MILWAUKEE — Craig Counsell has seen the rivalry between the Chicago Cubs and the Milwaukee Brewers, who are separated by 90 miles on Interstate 94 as it runs up the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan, from just about every perspective.
He grew up in the Milwaukee area as the son of former Brewers director of community affairs John Counsell. He played for the Brewers and later became their manager and all-time wins leader before the Cubs lured him to Chicago.
So he understands particularly well the atmosphere to expect in Milwaukee on Saturday, when the National League Central’s top two teams this year — the Brewers won the division by five games over the Cubs, who nonetheless won the season series 7-6 — open a best-of-five NL Division Series.
“These are two cities that are close together, very close,” Counsell said. “I think each city’s residents have thoughts about each other’s residents — harmless, obviously — but yeah, so the proximity of the cities makes it fun, no doubt about it, and the proximity makes rivalries, too. And teams being good makes rivalries.”
Those rivalries also create hard feelings, which is why Counsell should expect a chorus of boos whenever his name is mentioned at American Family Field. That’s what has happened each time the Cubs have visited Milwaukee since he left the Brewers after the 2023 season.