MILWAUKEE — Cubs manager Craig Counsell and Brewers manager Pat Murphy don’t talk to each other as much as they used to when they shared a dugout as skipper and bench coach in Milwaukee.
“I don’t sit next to him for multiple hours in a day,” Counsell quipped before the game between their teams. “That made it a little easier to talk.”
Their decadeslong friendship — they’ve known each other since Murphy coached Counsell in college at Notre Dame — is in a new stage.
“It’s changed in that we’re competitors instead of teammates,” Counsell said. “So during competitive times, it’s certainly different. It’s stayed the same in that when we’re off game time, we’re friends.”
The series between the Cubs and Brewers at American Family Field this weekend will be the first three games of 13 between the National League Central foes. And it’s the second year that Counsell and Murphy are division rivals.
They met at home plate to exchange lineup cards before the game Friday to kick off the series — after Brewers fans welcomed Counsell with a cascade of boos.
Murphy won the battle for the division handily last season. The Brewers put 10 games between themselves and second place, which was shared by the Cubs and Cardinals.
The Cubs entered this series atop the division with a 19-13 record. The Brewers (16-16) sat in third, one game behind the Reds.
“I’m happy for his success; that’s first and foremost,” Counsell said. “You’re happy when your friend has tremendous success. Although we’re obviously competitors, and his wins don’t always bode well for me or us, you’re still happy for his success.”
Brewers’ opener flops
The Brewers changed their pitching plan — a move Counsell said he was made aware of the morning before the night game. Instead of having right-hander Quinn Priester start as originally planned, they had left-hander Tyler Alexander face the top of the order as the opener.
“I think they see it as the best way to navigate 27 outs,” Counsell said. “That’s why teams do it.”
Alexander allowed three singles — to Ian Happ, Kyle Tucker and Carson Kelly — and handed the ball to Priester with two outs in the first inning, down 1-0. Alexander was charged with a second run when Nico Hoerner drove in an inherited runner.
Milwaukee ties
Counsell isn’t the only one with ties to the Brewers. Colin Rea and Drew Pomeranz pitched for Milwaukee, both overlapping with Counsell.
This offseason, Counsell hired Quintin Berry away from the Brewers to serve as the Cubs’ third-base coach.
“Quintin’s passionate about baserunning,” Counsell said. “And [along with first-base coach] Jose Javier . . . our two base coaches have done a really nice job. He’s passionate about baserunning; he [has a strong belief] about things to do as baserunners. And we have a team that’s really interested in being good at it. So it’s been a great match from that perspective. And we’ve really focused on some details of it and trying to be great at the small things because it fits our group. And I think Quintin has fun with that.”
The Cubs entered Friday leading the majors with 44 stolen bases and were tied with the Tigers for the best stolen-base percentage (88%).