Brewers manager Craig Counsell's contract is on management's agenda but talks likely won't seriously pick up until late summer

PHOENIX -- In the week leading into spring training, Milwaukee Brewers manager Craig Counsell told the Journal Sentinel that "he's still in a great place" when asked about the fact he's now in the final year of the three-year contract extension he signed on Jan. 8, 2020.

General manager Matt Arnold, addressing the topic from management's point of view, left no doubt the Brewers are interested in retaining Counsell's services moving forward but that he and the organization are letting the ninth-year manager determine the pace and scope of extension talks.

"It’s definitely on our agenda," Arnold said. "It’s also a partnership, right? We’ve worked together for eight years. I respect his opportunity to let this play out on his (terms). We want to be respectful of where Craig is in his career. We have a wonderful relationship with Craig.

"We hope he’s here a long time but also respect the idea that his kids are a certain age where he might want to spend time with them. I respect that, too. It will be a conversation we have."

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To that end, both Arnold and Counsell indicated that the two sides likely won't start talking seriously until late summer at the earliest.

"Look, let it play itself out," Arnold said. "We’ll have a conversation toward the end (of the season) about the year (how it played out), so it’s not going to be something we forget about.

"It’s certainly on the radar."

Counsell, often reluctant to discuss such topics, offered a begrudging answer when asked to discuss his thoughts.

"I'm content with where we're at," he said. "We'll see what happens moving forward. And I have had conversations with Mark (Attanasio, the Brewers' principal owner) about this. Mark and I have worked together for a long time. You know, I value that relationship a lot.

"I’m open to everything, I want to continue to be open to everything and this is the best way to do that."