As was the case with our Top 10 Hitting Performances of 1982, putting this list together was no easy task. There were several noteworthy pitching performances throughout the season, so cutting the list down to 20 and then 10 was difficult.
It should also be noted that such a list is naturally slanted towards starting pitchers. If I have to choose between a complete game or three dominating relief innings, I’ll pick the complete game every time. Such a list doesn’t do a guy like Rollie Fingers justice, so I do get creative to shine a light on the bullpen.
So here is our list. I considered raw stats, importance of the game and level of competition. After the Top 10, I also list the “Next 10.” What do you think?
1. Mike Caldwell, 10/12/82
Opponent: St. Louis Cardinals (Game 1 of World Series)
Location: St. Louis
Score: 10-0 Brewers
Line: 9 innings (shutout), 3 hits, 0 runs, 0 earned runs, 1 walk, 3 strikeouts
It was a statement game. Game 1 of the World Series in St. Louis. On the turf, where the speed of the Cardinals was expected to flourish. In front of the Cardinals faithful. What happened? The Brewers scored runs. And Mike Caldwell was simply untouchable. How untouchable? He allowed only one hit through the first seven innings. Caldwell proved in this game that we gave teammates Don Sutton and Pete Vuckovich way too much of the glory. Caldwell was as dependable as they came.
2. Pete Vuckovich, 9/20/82
Opponent: Boston Red Sox
Location: Milwaukee
Score: 4-3 Brewers (11)
Line: 11 innings (complete game), 11 hits, 3 runs, 1 earned run, 4 walks, 2 strikeouts, 1 HBP
It wasn’t the prettiest line, but then again Pete Vuckovich wasn’t pretty. Nothing about his game was pretty. He put runners on and got out of jams. But there was much more about this game that made it special. Had the Brewers lost, Baltimore would have pulled to within a game of the Brewers in first place. Though he allowed three runs (one earned) in the sixth, he’d hold the Red Sox scoreless from that point forward, surrendering but a single hit. This may be the greatest part of Vuke’s feat. Not only did he pitch 11 strong innings, but he did so in a heated battle, dueling Dennis Eckersley, and saved his best for last. Eckersley pitched nine strong innings of his own, but a clutch two-out, solo home run by Ben Oglivie pushed this game into extra innings. It was an epic game, and Pete Vuckovich gave an epic performance.
3. Don Sutton, 9/7/82
Opponent: Detroit Tigers
Location: Milwaukee
Score: 4-0 Brewers
Line: 9 innings (shutout), 7 hits, 0 runs, 0 earned runs, 0 walks, 9 strikeouts
Sutton was strong in his first appearance as a Brewer, but the Crew came up short in a 4-2 loss to the Indians. Milwaukee fans got a true taste of what it was their team had acquired in his second start, what would truly be a Sutton-esque performance. It appeared the Brewers offense would do their new pitcher no favors, as they were held to one hit through four innings. The game remained scoreless until the 8th inning, when the Brewers finally broke through for four runs. It’s easy to win when your team scores runs, and the Brewers often did that. But for Sutton to be practically flawless through a such a tightly contested game was beyond impressive.
4. Pete Vuckovich, 7/3/82
Opponent: Boston Red Sox
Location: Milwaukee
Score: 7-0 Brewers
Line: 9 innings (shutout), 3 hits, 0 runs, 0 earned runs, 2 walks, 4 strikeouts
This stat line, on the surface, was actually a bit more impressive than Vuke’s classic 11 inning battle against these same Red Sox on September 20. But the Brewers gave Vuke an early cushion and he needed to only go nine innings in this contest. The win gave the Brewers and Red Sox a tie for first place in the AL East, the first time Milwaukee would taste the top since April 15. Vuckovich only allowed hits in the 5th and 9th innings. A dominating performance indeed.
5. Don Sutton, 10/8/82
Opponent: California Angels (Game 3 of ALCS)
Location: Milwaukee
Score: 5-3 Brewers
Line: 7 2/3 innings, 8 hits, 3 runs, 3 earned runs, 2 walks, 9 strikeouts
Down two games to none in the ALCS, the Brewers were desperate for a win. Their offense was scuffling, and they needed a gem from their ace. Don Sutton brought it. Sutton was flawless through the first seven innings against the offensively charged Angels, but gave up three runs in the eighth. Even so, he came up big when the Brewers needed him most.
6. Pete Ladd, 10/5/82 – 10/10/82
Opponent: California Angels (Games 1, 3 and 5 of ALCS)
Location: Milwaukee and California
Score: 8-3 Angels, 5-3 Brewers, 4-3 Brewers
Line: 3 1/3 innings, 0 hits, 0 runs, 0 earned runs, 0 walks, 5 strikeouts
The Brewers nearly threw away a chance at the playoffs because of their bullpen. Without Rollie Fingers, a reliable reliever failed to step forward. It was this flaw that led many to believe that the Brewers could not succeed in the playoffs. Pete Ladd proved everyone wrong. He was perfect in the ALCS, pitching 3 1/3 innings of hitless, scoreless, runnerless ball, while striking out five. It was unexpected. And it was great.
7. Mike Caldwell, 9/17/82
Opponent: New York Yankees
Location: Milwaukee
Score: 14-0 Brewers
Line: 9 innings (shutout), 3 hits, 0 runs, 0 earned runs, 1 walk, 3 strikeouts
The Yankees may not have been a factor in the AL East race, but the win gave the Brewers a two game lead over the surging Orioles. Caldwell, as he had been so many times in 1982, was a flawless workhorse. He wouldn’t blow away Yankees batters on this day, but he pitched masterfully anyway, allowing but four baserunners in a complete game shutout.
8. Mike Caldwell, 9/22/82
Opponent: Boston Red Sox
Location: Milwaukee
Score: 3-1 Brewers
Line: 9 innings (complete game), 4 hits, 1 run, 1 earned run, 1 walk, 3 strikeouts
Imagine that? It’s our friend Mike Caldwell once again with a Mike Caldwell-like line. There’s nothing new to see here, really. The big difference is that the game came against the rival Red Sox, and the loss buried them to eight games back of the Brewers. Caldwell gets stronger the deeper he goes, and this game was a brilliant example. He didn’t allow a single baserunner from the seventh through the ninth innings.
9. Jim Slaton, 7/5/82
Opponent: Chicago White Sox
Location: Chicago
Score: 10-4 Brewers
Line: 6 1/3 innings (relief), 3 hits, 0 runs, 0 earned runs, 0 walks, 3 strikeouts
Not an impressive stat line, you say? What if I told you Jim Slaton pitched all 6 1/3 innings in relief? Slaton came in and succeeded where the starter Randy Lerch could not. After 2 2/3 innings, Lerch was knocked from the game. Slaton came in with two runners on and a 6-4 Brewers lead. Rarely do you see a reliever throw more than six innings, and even more rarely do you see a reliever succeed in such a situation. The greatest relief game by a Brewers pitcher of 1982 brought the team to within a half game of first place.
10. Don Sutton, 10/3/82
Opponent: Baltimore Orioles
Location: Baltimore
Score: 10-2 Brewers
Line: 8 innings, 8 hits, 2 runs, 2 earned runs, 5 walks, 3 strikeouts
No, this wasn’t a Sutton-esque performance. The stat line, littered with hits and walks and lacking high number punch-outs, more closely resembled that of teammate Pete Vuckovich. But understand the situation. The Brewers had lost four straight. Their backs were up against the wall, tied with the Orioles on the last day of the season. The offense was struggling and the Brewers were in Baltimore facing ace Jim Palmer in a do or die final game. Sutton wasn’t flawless, but he was great enough to take the Brewers to the playoffs.
Honorable Mention (The Second 10)
There are several other performances that didn’t quite make the cut, but are deserving of recognition. In no particular order, here are the “Second 10.”
Mike Caldwell, 8/4/82
Opponent: Toronto Blue Jays
Location: Toronto
Score: 8-0 Brewers
Line: 9 innings (shutout), 7 hits, 0 runs, 0 earned runs, 0 walks, 1 strikeout
Bob McClure, 8/29/82
Opponent: Oakland A’s
Location: Milwaukee
Score: 8-1 Brewers
Line: 9 innings (complete game), 3 hits, 1 run, 1 earned run, 0 walks, 6 strikeouts
Pete Vuckovich, 4/24/82
Opponent: Texas Rangers
Location: Texas
Score: 4-1 Brewers
Line: 9 innings (complete game), 3 hits, 1 run, 1 earned run, 3 walks, 7 strikeouts
Bob McClure, 8/12/82 (Game 1 of DH)
Opponent: Toronto Blue Jays
Location: Milwaukee
Score: 7-1 Brewers
Line: 9 innings (complete game), 5 hits, 1 run, 1 earned run, 0 walks, 4 strikeouts
Moose Haas, 5/20/82
Opponent: California Angels
Location: Milwaukee
Score: 4-1 Brewers
Line: 9 innings (complete game), 6 hits, 1 run, 1 earned run, 1 walk, 6 strikeouts
Mike Caldwell, 5/8/82
Opponent: Minnesota Twins
Location: Milwaukee
Score: 12-1 Brewers
Line: 9 innings (complete game), 5 hits, 1 run, 1 earned run, 1 walk, 5 strikeouts
Mike Caldwell, 4/22/82
Opponent: Toronto Blue Jays
Location: Milwaukee
Score: 7-0 Brewers
Line: 9 innings (shutout), 4 hits, 0 runs, 0 earned runs, 1 walk, 0 strikeouts
Don Sutton, 9/19/82
Opponent: New York Yankees
Location: Milwaukee
Score: 14-1 Brewers
Line: 8 innings, 8 hits, 1 run, 1 earned run, 3 walks, 5 strikeouts
Mike Caldwell, 9/10/82
Opponent: New York Yankees
Location: New York
Score: 5-3 Brewers
Line: 9 innings (complete game), 9 hits, 3 runs, 2 earned runs, 1 walk, 4 strikeouts
Jim Slaton, 5/4/82
Opponent: Kansas City Royals
Location: Milwaukee
Score: 9-5 Brewers
Line: 4 1/3 innings (relief), 1 hit, 0 runs, 0 earned runs, 0 walks, 2 strikeouts