{"id":83512,"date":"2025-08-20T10:59:08","date_gmt":"2025-08-20T10:59:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/83512\/"},"modified":"2025-08-20T10:59:08","modified_gmt":"2025-08-20T10:59:08","slug":"fact-checking-craig-counsells-burger-comments-plus-mlb-realignment-projections","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/83512\/","title":{"rendered":"Fact-checking Craig Counsell\u2019s burger comments. Plus: MLB realignment projections"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Windup Newsletter \u26be | This is The Athletic\u2019s MLB<\/a> newsletter. Sign up here<\/a> to receive The Windup directly in your inbox.<\/p>\n

Today\u2019s lesson: Any good burger promotion involves at least a little beef.<\/p>\n

Plus: We\u2019re talking about expansion (and realignment) again, the Blue Jays and Pirates got messy in Pittsburgh, and Ken has a Q&A with Cardinals manager Oli Marmol. I\u2019m Levi Weaver, here with Ken Rosenthal \u2014\u00a0welcome to The Windup!<\/p>\n

Fact Check: Craig Counsell and the hamburger receipts<\/p>\n

Things are bad enough on the North Side of Chicago right now. Kyle Tucker has been\u00a0benched for a mental reset<\/a>, Andrew Vaughn is hitting like the second coming of Prince Fielder for the Brewers and the Cubs trail Milwaukee\u00a0by nine games<\/a>.<\/p>\n

And now, manager Craig Counsell has to throw shade, only to have it bounce off the impenetrable shield of the internet and land right back in his own lap.<\/p>\n

Remember Stephen Nesbitt\u2019s story\u00a0about the free hamburgers<\/a>? George Webb, a regional burger joint, has a long-standing promotion: Brewers win 12 games in a row? Free hamburgers for everyone.<\/p>\n

According to\u00a0this story by Emmett Prosser<\/a>\u00a0of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Counsell \u2014\u00a0who grew up in\u00a0 Whitefish Bay, Wis., played for the Brewers from 2007-2011 and managed them from 2015-2023 \u2014 was a bit icy about the promo.<\/p>\n

\u201c(D)espite growing up in the Milwaukee area, Counsell apparently wasn\u2019t in line for burgers at George Webb in 1987. And he apparently didn\u2019t notice anybody going in to get a voucher for a slider when his team won 12 straight games in September and October of 2018.<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2018Honestly, I\u2019ve never seen a George Webb,\u2019 Counsell said, saying he preferred Kopps.\u201d<\/p>\n

One problem. The internet exists.<\/p>\n

From Adam McCalvy\u2019s story<\/a>\u00a0in 2018:<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2018Who knew that we would make it this far,\u2019 Brewers manager Craig Counsell said, \u2018and the biggest piece of stress going into this game would be George Webb\u2019s hamburgers?\u2019<\/p>\n

Counsell knows the promotion well. His dad worked in the Brewers\u2019 front office during the 1980s, and Counsell was in the stands for the Brewers\u2019 famous Easter Sunday comeback in \u201987, which gave them 12 straight victories to begin the season, and sealed free hamburgers for the (populace).<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2018I remember the concept of free hamburgers going back so long, it\u2019s hard to believe that it\u2019s never happened since then,\u2019 Counsell said. \u2018I guess it\u2019s a pretty good streak. But it\u2019s something for everybody to talk about for sure, and I mean, free hamburgers is free hamburgers. I know you all will be there.’\u201d<\/p>\n

Craig. Buddy. \ud83e\udd26<\/p>\n

Ken\u2019s Notebook: Q&A with Cards\u2019 Marmol on his job status\u00a0<\/p>\n

Perhaps no manager began the season in as uncomfortable a position as St. Louis\u2019 Oli Marmol.<\/p>\n

The Cardinals were in transition. On the field, they were taking a step back competitively to evaluate young players. Off the field, president of baseball operations John Mozeliak was in his last season before being replaced by Chaim Bloom.<\/p>\n

Marmol, hired by Mozeliak in October 2021, is under contract through 2026, but hardly appeared secure. Not with the Cardinals missing the playoffs the past two seasons. Not with Bloom potentially wanting to hire his own manager. And not with two Cardinals legends, potential Hall of Famers Albert Pujols and Yadier Molina, being rather open about their desires to manage.<\/p>\n

Yet Marmol, who remains baseball\u2019s youngest manager at 39, seems to have only solidified his standing.<\/p>\n

In an interview Friday at Busch Stadium, Marmol spoke candidly on a variety of topics, from his job security to his relationship with Pujols and Molina to his efforts to improve his communication with his current players.<\/p>\n

How do you view your status?
I know people say this. And it sounds cliched. That\u2019s why I have a hard time even articulating it.<\/p>\n

Dude, I don\u2019t worry about it. I never have. And I hope I never do. I\u2019m 39. I\u2019ve been managing for four years. I have everything I need. I don\u2019t ever worry about my status. I know what I\u2019m good at. I know what I\u2019m not good at. And I\u2019m comfortable with it.<\/p>\n

I didn\u2019t go into this with a goal of, \u201cMan, I want to manage by this age.\u201d I\u2019ve always just had my head down, brought value to the people I\u2019m around, love all the people I\u2019m around. And things tend to work out. I know it sounds cliched, but I don\u2019t care. I don\u2019t. When people talk about, oh, the hot seat, I (don\u2019t) give two sh\u2013s. I really mean that. And people who are around me enough come to realize that\u2019s as genuine as I can put it.<\/p>\n

Read the rest of the Q&A here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Maps: Manfred mentions expansion \u2026 again<\/p>\n

It feels a little reactive to mention it every time the commissioner uses the word \u201cexpansion\u201d \u2014 he\u2019s been saying it for a while now.\u00a0But the caveat has been consistent: Once the A\u2019s and Rays get their stadium situations sorted,\u00a0then\u00a0we can focus on adding two more teams and realigning the divisions.<\/p>\n

Those aren\u2019t exactly \u201csorted\u201d yet, but the A\u2019s seem to be on a path to a new stadium in Las Vegas, and the Rays are expected to be officially sold by next month \u2014 with a plan to keep the team in Tampa with a new stadium, after a hurricane destroyed Tropicana Field\u2019s roof.<\/p>\n

We\u2019re close enough that\u00a0Manfred spoke again on the topic<\/a> Sunday night as part of ESPN\u2019s broadcast of the Little League Classic in Williamsburg, Pa.<\/p>\n

Today, Stephen Nesbitt takes a shot at arranging the\u00a0least-disruptive realignment plan<\/a>. Here\u2019s a sneak peek:<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The plan allows for a little wiggle room on the expansion teams: Salt Lake or Portland works for the AL, while Nashville or Raleigh would fit in equally as well with the NL proposal.<\/p>\n

More MLB business: The league is, in Manfred\u2019s words, \u201cthriving,\u201d bringing in $12 billion in revenue last year. So why are MLB employees\u2019 health care costs\u00a0jumping by around nine percent<\/a>?<\/p>\n

Storylines: Blue Jays-Pirates gets heated<\/p>\n

The Blue Jays entered yesterday with a 5 1\/2-game lead in the AL East and a chance to increase it, with series against the Pirates, Marlins and Twins all in a row. But that stretch began with\u00a0a \u201cmessy\u201d 5-2 loss<\/a>\u00a0in Pittsburgh last night that featured a few interesting storylines.<\/p>\n

Paul Skenes emerged with the (slightly) better night in the battle of LSU alumni who were first-round picks. Skenes went six innings, allowing two runs on five hits and striking out eight. Kevin Gausman also allowed just two runs on five hits, but did so over five innings, striking out four before the Pirates tacked on three runs later on.
\nIn the seventh inning, Tommy Pham took a walk, flipped his bat at home plate and got a few steps up the first base line before\u00a0turning around, taking offense<\/a>\u00a0at something Jays catcher Tyler Heineman said. Heineman appeared to be saying, \u201cI\u2019m not talking to you.\u201d After the game, Pham \u2014 never one to mince words \u2014 had\u00a0thoughts on Heineman<\/a>\u00a0and (bizarrely) Addison Barger<\/a>. Jays manager John Schneider\u00a0had thoughts as well<\/a>.
\nMore concerning: After doing the splits to make a play earlier in the game, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was pinch hit for. The team later announced that he had been removed with\u00a0left hamstring tightness<\/a>. We\u2019ll keep you posted on further developments.
\nHandshakes and High Fives<\/p>\n

An update on the blood clot in Zack Wheeler\u2019s shoulder: The Phillies pitcher\u00a0underwent a thrombolysis procedure<\/a>\u00a0to remove the clot, and a timeline for return is still unknown. Matt Gelb tells us how the Phillies\u00a0overcame the loss of their ace<\/a>\u00a0in last night\u2019s 12-7 win over the Mariners.<\/p>\n

In this week\u2019s power rankings, we take a look at each team\u2019s\u00a0most significant rookie performance<\/a>\u00a0this year.<\/p>\n

In a matchup with AL Cy Young implications, Houston\u2019s Hunter Brown \u2014\u00a0a Michigan native<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 will face off with Tarik Skubal tonight in Detroit.<\/p>\n

On the pods: On \u201cThe Roundtable,\u201d the crew discusses the\u00a0hyper-relevance of the Dodgers<\/a>, while \u201cRates & Barrels\u201d dives into\u00a0prospect promotions and injury pileups<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udceb Love The Windup? Check out\u00a0The Athletic\u2019s other newsletters<\/a>.<\/p>\n

(Photo: Benny Sieu \/ Imagn Images)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Windup Newsletter \u26be | This is The Athletic\u2019s MLB newsletter. Sign up here to receive The Windup…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":83513,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[435],"tags":[49,48,462,82],"class_list":["post-83512","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-mlb","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-mlb","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/83512","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=83512"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/83512\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/83513"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=83512"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=83512"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=83512"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}