Stop me if you’ve heard this one before. Manager for a smaller market team with an eternally small payroll, goes to a larger market team where he’ll presumably be managing a better team.

Back in 2014, the Cubs poached Joe Maddon from the Rays due to a loophole in his contract. Coincidentally, the Rays GM left Tampa for the big market, big payroll Dodgers. At the time 118% of Cubs fans were happy to move on from Rick Renteria. That it would happen to him a second time with the White Sox didn’t mean that it wasn’t painful. People in the real world get fired every day and are told it’s not personal. Of course, it’s personal because management is saying they like somebody else. The big difference is that coaches and managers are reimbursed in ways the rest of us will never comprehend.

Earlier this week, the Cubs fired David Ross and replaced him with free agent, Craig Counsell. It’s amazing how Chicago media changed their tune on both managers. For Ross’ entire managerial career, he’s gotten a free pass and Counsell was tolerated since he managed the rival, Brewers. Now, Counsell is a baseball genius and Ross, a bungler. Editor’s note: I was not a fan of the initial hire as I thought Ross’ lack of coaching or managing was a negative. I didn’t consider Counsell a genius, but rather a superior manager.

Objectively speaking, the move looks good for the Cubs, but I believed the Cubs would be better off if Counsell merely left the Brewers. I completely understand how the move from Ross is difficult for Cub fans that loved the Ross persona. He developed an emotional connection was a large part of the fanbase and Counsell is coming from the Brewers.

This isn’t the first time a team hired away a manager or coach from a rival. Teams and fan bases have had to move on no matter how painful it seems to be at first. Sometimes, things don’t work out for either team.

I have a pretty good idea what the fan reaction in Milwaukee is because I know some people and also Counsell’s connection to the team and the city. This is very personal and Brewer nation is taking this poorly. They’re going to have to make some important decisions for their next hire. As much as Chicago baseball fans are trying to forget about Renteria, the Brewers are trying to erase Ken Macha from their memory.

While I read about it in the most recent Yogi Berra biography, I never read about the fan reaction to Yogi’s being fired after the 1964 World Series. He was replaced by Johnny Keane who managed the ’64 Cardinals to a WS victory over the Yanks. Younger fans probably don’t realize George Steinbrenner wasn’t the first Yankee manager to fire Yogi.

Needless to say, the Yankees weren’t much good in ’65-66 with Keane at the helm, but the Cards did alright with Red Schoendienst a few seasons later. I’m also not sure how the Cardinal fans reacted to the managerial switcheroo.

On the other side of town, fans are dealing with a different sort of change. TV broadcaster, Jason Benetti has left the White Sox booth for the Detroit Tigers. As was the case with the Cub fans, I’ve spoken with several Sox fans about this defection. It appears to sting pretty badly for a group that’s been dealing with poor play on the field the past couple of years. I know that Benetti’s appeal isn’t universal, but he has been the conduit between the team and fans. Most fans have more in common with the play-by-play voice of a team than the former athlete turned color analyst.

A couple years ago, Cubs TV broadcaster, Len Kasper exited the booth for the White Sox radio booth. I know several Cub fans couldn’t understand Kasper’s decision, but it was an opportunity that he couldn’t pass up. The Cubs hired Boog Sciambi and most fans enjoy the change. I happen to be in the minority, thinking Sciambi is better on the national scene and that Kasper is better on the radio.

What’s happening in Chicago, Milwaukee and Detroit isn’t unique as several other teams are undergoing major changes right now.