5 Craig Counsell quotes that will have Cubs fans ready to run through a wall

On Monday, the Craig Counsell era officially began in Wrigleyville, as he was introduced as the 56th manager in franchise history in a press conference. As the offseason starts picking up steam, Chicago figures to be in the mix for a number of the top free agents and the trade market could be a major factor, as well.

But when you're paying a manager an amount the game has never seen before, at least on an annual basis, first impressions probably get a little more attention than they otherwise would. It was all eyes on Counsell Monday - and he didn't disappoint.

Craig Counsell is ready to win - and deliver on fans' new expectations

You walk into Wrigley today, the first day as a Cub and it already starts to mean something. You walk into the history. You walk into the energy. You walk into a place that you already know it demands your best.

The expectation, especially with the long-needed renovation of the iconic ballpark and all its facilities, not to mention the new complex in Arizona and the redevelopment of the Wrigleyville neighborhood, frankly, should be winning - period. Yes, the team improved on its 2022 record this year, but winning 83 games and missing the postseason cannot be considered a success for a major market team like the Cubs.

Counsell understands the task at hand: win. It's that simple. Expectations have changed a great deal in the last 7 years - and he is embracing both the end goal and the challenge right out of the gates.

Connecting with his players will be a top priority for Craig Counsell

I have to be prepared. That’s first. I have to have the courage to be myself. Because when you put yourself out here in these situations — you mess up, you have flaws, you’re not going to be perfect. That’s OK. And then I have to connect with people because that brings out the best in them. And I think that’s specifically with players to put them in a position to succeed.

Counsell knows who he is - both as a person and a manager. Given the connections many of his former players have with David Ross, the man he's replacing, he'll have to spend this offseason and next spring forging his own connections with them. It's a task he's more than up for, and he seems to have already wrapped his mind around it.

One of the biggest knocks on Ross centered around his daily lineup construction and, sometimes, his bullpen usage. Counsell has long excelled in both of those areas, but to put his fingerprints on the team, it'll take a lot of one-on-one conversations with his players about the roles he expects them to play in 2024.

Chicago, frankly, comes with a different level of scrutiny than Milwaukee, where Counsell spent the last seven years as the manager of the division rival Brewers. And, now as the game's highest-paid manager, expectations will be pushed even higher. Counsell seems unfazed by the pressure that will be placed upon him by the city and its fans, and that's a good place to start.

Craig Counsell's comments reminiscent of Joe Maddon at his peak

I'm sitting up here a little scared. I'm sitting up here a little uncomfortable. But that's how you get to a better place. That's how you push yourself.

Joe Maddon was as famous for his Maddonisms as he was for helping the Cubs franchise end a 108-year championship drought. That wasn't enough to save him in the end, but there were still plenty of pearls of wisdom he shared during his time here.

He constantly preached not letting the pressure exceed the pleasure - specifically pointing out the fact that scenarios with pressure and expectations means the ingredients are in place for something special to happen. Counsell's comment about being uncomfortable echoed that same sentiments, especially when paired with the state of the organization right now.

As a Wisconsin native, Counsell could have re-upped with the Brewers and stuck with what has become so intimately familiar in recent years. Instead, he not only jumped ship, but did so coming aboard Milwaukee's most hated NL Central foe. That takes guts.

The money helped get him here, but the Cubs manager isn't focused on it

I think I wanted the challenge of this. You know? All of this, right? And that was kind of like what I had my head on a little bit, is the challenge in a place like this. The salary is just kind of a byproduct of all that stuff.

The proud new recipient of a five-year, $40 million contract, Counsell is going to be hit with a level of expectations Ross never battled with during his time as Cubs manager. The rosters Jed Hoyer gave Ross were mere shells of what Counsell will likely work with - and the Cubs are demanding results.

Until we see the group that heads to Arizona in the spring with their new manager, it's hard to set realistic expectations for Counsell in year 1. But you don't go out and make someone the highest-paid manager in MLB history only to give him a pieced together roster that's a fringe contender. One way or another, we'll see major changes to the team in the months to come.

The Cubs dynasty that was supposed to materialize after 2016 never came to be - but now, Counsell has the opportunity to be the man at the helm when Chicago bursts back onto the scene in dramatic fashion. He wanted the challenge and we'll see soon enough if he's up for it.