Milwaukee Brewers: A young manager and the postseason

In the heart of a playoff race, teams with the youth of the Milwaukee Brewers often have a tendency to get overlooked.

It is because the youth lacks experience in the biggest games on the biggest stage. But, the Cubs were able to conquer that mountain last year. So why not the Milwaukee Brewers? It could happen, even if the chances are starting to look bleak.

Take a look at what the Cubs have to go along with their undeniable talent. They have an experienced, and smart manager in Joe Maddon. In a bit or irony, early in the skipper from Chicago’s career, he served under Buck Rodgers. Of course, Rodgers let the Crew to the playoffs in 1981.

So, enough about previous and rival managers. The real question at hand is, Can Craig Counsell lead this team to the promise land?

As a player, Counsell took part in four different playoffs. He even collected two World Series rings. His first came with the Florida Marlins, and his second with the Arizona Diamondbacks. NLCS MVP honors were even bestowed upon him during his October run with the Diamondbacks.

His next two postseason experiences during his playing days were in 2008 and 2011 with the club he is tasked with leading. Safe to say, Counsell knows what a Milwaukee Brewers clubhouse should look like during a playoff run.

However, that being said, playing and managing are two different animals. Counsell cannot teach his players exactly what to expect. But he can lead them in the charge for them to find it out for themselves. He is a young manager on a young team. But that is the beauty of it all. It is a manager who reflects his team.

In just his third year, Counsell is just under .500 in terms of wins and losses. However, after two seasons of the team finishing in fourth place, he is leading the charge for the Milwaukee Brewers to seek out post season play. If nothing else, this team has shocked the baseball world.

Nothing is set in stone yet. The odds are still stacked against the Milwaukee Brewers to even make the post season. But the scrappy team, led by their scrappy manager, should not be counted out.

At only 46 years old, Counsell truly is young for a manager. He has proven to be smart, and he has shown the innate ability to lead. Based on that, and on his experience in postseason, the answer to the overarching question is yes. Counsell can lead this team to the best it can be.

Next: Increased plate discipline paying off

Whatever the reason, no team in the league seems to fit so well with their skipper. They reflect each other well. That is silently attributing to all of this season’s success. The Milwaukee Brewers are not out of October baseball yet, and they will continue to put up a fight to hold on to that dream.