Column: Cubs’ Craig Counsell shrugs off the pressure of managing in Chicago

Column: Cubs’ Craig Counsell shrugs off the pressure of managing in Chicago

MESA, Ariz. — It didn’t take long for Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell to hear the opening complaints of the Twitterati, bloggers and other experts on managing a major-league baseball team. When Matt Shaw grounded out with two runners on to end the 6-3 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 2 of the Tokyo Series, Counsell was promptly criticized for batting the rookie ahead of Dansby Swanson. Asked Sunday morning about the lineup decision, C…

Nico Hoerner healthy enough to play second base but not shortstop just yet

MESA, Ariz. — Nico Hoerner appears healthy enough to play second base when the Cubs resume the regular season Thursday, but it may take a month before he plays shortstop in an emergency or backup role.“Early in the season, if something would happen to Dansby, I think you'd probably see somebody else there,” manager Craig Counsell said Sunday, hours before Rule 5 selection Gage Workman started at shortstop. “But I think as we get into the end of …