Craig Counsell has a compelling case for the best manager in Major League Baseball. In just his second full season at the helm for the Milwaukee Brewers in 2017, he piloted a team with no expectations to an 86-win season and had them in playoff contention until the second-to-last day of the season. After an active offseason where the franchise loudly declared that they were ready to compete, expectations were raised entering 2018. Counsell responded by leading the Menomonee Valley Nine to a team-record 96 victories, a game 163 victory over the Chicago Cubs to win the National League Central, and an NLDS sweep leading up to tonight’s National League Championship Series game one, which his squad will host at Miller Park.
More than just an outstanding manager, Craig Counsell was born a Brewer
