If the Chicago Cubs are going to get anywhere this postseason, Craig Counsell needs to break free from the managerial straitjacket imposed by the notion of a dedicated, one-inning closer.
The Cubs’ prospects for success will be enhanced if Counsell can see his way clear to do what few other teams dare: manage his bullpen by feel as opposed to by rote plan.
The brutal truth is that even before they placed Daniel Palencia on the 15-day injured list, the current iteration of the Cubs did not have a pitcher capable of consistently delivering in what has come to be recognized as closer duties.