Commentary

Emotional Rescue

Ever since yesterday’s stunning win, I’ve been trying to gather my thoughts about the Brewers winning the AL East. For most of the second half of the season, it appeared the Crew would handily take the division. And if not handily, by at least a comfortable margin.

Then again, these Brewers never made it easy on themselves or their loyal True Blue Brew Crew. This past weekend nearly gave me a heart attack and it was compounded by the fact that, as a Milwaukee Sentinel paperboy, I had to deliver bad news in the morning.

Thankfully, they plucked their craniums out of their keisters in time to win yesterday. When Robin hit the opposite field dinger in the first, you could feel the tide turn. When he hit another tater in the third, you could start etching his name into the MVP trophy, even if that P.O.S Willie Wilson was taking the wussy way out and sitting on the last day to preserve the batting title.

But were you convinced that the Crew would win the game?

After seeing how awful they were in the first three games, the greatest feeling was anxiety. Could they blow this too?

But when Benji made that amazing sliding catch in the left field corner, you knew that was it. The players could sense it, too. They relaxed, exploded for five runs in the ninth and it was over. I’ve never felt so thrilled and relieved in all my life. Delivering the Sentinel never felt so good.

It also felt good to send Earl Weaver into retirement. I hated that guy and his antics. But if you step back a moment, you can see his method: pitching, three-run homers and pit bull attitude. He was wildly successful and loved by the O’s faithful. I love Harvey Kuenn, but there were times I wondered how this team would fare with Weaver at the controls.

It’s all moot now, but as fans of the game, we do need to pay our respects. Here’s some video that we received at PKHQ from our Baltimore peeps after Sunday’s game. It includes Howard Cosell, so if you want, you can turn down the volume.

Nice, huh, this new technology. Even nicer is this … Envisioning the celebration video for the Crew. Man, how I wish I were there.

I wanted to do a piece on what the Brewers meant to me this season, but as I started writing, it hit me: the season wasn’t over. It isn’t over. When it is, that’s when we’ll print the valedictory. In the meantime, the Crew heads to Cali to take on the Angels.

Breaking Down the MVP Field

October 4 Leave a Comment

Since the Brewers have a day off before Game 1 of the American League Championship Series tomorrow (it never gets old saying it!), I thought I’d break down Robin Yount‘s competition for the AL MVP award. Let’s be honest: As Brewers fans, it’s obvious to us who has earned the award this year. But I wanted to step back and take as unbiased a look as I can at which players he’ll be up against when the voters cast their ballots.

The Players
When the votes come in, you’ll see as many as 30 or so names in all that get listed on the ballots. But of course, not all of those names are legitimate contenders. I want to start this exercise by whittling down my list to the players we may find in the top three to five when all is said and done.

As I look through our top performers in the American League, I immediately decided to eliminate all pitchers. Though our own Rollie Fingers may have won the award last season, there simply does not appear to be a serious contender this season. The only pitchers to consider are Pete Vuckovich, Dan Quisenberry and Jim Palmer. Vuke won’t get it ahead of Yount, and neither Quisenberry nor Palmer made the playoffs. So hitters only.

While I could limit it only to players on playoff teams, I think that’s a mistake. The players who make the post season will have an advantage, but we can’t ignore great performances from those players who didn’t make it to the next round.

So here’s my list, in alphabetical order to avoid any perceived bias:

Cecil Cooper, MIL
Doug DeCinces, CAL
Dwight Evans, BOS
Rickey Henderson, OAK
Reggie Jackson, CAL
Hal McRae, KC
Eddie Murray, BAL
Willie Wilson, KC
Dave Winfield, NYY
Robin Yount, MIL

I could have legitimately listed Gorman Thomas and Paul Molitor, but let’s be honest: If there’s an MVP award coming from Milwaukee again this year, it’s going to be Robin Yount. I considered not listing Cooper for that reason, but his stats are just as good as most of these guys, so he has to be in the mix.

The Stats
Let’s stack them up and make a list. I have placed the numbers in bold if they lead this group (they don’t necessarily lead the league). Also, players marked with an “x” are those who are on teams that won their division.

Player	HR	RBI	BA
Cooper, MIL -x	32	121	.313
DeCinces, CAL -x	30	97	.301
Evans, BOS	32	98	.292
Henderson, OAK	10	51	.267
Jackson, CAL -x	39	101	.275
McRae, KC	27	133	.308
Murray, BAL	32	110	.316
Wilson, KC	3	46	.332
Winfield, NYY	37	106	.280
Yount, MIL -x	29	114	.331

Player	R	H	SB
Cooper, MIL -x	104	205	2
DeCinces, CAL -x	94	173	7
Evans, BOS	122	178	3
Henderson, OAK	119	143	130
Jackson, CAL -x	92	146	4
McRae, KC	91	189	4
Murray, BAL	87	174	7
Wilson, KC	87	194	37
Winfield, NYY	84	151	5
Yount, MIL -x	129	210	14

As you can see, there are six different players who lead this group in at least one category: Dwight Evans in OBP, Rickey Henderson in stolen bases, Reggie Jackson in home runs, Hal McRae in RBI, Willie Wilson in batting average and Robin Yount in three categories. So five players led in one category apiece while Yount leads in runs, hits and slugging.

Of course, leading isn’t everything because a well-rounded player who is second in everything may be the MVP. But let’s use Robin Yount as the statistical measuring stick since he appears to be our front-runner.

Cooper is well-rounded, but Yount leads him in everything but home runs and RBI, and both by slim margins. Let’s toss away Cooper. Sorry, Coop.

Yount leads DeCinces in everything but homers, but again that difference is only one. Nope, not happening.

Yount leads Evans in everything but homers and OBP. He’s at about Cooper’s level, but the Red Sox didn’t make the playoffs. Nope, not Evans.

Rickey Henderson was amazing this season, blowing away Lou Brock‘s stolen base record. He led Yount in stolen bases (by a ton) and OBP, but that’s it. Henderson hit only .269 with 10 homers and the A’s didn’t make the post season. So, no. Not Rickey Henderson, though I think his special season should warrant consideration.

Reggie Jackson hit more home runs than Yount and he led his Angels to the playoffs, but that’s really it. Considering Jackson is known for his power, it’s telling that Yount has a higher slugging percentage (.578 to .532). Good year for Reggie, but Yount was better.

Hal McRae led the majors in RBI, but the Royals collapsed and missed the playoffs. Nope, not McRae.

Eddie Murray led Yount in homers and OBP, but nothing else. Had the Orioles knocked off the Brewers on the final day of the season, he’d get a much more serious look. But they didn’t, and Yount’s season was clearly better. Not Murray.

I added Willie Wilson to the list just to make myself angry. As you know, Wilson held a small lead in batting average over Yount heading into the final day of the season. Yount had three hits, including two homers and a triple. To preserve his average, Wilson didn’t play. Pathetic. The Royals don’t deserve the playoffs and Wilson doesn’t deserve either the batting crown (which he won) or the MVP award (which he’ll lose).

Dave Winfield is yet another example of a player who hit more homers (37) but nothing else to distinguish himself from Yount. And the Yankees were never a serious player in the pennant race.

The Verdict
Alright, so it’s obvious. Robin Yount will be this season’s American League Most Valuable Player. The majority of players who are close statistically to Yount aren’t even in the playoffs. Add to the mix that Yount hit two crucial home runs in the final, division-clinching game of the season, and any dispute should be laughed at. If Yount does not win the award — and by a lot — there should be an investigation.

Ladies and gentlemen, not only have our Brewers made the playoffs, but rest comfortably knowing that we will have secured the MVP award for the second consecutive season.

Time to Panic? Time to Keep Cool

October 3 1 Comment

BALTIMORE — After preaching patience since the doubleheader loss on Friday, it’s time to be anxious.

As a matter of fact, it’s appropriate to panic. Fans, go right ahead. Shake your head, rub your temples so hard that you pass out, maybe even pound your fist on the table five, 10, maybe 20 times and cry out “Why?” as if you found your wife in bed with a White Sox fan.

As fans, this is our job. We couldn’t be described as fans if we weren’t a little apoplectic. After all, the Crew has had three chances to win one game and has failed miserably at each attempt.

It’s difficult to find words to describe how disappointing these past three games have been. Yesterday’s 11-3 loss was just the dingleberry on the crap sundae. The Crew seems to have no life, no fight in them. This is strange, considering the turnaround since Harvey Kuenn took over as skipper halfway through June. They’ve been a loose club that’s never played tight and haven’t yielded to anyone.

But now, they look beat. Maybe the O’s are riding a wave of emotion and want to give the irrascible Earl Weaver a pennant as a going away present. Maybe they’re just better than the Crew, from whom they’ve taken three straight and 9 out of 12 this season.

Yet, I can’t believe it. The Crew may not have the staff the O’s have, but the offense has never slumped for long. One has to think the lumber will awaken today for the mere fact it has to carry this team to a World Series. The Brewers’ staff won’t throw a series of one- or two- run games.

Fans, you can panic as long as your heroes don’t. That means Molly and Robin and Coop and Ben and Ted and Gorman and Gumby and Charlie and whomever Harvey decides to put at DH against O’s ace Jim Palmer (15-4) all need to stay cool. They know Palmer and what he can do on the mound. Maybe, like nervous public speakers, they can picture Palmer in his underwear.

Having Don Sutton take the hill (3-1) is also an advantage. The O’s have only seen Sutton once. True, the O’s scored six runs off him, but the Crew gave Sutton plenty of support with 15 runs.

But the Crew can’t rely on that kind of outburst, not against Mr. Bikini Briefs. The Crew needs Sutton’s cool. This is why Harry Dalton got him, to help get the Brewers into the postseason.

Make no mistake. Today’s game is a one-game playoff, a Game 7. Game time is 2 p.m. CT.

If the Crew loses, as great as this season has been, the season is a failure. The collapse, epic. It would be on par with the ’51 Dodgers, the ’64 Phillies and the ’78 Red Sox. It would be a black mark that could stain this franchise forever.

There’s only a tomorrow if the Crew takes care of business today.

Here are the lineups…

#	Brewers	POS	#	Orioles	POS
1	Molitor	3B	1	Bumbry	CF
2	Yount	SS	2	Gulliver	3B
3	Cooper	1B	3	Singleton	DH
4	Simmons	C	4	Murray	1B
5	Oglivie	LF	5	Lowenstein	LF
6	Thomas	CF	6	Dwyer	RF
7	Howell	DH	7	Ripken	SS
8	Moore	RF	8	Dempsey	C
9	Romero	2B	9	Dauer	2B
	Sutton	SP		Palmer	SP

No Time to Panic

October 2 2 Comments

BALTIMORE — Deep breaths, Brewers fans. That was quite the shellacking the Crew took yesterday and it would be easy to become anxious. But the Crew still has two games to win one. The O’s have beaten the Crew two out of three times this season. Baltimore got its two and the law of averages says the Crew will take Saturday’s game.

It’s true that Doc Medich (12-14) doesn’t inspire much faith, but one would have to think Harvey’s Wallbangers would wake up some time in the series. Then again, they do face lefty Scott McGregor (14-12), who already has two of his 14 wins against the Brewers this season.

1982 Donruss Doc Medich — So the season rests on the shoulders of... Doc Medich??

So, the law of averages vs. the trending numbers. It’s no time to panic. Right? Crew?

Right?

Game time is 1:24 p.m. CT. Here are the lineups…

#	Brewers	POS	#	Orioles	POS
1	Molitor	3B	1	Bumbry	CF
2	Yount	SS	2	Gulliver	3B
3	Cooper	1B	3	Singleton	DH
4	Simmons	C	4	Murray	1B
5	Thomas	CF	5	Lowenstein	LF
6	Oglivie	LF	6	Ripken	SS
7	Money	DH	7	Dwyer	RF
8	Moore	RF	8	Dempsey	C
9	Gantner	2B	9	Dauer	2B
	Medich	SP		McGregor	SP

Anticipation of a Pennant

October 1 Leave a Comment

1982 Topps Stickers Pete Vuckovich — Pete Vuckovich will take the mound in Game 1 of today's double header.

BALTIMORE — You’re a Brewers fan and you’re like a kid on the last day of school, looking at the clock, waiting for the final bell to ring, ready to burst forth with joy and a feeling of freedom. In this case, it’s freedom from the O’s, the AL East and from the Crew’s humble and, at times, awful beginnings.

You are eager to see your heroes soaked in bubbly as much as they’re ready to taste it.

That taste, however, will need to wait because the Crew lost a 9-4 stinker in their series finale with the Red Sox and lost a game in the standings as the Orioles rallied with four runs in the ninth to beat the Tigers, 6-5. But in facing the O’s, the Crew’s Magic Number is now one (since a Brewers win equals an Orioles loss) as they lead the division with four games to play.

Just win one and the pennant is theirs. Win just one and history is secure. Win one and the city will be one step closer to its first World Series since the Braves in 1958.

Just one. It won’t be easy. All four games are in Baltim…

Wait, what? Four games? Yes, four. The schedule says three, but today the Crew and the O’s will go all Ernie Banks on us with a doubleheader to open the series.

One game is the continuation of a 2-2 tie between the teams on June 26. Mario Ziino, the assistant director of media relations for the Crew, explains:

“The Brewers game at Baltimore on June 16, 1982 was suspended after nine innings was complete because it ended in a 2-2 tie. The cause was rain at 12:05 a.m. The game was delayed twice at the start – first for 34 minutes following the first out (Paul Molitor) of the game and again for 43 minutes once the tarp was removed it had to be placed on the infield again. So at roughly 10 p.m. local time, the second batter of the game (Robin Yount) stood in the batter’s box. Because the teams had completed nine innings, the stats went into the books. The two teams would have to play the game over in its entirety, and was scheduled for the next first night Milwaukee came to town (October 1) as a twi-night doubleheader.

“A suspended game occurs when play is stopped with a tie score and both teams have completed an inning past the fifth. If it occurs before the fifth inning, the game is replayed and the stats are thrown out. It’s simply a rainout.”

So, there you have it. Starting with today’s twi-night doubleheader, the Crew and the O’s will play three games in a 24-hour span. The Brewers can save themselves some grief by taking one of these games today. But the Crew is 3-6 against the Orioles this season and just last weekend lost two of three at County Stadium to the O’s. Add to this the fact this could be Earl Weaver’s last stand as O’s manager, and not only will the Crew face a formidable foe, but they will also meet an emotionally charged foe.

Ace Pete Vuckovich (18-5) starts the first game at 4:30 p.m. CT against Dennis Martinez (15-12). Mike Caldwell (17-12) takes the hill in the nightcap.

Two aces, two chances to win one game and make Brewers history.

The anticipation is killing us. Here’s hoping the Birds don’t as well.

Ned [Bleeping] Yost

September 30 32 Comments

BOSTON — Atop the Milwaukee Brewers lineup there are three All-Stars — Paul Molitor, Robin Yount and Cecil Cooper — hitting above .300 with 75 combined home runs and nearly 300 RBI.

But who’s the guy that provides one of the biggest hits of the season? Ned Yost.

Yost2 — Ned Yost's timely home run puts the Brewers on the cusp of an AL East title.

Ned [Bleeping] Yost.

Here’s a guy with no homers and five runs batted in. Make that one home run and eight RBI as the Crew’s backup catcher saved the team’s bacon with a huge three-run shot in the ninth inning. Yost’s miracle gave the Brewers a 6-3 win.

Ned [Bleeping] Yost?

He’s the Brewers’ version of Bucky [Bleeping] Dent. Yost’s homer isn’t devestating to Red Sox Nation as the Red Sox are already dead, but I can imagine this is what Yankees fans felt when Dent scooted his shot just into the screen above the Monster. Yost’s three-run tater also scooted over the wall, into Brewers lore and into Brewers’ fans hearts.

Ned [Bleeping] Yost!

Combine that with the Orioles’ 3-2 loss in Detroit and the Crew leads the AL East by four with five games to play. The Brewers’ Magic Number is two. So, if the Brewers win and the O’s lose, Brewers fans get what they’ve dreamed of: a pennant.

Holy cow. So damn close you can almost taste the clubhouse Champagne and cigars. (And because they’re the Brewers, beer.) Could that come tonight? After dropping two in a row to the O’s in Milwaukee this past weekend, the Crew has reeled off two straight wins and the Orioles have lost two in a row. It’s almost too good to be true. Is it too good to be true? The Crew is that close to winning its first full-season pennant.

It will only be true, though, if the Brewers win. If they take care of business, they can cruise in Baltimore, rest some starters and look forward to playing the AL West winner. That will be up to the potent Crew offense and Slingin’ Jim Slaton (10-5). Dennis Eckersley (12-13) takes the hill for the Red Sox. Game time is 6:35 p.m. CT.

Ned [Bleeping] Yost. God bless him.