Reds' NL Central rival could have enormous hole within their organization this winter

The Cincinnati Reds locked up David Bell for another three years after signing the manager to a contract extension during the season.

The Milwaukee Brewers, however, have a quite a bit of uncertainty when it comes to the future of manager Craig Counsell. The Brewers' skipper has yet to negotiate a new deal with his current club and could be on the move this offseason.

Counsell is widely regarded as one of the better managers in the game. Will his time in Milwaukee be extended this offseason, or might Counsell chase a bigger opportunity in the Big Apple?

Reds' NL Central rival could have enormous hole within their organization this winter

According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, industry sources believe the New York Mets have a "reasonable chance" of luring Craig Counsell away from the Milwaukee Brewers this offseason.

There's also reason to believe that Counsell could stay. Heyman points out that Counsell is the only skipper in Major League Baseball who lives year-round in the same city in which manages. It's also mentioned that if Counsell is paid what he believes is fair, he could stay in southest Wisconsin.

But that's where the Mets come in. While New York can't engage in conversations with Counsell until next month, there's obvious interest from the Mets after parting ways with manager Buck Showalter and hiring for Brewers' President of Baseball Operations David Stearns.

The Brewers operate much like the Reds. Milwaukee is not a major market, and though Brewers fans definitely support their ball club, the team's payroll is consistently under $125-million per year.

According to Cot's Baseball Contracts, the Milwaukee Brewers Opening Day payroll has exceeded $100-million five times in the last 10 seasons. The Cincinnati Reds have crossed that threshold six times during that same 10-year span.

If Counsell and the Brewers part ways, that will have a ripple-effect throughout the NL Central. The Reds already look to be on the right path, but a new manager in Milwaukee would definitely change the entire lanscape in within the division.

With Corbin Burnes, Brandon Woodruff, and Willy Adames all set to hit the free agent market in 2024, the Brewers dugout could look a whole lot different by next spring.