Last offseason, Milwaukee Brewers manager Craig Counsell left the team to join the Chicago Cubs as their new manager. He was criticized for the lack of loyalty in a decision like this, but ultimately, the Brewers got the last laugh when they won the NL Central.
Now Counsell and the Cubs have to look for some revenge. The best way for them to get revenge would be to go out and sign some top-tier free agents this winter. Heck, why not some former Brewers who played under Counsell in an attempt to weaken Milwaukee while strengthening up the Cubs?
Luckily for Chicago, there are a few solid options to choose from in the upcoming free agency class.
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The first player on this list isn't going to blow the doors off the place. But, he's a good fit in a position of need. He could be acquired for cheap and he was with Milwaukee just last season.
The first player is the veteran catcher, Gary Sanchez.
Sanchez wasn't a special level of talent last year, but he would be an upgrade for the Cubs. Starting Cubs catcher, Miguel Amaya, slashed .233/.291/.362 with a FRV of -4, per Baseball Savant. He was also well below average in pop time, caught stealing and framing, with his only positive trait being his blocking.
Sanchez isn't a huge upgrade from this, but he's a cheap upgrade. Last season, he slashed .213/.301/.379 in just under 300 plate appearances. He's not a great defender, but his FRV is -1, a few runs higher than Amaya's. Sanchez is also a step better in pop time, caught stealing and framing.
This isn't to say that the Cubs should cut Amaya. He's a talent young player, but Chicago needs a reliable second option behind the plate. Although Sanchez never officially played under Counsell with the Brewers, he would be a great addition to the Cubs team that needed catching depth all season long.
Now we can get into some of the bigger name free agents that should excite Cubs fans more than Gary Sanchez.
The first player to look at is the unrestricted free agent shortstop, Willy Adames.
Adames is a legit franchise shortstop who has the ability to completely change a lineup. This season, Adames slashed .252/.332/.470 with 32 home runs, 20 stolen bases and 111 RBIs. It has been one of the better, under-the-radar seasons in the entire league this year.
Acquiring him wouldn't be the cheapest option, though, as Milwaukee among other teams will be very aggressive in his market. I'd expect the Brewers to be willing to slightly overpay to bring him back after all the good he has done for their franchise.
Out of all the position players in the market, Adames to the Cubs makes some of the most sense for Chicago. He would provide a great bat with the leadership skills and the knowledge of the NL Central that it takes to succeed.
If Chicago wants to improve their team while weakening their rivals, look no further than Willy Adames. Adding him to Counsell's lineup could change the course for this team.
There were a few different pitching options to look at for the final pick on this list. Players like Colin Rea stood out, as Rea is having a solid year with the Brewers. But I decided to land on the biggest starting pitcher on the market, former Brewer and current Baltimore Orioles ace, Corbin Burnes.
Now, the Cubs would need to dive deep into their checkbooks if they want to bring Burnes in, especially considering how hot the market is going to be for him this offseason.
To say that Burnes would be a difference maker at the top of the Cubs rotation would be an understatement. Not only is Burnes an ace, but he's among the best and most dominant pitchers in the entire league. He also enjoyed his experience playing for Counsell, as evidenced in his quote to FanSided MLB insider Robert Murray:
“Couns is obviously a guy I was pretty close with. I talked to him a lot throughout this offseason. He’s someone I’ll always be in contact with because he’s someone who gave me a chance. I became pretty close with him over the years.”
The Orioles will be aggressive in retaining him as well as a bunch of the other big spenders in the league, but the Cubs have the money and they have the need for a starting pitcher. So this could make a ton of sense and it's probably a lot more realistic than many understand.
It would haunt the Brewers franchise if Burnes came back to the NL Central for the next five or six years and dominated every fifth day. Counsell would love to have Burnes back in his rotation, this time in Chicago.
