3 Chicago Cubs players who could thrive under Craig Counsell

3 Cubs who could thrive under Craig Counsell - 2. Ian Happ

Ian Happ's mind is a sponge in all things baseball. He has already acknowledged looking forward to picking Counsell's brain this coming season. Although openly fond of David Ross both on and off the field, this is an opportunity for Happ to understand the game through the eyes of one of the best managers in the game. Forever grateful to Ross for everyday playing time, which allowed Happ to prove himself and earn back-to-back Gold Glove awards; he can now further improve by being able to ask the right questions and trust he is getting sound advice.

Craig Counsell has a way of getting the very best of his players. Happ's skill is undeniable, and seeing how the Happer is utilized moving forward will be fun. If the Cubs continue to beef up the lineup by trading or via free agency, an interesting thing for Happ will be to see where he falls in the batting order. With elite on-base skills, Happ will have to keep his batting average up if he still wants to be featured in the top three, but having Counsell to lean on and further improve will only help him keep getting better.