. It’s hard on my dad for sure, 56 years of marriage. 

“It’s that stage of life, man, and I was lucky to have my parents alive for 80 years."

Counsell, 53, looks away, but has no tears left, knowing he needed to be here with his new team. Counsell’s wife, Michelle, is bringing his father, John, to Phoenix on Thursday. Their two sons, Brady and Jack, will be in town this weekend, too, playing for their collegiate baseball teams at the University of Minnesota and Michigan. 

“It’s good to be back, it really is," said Counsell, who will return to Milwaukee the weekend of Feb. 24 for his mother’s celebration of life. “It was tough. I really lost focus on the job for two weeks because I was taking care of her. 

“I was ready to actually think about something different, believe it or not, if that makes sense. 

“I’m just glad to be working, I’ll say that."

Counsell virtually grew up in the Brewers organization, sorting out Hall of Famer Robin Yount’s fan mail as a kid, living in Whitefish Bay, Wis., His dad, John, worked 10 years as director of the Brewers’ community relations department. Counsell won two World Series as a player and retired after a 16-year career, including 700 games with the Brewers. He took a job in the Brewers’ front office in 2012 as a special assistant to GM Doug Melvin. He became their manager in 2016, winning more games than any manager in franchise history, and leading the Brewers to five postseason berths in six years. 

The man constantly tormented the Cubs. 

You weren’t just playing the Brewers, you were going against Craig Counsell. 

“For the last six, seven, eight years," Cubs pitching coach Tommy Hottovy said, “that’s what it felt like there. They did a lot of things really well. They did things the right way."

Counsell hit the free agent market on Nov. 1, and a bidding war ensued, with the New York Mets and Cleveland Guardians each joining the Brewers in pursuit of him. The Houston Astros also had interest. But the chance to stay at home, just 90 minutes door-to-door from Wrigley Field, and manage an iconic franchise with huge resources, paying him about twice as much as the Brewers were willing to. 

“The only way for him to get paid for what he was worth," said Barry Meister, his agent of 30 years, “was to get leverage. And the only way to get leverage was to become a free agent."

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Well, tired of losing against their NL Central rivals, the Cubs decided to have Counsell join them. They aggressively pursued him as soon as he hit free agency, and signed him to a record five-year, $40 million contract, the largest given to a manager in baseball history – dismissing former manager David Ross. 

“I’m confident in the work I did there," Counsell said. “It just didn’t work out. It was time for something new. It’s all good."

The baseball world was stunned. 

And the Brewers fanbase was livid. 

Brewers owner Mark Attanasio didn’t bother to hide his frustration, and Brewers fans demonstrated their anger by vandalizing the sign for Craig Counsell Park in Whitefish Bay, spray-painting it with profanity. 

“The first week was not great, I’ll be honest with you," Counsell said. “But since then, everybody’s been super nice. I mean, I live there. 

“They make jokes saying, 'We’re not going to cheer for you,' but it’s nothing bad. 

“Really, I’ve had no bad experiences at all since then. I think as we get further away from it, we’ll be fine." 

Time will tell. 

The Brewers host the Cubs for the first time May 27-29 at American Family Field in Milwaukee. 

Until then, well, he’ll be trying everything possible to lead the Cubs to their first postseason victories since 2017, the last year they won the NL Central in a full season. 

The Cubs, who still would like to bring back Cody Bellinger or add another free agent, believe it will be different with Counsell – just like when they hired Joe Maddon before the 2015 season.

“He’s fearless," Meister said. “He won’t fail because of his lack of courage or confidence. He’s an animal." 

Certainly, no opposing manager knows the Cubs better than Counsell, whose Brewers teams went 46-34 against the Cubs after 2019 despite an inferior payroll. 

“I think his track record speaks for itself after what he’s been able to do the last several years," Cubs reliever Mark Leiter said, “and I think everybody in the room is really excited to be getting to work and having him at the helm. They played us really, really well. 

“I mean, our bullpen is pretty damn good, and the Brewers had our number. Maybe we can learn from him what they had on us." 

Certainly after managing more than 150 regular-season games against Chicago, Counsell may know the Cubs’ tendencies better than they know themselves. It’s enough to put a little damper on Counsell’s relationship with new Brewers manager Pat Murphy, his close friend, who would have been the Cubs’ bench coach if he hadn’t been promoted by Milwaukee. 

“It changes now," Murphy told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel last week. “We don't work for the same organization, and this is serious business. This isn't American Legion. So, the relationship takes on a little different role."

Said Counsell: “I understand. We talked about it. That’s how it is. We’re going to play each other. Our jobs are to beat each other. That’s the way it is. 

“It doesn’t change a 30-year relationship, but it changes a little bit during the season for sure." 

Counsell and the Cubs don’t have time to worry about hurt feelings. They’re trying to win a division, making themselves the king of the NL Central once again, with perhaps another World Series title in their future. 

It’s going to require focusing on the little things, like Counsell informing ace Justin Steele after seeing him at the Cubs convention that he’s better off having a beard instead of being clean-shaven. 

Guess who showed up to camp with a beard? 

“After I got married and had to clean everything up a little bit," Steele said, “it wasn’t quite what he was used to seeing across the dugout. So we met at Cubs Con and he was like, 'I don’t think I like the clean look. I think you need to look a little rough.'

“So, I told him that’s no problem. I don’t like haircuts and I don’t like shaving."

There will be plenty more laughter and jokes throughout spring training. The Cubs players say they look forward to picking Counsell’s brain, learning just what the Brewers had on them over the years. 

And, yes, they say, they’ll have his back when the Cubs play the Brewers in Milwaukee, knowing the former hometown hero is now Public Enemy No. 1. 

“We definitely want to turn the page, and I think he wants to do that"’ Cubs catcher Yan Gomez said. “He’s one of us now."

Counsell still loves bratwurst, cheese and beer just as much as any red-blooded Wisconsin native, but like it or not, he’s a Cubbie now. 

“It feels good, it really does," Counsell said. “I’m really enjoying myself. Making new relationships, and huge challenge in front of you. 

“That’s it for me, that’s why I’m here."

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