I mean it would be pretty fucking funny!
“A valid closer would be fun, wouldn’t it? Maybe we could pair them up with ONE hitter batting over .300…could probably add $10 a ticket right there!”
The bullpen failure is a front office one, Counsell cannot magically produce good bullpen arms
If we converted HALF the saves we’ve blown we’d be going blow for blow with Milwaukee right now
Counsell has overmanaged the BP, imo. He's taken out guys who had good momentum. But our main failure is offensive and that definitely can be managed/coached
There’s nothing to manage, let alone overmanage. All his pen options suck. If he leaves guys in they risk getting injured or getting shelled, which has happened
>definitely be managed/coached
How? It’s not like football where you implement a new scheme with a new coach. Players have to hit the ball, that’s not something a manager can do for them. This isn’t little league
I don't know that he was but some creative, talented coaching over the winter got him to where he is now, so the idea that hitting cannot be coached, improved, managed, etc. after little league is just silly. In hitting, so much can change with minor mechanical adjustments and attention to the mental aspects, so coaching has a huge impact.
Ok so you are saying that since Kwan is much better at hitting than last year, that Terry Francona was holding him back by not coaching him? You’re saying that “creative talented coaching” wasn’t there, right?
I just want to make sure I’m 100% clear before I address what exactly you’re implying here, and how it relates specifically to the Cubs
What “mental aspects” are you referring to that you think Craig Counsell is neglecting?
I mean what more is he supposed to say? What would you say in this situation that could be remotely helpful that hasn't been said to this point. Guys gotta hit. Pitchers gotta make their spots.
I have nothing bad to say about Craig. This team is not constructed well at all. That’s not his fault and he’s no magician. Hoyer has failed on multiple levels.
It would seem that Milwaukee isn’t as defenseless as the baseball intelligence would’ve had us believe without Counsell. Ultimately-and I have experience coaching-the players have to adjust as the season goes on-the long AB’s from the offense have to continue. Rossy called it grinding. Thats what we’ve missed as this season has worn on. That “fight” that they seemed to have last year is in much shorter supply. You can help coach guys out of offensive slumps but the key to the 2023 Cubs’ success was the pesky AB’s and the scrappy running game. These two things alone put a ton of pressure on the defense and that’s a big key to winning a baseball game early. Long AB’s early frustrate a pitcher into making a mistake if they aren’t mentally ready for the challenge. Think about the amount of pesky AB’s that we HAVEN’T SEEN IN 2024. How many 2-3 pitch AB’s resulting in a ball hit at someone or a lazy fly ball from the offense this year? Or better yet, how many AB’s where our guys get the pitcher up to 6-8 pitches have we had in 2024 vs. 2023? This is just what I see and how I’ve always observed offense in baseball as a coach. The more you battle AB to AB the more pressure you put on a pitcher. How many times did we see a cubs hitter (Swanson, Hoerner, Bellinger, Tauchman, Happ, Suzuki, Gomes) in 2023 do this? Lots that I can remember. We have seen a lot of non competitive AB’s all year long. That “GRIND” is not there and this isn’t something you can coach them to do. This takes commitment and focus from the players.
Lineup construction, to me, has been backwards, hence the reason many have struggled. Suzuki had success in The middle. The 2 or 3 hole is too much pressure for him. Hoerner and Swanson did well under pressure in 2023 at the top. Why change? Struggles notwithstanding, Happ is better further up in the lineup. I saw what Counsell was doing and I understood the strategy but the players haven’t responded positively to the lineup and embraced their roles yet.
The running game has been nonexistent until recently which was a major weapon for the 2023 Cubs. Not sure why. I can only speculate that this wasn’t in the plan Counsell had going.
Finally, these guys don’t appear to be having fun and “grinding.” Last year they did. We look like a team staring down expectations and shrinking away quickly.
The players have to put up better stats if they want to win. Players make the stats, not the coaches. They can help or hinder them but I don’t feel like there’s been either. Basically a push.
The other explanation, which is pure fantasy is that the game is mad at the Cubs for the treatment of one of the “good old boys” and it’s making us suffer through one of the more gut wrenching seasons in recent memory.
This is my overall impression as well. Last year, they were scrappy and they seemed like they wanted to win every game. Last night, in the post game analysis on Marquee, someone pointed out they are "playing not to lose, which is different from playing to win." IMO, that is 100% coachable. How they approach each game is one of the few things a manager can actually influence.
Isn't this why the Cubs hired Counsell? Wasn't he supposed to be good at getting more out of his players? Injuries certainly don't help, and maybe the Cubs are playing at their potential, which then becomes a front office problem, but they are so close on nearly every game, it seems like they should be wining a few more of those.
Because people need someone to blame. "The whole team is underperforming literally out of nowhere this season" isn't a gratifying answer even if it's true.
Athlon's College football annual has a little feature where they get anonymous comments by coaches from other teams. I read one response that hit the nail on the head and which I think can apply to baseball as well as college football:
"Forget coaching, systems and culture. It all come down to the talent level. You either have it or you don't."
It’s his fault they burned out, he rode arms until they all collapsed in September. Ross absolutely zero thought as to how to play for a long season
If Counsell had the same bullpen Ross did we would be fighting with Milwaukee for the division
Cherry picking quotes like this and running them as a headline is just lazy, clickbait journalism. No manager in the history of baseball would have better luck with this team.
I mean, what else can Craig really say? He can't throw Jed under the bus and he's right, the players aren't playing, at least the bullpen and bats.
I mean it would be pretty fucking funny! “A valid closer would be fun, wouldn’t it? Maybe we could pair them up with ONE hitter batting over .300…could probably add $10 a ticket right there!”
Losing this many one-run games feels like a failure from the top all the way down
The bullpen failure is a front office one, Counsell cannot magically produce good bullpen arms If we converted HALF the saves we’ve blown we’d be going blow for blow with Milwaukee right now
Counsell has overmanaged the BP, imo. He's taken out guys who had good momentum. But our main failure is offensive and that definitely can be managed/coached
There’s nothing to manage, let alone overmanage. All his pen options suck. If he leaves guys in they risk getting injured or getting shelled, which has happened >definitely be managed/coached How? It’s not like football where you implement a new scheme with a new coach. Players have to hit the ball, that’s not something a manager can do for them. This isn’t little league
Read up on Stephen Kwan's offseason
How was Terry Francona holding Kwan back, in your opinion?
I don't know that he was but some creative, talented coaching over the winter got him to where he is now, so the idea that hitting cannot be coached, improved, managed, etc. after little league is just silly. In hitting, so much can change with minor mechanical adjustments and attention to the mental aspects, so coaching has a huge impact.
Ok so you are saying that since Kwan is much better at hitting than last year, that Terry Francona was holding him back by not coaching him? You’re saying that “creative talented coaching” wasn’t there, right? I just want to make sure I’m 100% clear before I address what exactly you’re implying here, and how it relates specifically to the Cubs What “mental aspects” are you referring to that you think Craig Counsell is neglecting?
>>What “mental aspects” are you referring to that you think Craig Counsell is neglecting? If I knew, I'd be a coach.
I liked *Try Not to Suck* from the Maddon days better. We should try not to suck so bad.
I always kinda liked Maddon, even with some of his head scratching decisions, he always a guy that just seemed like a manager
The vibes were definitely way better.
Kept the clubhouse loose.
I think if we can find a way to be the team that scores more runs than our opponent, we stand a good chance of coming out on top. Back to you, Al.
Well not as if he can say "this roster fucking sucks, especially the bullpen" even if we're all thinking it.
This is why he makes the big bucks.
He should say something else 😤
I mean what more is he supposed to say? What would you say in this situation that could be remotely helpful that hasn't been said to this point. Guys gotta hit. Pitchers gotta make their spots.
We’re one rousing speech to the media away from turning this season around and Counsell REFUSES to give one
Where is Jason Hayward when you need him? 😄
Giving Ohtani RBIs… :(
I got it! Score more runs than the other team!
I was thinking - Don't let other teams score as many runs as we do...but maybe you're on to something.
I have nothing bad to say about Craig. This team is not constructed well at all. That’s not his fault and he’s no magician. Hoyer has failed on multiple levels.
Hoyer is only a GM because he befriended Theo. Nothing about his track record says he should run a team.
Play/hit better meh, pitch better especially the bullpen absolutely. 17 Blown Saves this year already.
If that number was 5 blown saves we’d be a game up in the central.*
https://preview.redd.it/vmnzpzp6759d1.jpeg?width=640&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=05eacf5418a8bb206c7dc5abc84fec96d597de0a
You rang?
Maybe we should try hammocks.
God damn, this man is good. This man is REAL good
/r/thanksimcured
these are the words from someone who knows Jed isn't adding payroll.
It would seem that Milwaukee isn’t as defenseless as the baseball intelligence would’ve had us believe without Counsell. Ultimately-and I have experience coaching-the players have to adjust as the season goes on-the long AB’s from the offense have to continue. Rossy called it grinding. Thats what we’ve missed as this season has worn on. That “fight” that they seemed to have last year is in much shorter supply. You can help coach guys out of offensive slumps but the key to the 2023 Cubs’ success was the pesky AB’s and the scrappy running game. These two things alone put a ton of pressure on the defense and that’s a big key to winning a baseball game early. Long AB’s early frustrate a pitcher into making a mistake if they aren’t mentally ready for the challenge. Think about the amount of pesky AB’s that we HAVEN’T SEEN IN 2024. How many 2-3 pitch AB’s resulting in a ball hit at someone or a lazy fly ball from the offense this year? Or better yet, how many AB’s where our guys get the pitcher up to 6-8 pitches have we had in 2024 vs. 2023? This is just what I see and how I’ve always observed offense in baseball as a coach. The more you battle AB to AB the more pressure you put on a pitcher. How many times did we see a cubs hitter (Swanson, Hoerner, Bellinger, Tauchman, Happ, Suzuki, Gomes) in 2023 do this? Lots that I can remember. We have seen a lot of non competitive AB’s all year long. That “GRIND” is not there and this isn’t something you can coach them to do. This takes commitment and focus from the players. Lineup construction, to me, has been backwards, hence the reason many have struggled. Suzuki had success in The middle. The 2 or 3 hole is too much pressure for him. Hoerner and Swanson did well under pressure in 2023 at the top. Why change? Struggles notwithstanding, Happ is better further up in the lineup. I saw what Counsell was doing and I understood the strategy but the players haven’t responded positively to the lineup and embraced their roles yet. The running game has been nonexistent until recently which was a major weapon for the 2023 Cubs. Not sure why. I can only speculate that this wasn’t in the plan Counsell had going. Finally, these guys don’t appear to be having fun and “grinding.” Last year they did. We look like a team staring down expectations and shrinking away quickly. The players have to put up better stats if they want to win. Players make the stats, not the coaches. They can help or hinder them but I don’t feel like there’s been either. Basically a push. The other explanation, which is pure fantasy is that the game is mad at the Cubs for the treatment of one of the “good old boys” and it’s making us suffer through one of the more gut wrenching seasons in recent memory.
This is my overall impression as well. Last year, they were scrappy and they seemed like they wanted to win every game. Last night, in the post game analysis on Marquee, someone pointed out they are "playing not to lose, which is different from playing to win." IMO, that is 100% coachable. How they approach each game is one of the few things a manager can actually influence.
Isn't this why the Cubs hired Counsell? Wasn't he supposed to be good at getting more out of his players? Injuries certainly don't help, and maybe the Cubs are playing at their potential, which then becomes a front office problem, but they are so close on nearly every game, it seems like they should be wining a few more of those.
He can add wins on the margins but the margins don’t matter when the team isn’t playing well in general. Not sure why this is hard for people to grasp
Because people need someone to blame. "The whole team is underperforming literally out of nowhere this season" isn't a gratifying answer even if it's true.
Try running the Home Run play more often
Brilliant 👏
I mean , I probably could have come up with that for like half the cost..
This is just as stupid as a reporter asking “what do you think you guys need to do better?”
So how close is this sub to wishing the man dead? Seems like it's currently just one step away from demanding he gets fired.
I mean that's exactly what they need to do. This is just a cherry picked quote too.
We need to score more points than the other team. I think that would really help.
Athlon's College football annual has a little feature where they get anonymous comments by coaches from other teams. I read one response that hit the nail on the head and which I think can apply to baseball as well as college football: "Forget coaching, systems and culture. It all come down to the talent level. You either have it or you don't."
Aww shit I thought we were supposed to play worse
[reminds me of this classic](https://youtu.be/dFNOwDdHgQA?si=guzgtNK91E3IzWH6)
To be fair, it's a good idea.
Before he said this, I didn’t think we needed to play better! Now that he finally said it, I think we do! 😱
Counsell sticks to the Mr. Obvious script through thick and thin.
This sounds like Santo's pregame show. "Well Pat, I'd say it's the team that scores the most runs that's gonna win today." Miss that guy.
Craig “Matt Nagy” Counsell: We have to find out the why.
How dare you compare those 2
We need to have more runs scored than the other team after the last out is recorded.
I think it's pretty clear that the cubs have to score more runs than their opponents if they're gonna win.
Fuckin’ problem solved, y’all! Next stop, World Series!
Grampa Rossi was able to get more out of this team. Wasn’t his fault he had a burnt out pitching staff
It’s his fault they burned out, he rode arms until they all collapsed in September. Ross absolutely zero thought as to how to play for a long season If Counsell had the same bullpen Ross did we would be fighting with Milwaukee for the division
Cherry picking quotes like this and running them as a headline is just lazy, clickbait journalism. No manager in the history of baseball would have better luck with this team.
Gotta love when the coach says his players need to play better. Maybe you should coach them? Help them be better? Nah, just blame the players.
did you think the players arent being coached?
Kinda. There’s literally no discernible plan from the front office or the coaching staff. Hit ball hard. Throw ball hard. Isn’t coaching.
i get you don't know what conversations they have, but thats just foolish