Chicago Cubs Manager Skewers Reporter For Ridiculous Question

Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell destroyed a reporter during his postgame press conference.

Jul 10, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell. / Mitch Stringer-USA TODAY Sports

The Chicago Cubs got the win on Sunday, but it wasn't pretty.

Despite getting seven innings of one-run ball and a career-high 10 strikeouts from ace Shota Imanaga, the Cubs still needed extra innings to beat the Arizona Diamondbacks. Chicago finally prevailed 2-1 on Nico Hoerner's walk-off walk in the bottom of the 10th, avoiding a three-game sweep at the hands of the defending National League champs.

The Cubs would have won sooner were it not for another lifeless performance from their offense. Their lineup, which managed just four runs all series, tallied only four hits and left eight men on base.

After the game, Chicago manager Craig Counsell was visibly peeved when talking about his team's offensive struggles, which included 18 consecutive scoreless innings at one point. He did not appreciate some of the questions, taking out his frustrations on one reporter in particular.

Craig Counsell responds to Jesse Rogers “swinging for the lake” comment in the post-game conference! pic.twitter.com/jZTrrxt3pJ

— rigo (@rig_garci003) July 21, 2024

ESPN's Jesse Rogers asked about Christopher Morel's at-bat in the bottom of the seventh, when he struck out swinging against Diamondbacks starter Brandon Pfaadt with the tying run on second base to end the inning. Rogers said Morel "looked like he was swinging for the lake there," which set Counsell off.

"C'mon Jesse. C'mon. That's your comment?" Counsell asked, clearly annoyed. "I think that's a bad take...He's swinging for the lake? That's a bad take."

When Rogers asked why, Counsell doubled down by defending Morel's performance.

"He's having a good at-bat trying to hit the ball hard. It didn't work. The pitcher made a good pitch. He made an out."

While Pfaadt may have simply got the better of Morel in this situation, it's fair to question the latter's all-or-nothing approach. Morel is batting just .202/.304/.382 this season -- all career-lows. He does have 18 home runs, but doesn't make contact consistently and has far more strikeouts (97) than hits (71).

On the bright side, it's good to see Counsell defending his players rather than throwing them under the bus. It's been a frustrating first year in Chicago for the former Milwaukee Brewers skipper, but at least he's trying to shield his players from public criticism when he can.