2023 Card-vent Calendar: December 23

December 23, 2023:

2002 Upper Deck/Pepsi Arizona Diamondbacks World Champions #5 Craig Counsell

Lots of folks in my area were upset last month when Counsell signed on to be the manager of the Chicago Cubs.

Meh.

 

I don't have any problem with it.  The narrative here over the last few seasons has been that the Brewers have enjoyed the longest period of sustained success in their history.  In a way this is true, but what's always missing form this story is the emergence of expanded playoffs.  There are lots of teams making the playoffs at a greater rate than ever before, but that's because there are more playoff spots than there have ever been.  If we're talking playoff series victories, he has one.  One.

This is no big loss for the Brewers, and it's a significant overpay by the Cubs.  He will definitely not win the World Series with them.

Did fans in Milwaukee overreact?  Definitely.  But the vandalism to the Little League park with his name on it?  Still super funny because of word choice and brevity.

 

*That's a weird cropping out of the background on this card, innit?  Looks like a hand extended to the third base coach during a home run trot, but without the coach visible it's just goofy.