Counsell earns high marks in 1st full season

DENVER — The Brewers are not expected to definitively answer manager Craig Counsell’s contractual status when they host the traditional end-of-season press conference at Miller Park on Tuesday, but general manager David Stearns echoed earlier comments by owner Mark Attanasio in awarding Counsell high grades in his first full season as skipper.

Counsell replaced Ron Roenicke on May 4, 2015, on a contract that runs through 2017. Since it is rare for a manager to enter a season with “lame duck” status, the Brewers will probably extend Counsell’s deal in some fashion during the coming weeks.

“Once the season is over, David is going to address a number of things, and that’s obviously on the list,” Attanasio said during the Brewers’ final homestand.

While launching into a rebuilding phase that has seen most of the team’s proven players traded for prospects, the Brewers went 61-76 over the final five months of 2015 to finish 68-94. They improved to 72-89 in 2016 entering Sunday’s season finale at Coors Field.

The season began with big disappointments in the starting rotation, with Opening Day …

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