Counsell plans to delegate

He’ll rely heavily on coaching staff

As the Brewers began the transition from Ron Roenicke to Craig Counsell as manager Monday, the coaching staff remained intact.

That doesn’t mean it will stay that way.

Counsell acknowledged Monday afternoon before the Brewers’ game against the Los Angeles Dodgers that general manager Doug Melvin broached the subject of making coaching changes if so desired.

“The offer was made. It’s still a possibility,” said Counsell. “The current coaches are here. I’m still throwing some things around in my head about other things, other possibilities of coaches.”

Counsell made it clear he will rely heavily on bench coach Jerry Narron, who has managed in Texas and Cincinnati. Counsell had not managed at any level and admitted he will need help, especially in the early going, running games.

“Jerry’s going to be really important to me,” he said. “My weakness at the start is going to be the game. That’s where I have the least amount of experience.”

Whether he makes changes or not, Counsell said he would count heavily on his coaches to shoulder some of the load until he gets in the rhythm of being a bigleague manager.

“How to use the information is a challenge, for sure, and how to structure your conversations and the priority of the conversations, because you’re one person,” said Counsell.

“My idea is to delegate a lot of this stuff and to focus on bigger stuff. I think we have a talented coaching staff here, and I’m all for taking stuff off my plate.”

The waiting game: Counsell managed his first game without the starting middleinfield combination of shortstop Jean Segura and second baseman Scooter Gennett. Segura was held out after being beaned on the helmet Sunday in Chicago.

Though a CT scan was negative, the Brewers waited to make sure Segura was not a candidate for the seven-day concussion disabled list. Segura said he felt fine and was ready to return to action but the Brewers held him out of the game as a precautionary measure. Counsell said he expects Segura to play Tuesday.

“For me, he’s on the field today, running around (in the pre-game workout),” said Counsell. “That’s great. We’ve got a good result already.”

Recovering from left hand lacerations, Gennett played his fourth game on minor-league rehab with Class A Wisconsin on Monday night. The Brewers will decide Tuesday whether to

activate him.

Normal

nerves:

Asked how normal he could make his first night as a majorleague manager, Counsell said he never thought of trying.

“Tonight shouldn’t be normal,” he said. “There’s no way it should be normal. It’s a big night for me. The first time you’re doing something, that’s a big night.

“I hope it’s not normal for a while, really. I hope it’s never normal. I hope every night is a thrill, really, and a challenge.

“We all need to get into a rhythm and that will happen. But if that takes awhile, that’s OK. You kind of live with this adrenaline. It’s a good feeling.”