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Stieb TSN AL Pitcher of Year

The Sporting News today named Toronto’s Dave Stieb as the American League Pitcher of the Year, damaging the Cy Young hopes of Brewers pitcher Pete Vuckovich.

On Oct. 7, I broke down the competition and determined that Stieb is my Cy Young winner. I hoped at the time that I was trying too hard to be unbiased, that I overcompensated by choosing Stieb over Vuckovich. After today’s announcement from The Sporting News, the numbers may just stack up in Stieb’s favor after all. [Read more…] about Stieb TSN AL Pitcher of Year

Carlton TSN NL Pitcher of Year

October 21 Leave a Comment

The Sporting News announced today that it has named Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Steve Carlton the National League Pitcher of the Year.

The announcement came as a surprise to no one, as the dominant lefty is expected to take home the National League Cy Young hardware as well. The 37-year-old hurler dominated National League hitters, going 23-11 with a 3.10 ERA and 286 strikeouts. Carlton led the league in wins, games started (38), complete games (19), shutouts (6), innings pitched (295 2/3) and strikeouts. [Read more…] about Carlton TSN NL Pitcher of Year

Quotes from the American League Champs

October 10 Leave a Comment

The following quotes were taken by the Milwaukee Sentinel on the field and in the clubhouse following the Milwaukee Brewers’ 4-3 win over the California Angels today to advance to the World Series. Recap of the game can be found here.

Cecil Cooper on seventh inning hit: “When I walked up there all I could think about was getting another chance. You have to go up there thinking about staying under control, going the other way. I thought I might see (left hander Andy) Hassler in that situation.”

Cecil Cooper: “I’m just so excited I got a base hit and we won. It took me away from being a goat.”

Cecil Cooper: “For a minute I thought it would be caught because when you hit line drives they have a tendency to hang, especially with the wind blowing in like it was. I was motioning for it to go down. It got down.”

Jim Gantner on scoring go-ahead run: “I think I flew most of the way home. When Cecil walked up there, I had a feeling he was going to get a hit and I knew I was going to score from second. I had already made up my mind that I was going to score.”

Bob McClure on Marshall Edwards’ eighth inning catch of Don Baylor fly ball: “I thought it was out when he hit it. I just stood on the mound and said stay in, stay in and then I saw it go in his glove.”

Marshall Edwards: “I knew I had to jump. You know how tall I am.”

Harvey Kuenn: “We haven’t done things easy all year and that was just another example of it.”

Pete Ladd, who saved the game: “Pure ecstasy. I don’t ever think I’ve ever jumped for joy like that when I saw the ball hit Cecil’s glove. I didn’t care who was up in that situation. I wanted the ball in that kind of an opportunity. I’ve faced (Carew) three times now, and I’ve gotten him out three times. I’m sure in the future he’ll get his hits off me, and that’s fine – as long as he didn’t get one in that situation.”

Charlie Moore on his throw to nail Reggie Jackson at third in the fifth inning: “It turned out to be a big play because it kept them from scoring another run. Inside I was cheering myself on.”

Bob McClure on throwing one pitch to Reggie Jackson in the eighth: “I wasn’t even trying to get him to hit into a double play. I was trying to get a strikeout and see what would happen to the next hitter (Lynn). But it worked out.”

Paul Molitor: “I think what happened today typifies t he character of this team. Today was a great example. We were down, but not out. We came back.”

Pete Vuckovich, on if the Brewers are invincible: “That’s a heavy word. There are too many good teams and good players for anyone to be invincible. But we’re a very confident team. I’m so proud to be a part of this unit.”

Cecil Cooper on tagging Bob Grich with an empty glove: “I didn’t argue. I knew I had made a bone headed play. I simply panicked. Realized I couldn’t reach him with the ball in my bare hand, so I tried to do it that way. I turned to Bobby at first base and told him I screwed up. And I told the guys when I got to the dugout, ‘Just give me another chance to redeem myself.'”

Bud Selig, on comparing this win to final day win against Orioles: “I don’t know. Last weekend was gut wrenching. I’ve never been filled with such anxiety. I called it an ordeal. That’s what it was.”

Bud Selig, pointing to swarming fans on the field: “Look at that scene. That makes it worth it. It’s like living a dream.”

Paul Molitor: “One of the more gratifying things has been playing for Mr. Selig. Some of it goes back to Baltimore last week when he told us ‘win or lose’ he was proud of us. That’s why it was so great to go full cycle and win it for him.”

Harvey Kuenn, on his pick for ALCS MVP (Fred Lynn won it): “Why, I would have to pick Pete Ladd. And why would you have to say why?”

Pitching coach Pat Dobson on Ladd: “When he came here (July 15) he was a one pitch pitcher. He had no slider. But he’s very easy to instruct. He learned the slider and it’s helped him 100%. It’s a pitch he needed for his career.”

Rollie Fingers on Ladd: “What he did was no surprise to me. If he has his control you know he’ll be ok. This just goes to show you that one guy doesn’t win it for you.”

Don Sutton on Harvey Kuenn: “The man is like a conductor of an orchestra. He can’t play a single instrument but he sure blends everyone else together. He’s much like Walter Alston. He doesn’t believe people come to watch manager’s manage. He believes they come to see the players play.”

Harvey Kuenn: “Words can’t express how I feel. I’ve had a lot of thrills in this game, and this is the biggest of my whole life. This is a club molded of 25 guys and coaches. Everybody loves everybody else. They don’t care who gets the winning hit or who’s the winning pitcher as long as we win.”

Ben Oglivie: “We knew we couldn’t give up. We knew we had to be stalwart. We’ve had to fight a continuing battle all year. This club always battles.”

Gorman Thomas: “I could care less about my knee right now. I’m going to go out and get smoked tonight.”

Charlie Moore on his dance in right field: “I couldn’t stand still. I guess when you’ve never been there before, you don’t know how to react. I guess I kind of reacted stupidly. But there are no regrets. Not one regret.”

Quotes From the AL East Champs

October 3 Leave a Comment

The following quotes were gathered by the Milwaukee Sentinel in the champagne-soaked visitors’ clubhouse. You can also read the game recap of this epic game here.

Harvey Kuenn, on his visit to the mound in the eighth: “I was close to taking him (Sutton) out,” Keunn recalled. “But when he said he could get the next guy out, and being an honest guy like Sutton is, I certainly wasn’t going to take him out.”

Ted Simmons: “Yesterday, I felt like my heart was wide open and I felt they were ready to pluck it out. But this morning, I woke up and just started thinking about the game. Last year (when the Brewers won the second half title of the strike season) there was an asterisk. But this is what people in this business seek. This is a credential, and I earned it. And it was the hardest thing I’ve ever earned.”

Paul Molitor: “For the last three or four days, all I’ve been talking about is how resilient this team has been all year. If we had lost, I don’t know what I’d be saying right now. But we regrouped one more time. The home run by Robin in the first inning was just a sign to them that we weren’t going to roll over and play dead.”

Bud Selig: “All these kids are so happy and I’m so happy for them. But we still have a long way to go, we still have the Angels in front of us.”

Gorman Thomas: “Damn, this is why I love this game. Down to the last moment. I love it.”

Paul Molitor, about Selig’s talk before the game: “He just came in and told us how much he loved us and if we won or lost it wouldn’t change a thing. We were loose beforehand but that just gave us a little extra incentive to win for the man. He’s lived and died with this, through the good years and all the bad years. This has to be very gratifying to him.”

Harvey Kuenn on team’s chances today: “Honestly, there wasn’t a doubt in my mind and I don’t think there was any doubt in the minds of the guys who put on the uniform.”

Jim Palmer: “Robin’s a fine player, but there are three or four MVP’s on that club. I don’t know why they always single him out.”

Don Sutton on discussion with home plate umpire Don Denkinger prior to the bottom of the third: “He said that somehow a mysteriously scuffed ball had gotten into the game. He asked me not to throw it if I found one. I asked him if I was supposed to play policeman and check all the balls. He said, ‘no, he’d take care of that, but he would certainly be happy if I didn’t find anymore.’ I said, ‘Me too because they sure are hard to throw straight.'”

Don Sutton on accusations: “I’ve never cut a baseball in my life. I’m tired of hearing this stuff. I’m the most accused and least convicted guy in America.”

Don Sutton: “Robin Yount is the best athlete I have ever played with. He’s not an All Star, he’s not an MVP, he’s All World. I’ve played with some great people but he stands taller than the rest.”

Robin Yount, on losing the batting title to Willie Wilson by .00092 points: “The batting title was the last thing on my mind. There were more important things to talk about. If it was up to me, they wouldn’t have that award (MVP). One guy can’t carry a team for 162 games. The only awards that should be given in this game are team awards.”

Harvey Kuenn on Don Sutton: “He had a sore throat this week. He took something for it and broke out in a rash. I don’t think he had a rash today though. He had a good fastball, changeup, slider and curve, but no rash.”

Don Sutton: “I had a sore throat, I took a penicillin shot to get rid of it – something I’ve done my whole life and it kicked back on me for the first time. I took penicillin to get rid of the cold, cortisone to get rid of the penicillin and water to get rid of the cortisone. I guess you could say it was better pitching through chemistry.”

Don Sutton: “The key thing wasn’t what I did, it was the play Benji made (in the 8th). I have thought all along that this club could win with or without me. This is the best collection of talent I’ve ever been associated with. I’m just happy to be along for this ride.”

Harvey Kuenn on Yount: “He’s the best overall shortstop I have ever seen. There’s no question in my mind he’s MVP, and it’s just a shame he didn’t win the batting title. There are not enough words to describe him.”

Brewers Confirm 3 Sent to Houston

September 3 Leave a Comment

MILWAUKEE — On August 30, the Milwaukee Brewers acquired veteran pitcher Don Sutton from the Houston Astros in a blockbuster deal for three unnamed players. No reason was ever given for why the names of those players were not immediately released even though they were known by both clubs. We now know.

FuturestarsFront — Frank DiPino is one of the three players heading to Houston for Don Sutton.

Brewers general manager Harry Dalton confirmed that the three heading to Houston are outfielder Kevin Bass and pitchers Frank DiPino and Mike Madden.

All three were players who were held in high regard in the organization. Bass, 23, was viewed as the future heir to right field, the one offensive weakness of this current team. He starred for Vancouver this season, hitting .315 with 17 homers, 65 RBI and 23 stolen bases. On the flip side, he didn’t get a hit in nine at bats for the Brewers and was eventually sent down in favor of Marshall Edwards.

Though the 25-year-old DiPino never played on the Brewers’ roster this season, he actually made two appearances last season, pitching 2 1/3 hittless innings. In his second season with Vancouver, he was solid though unspectacular, going 13-9 with a 4.03 ERA.

The 25-year-old Madden impressed this spring, but he struggled mightily in Vancouver. He went 3-8, entirely as a starter, with an ugly 7.03 ERA and 60 walks in 80 2/3 innings. It was actually his second disappointing season after cruising through two years of A ball.

Will Brewers fans regret giving up any of these players? Only time will tell. But if Sutton can take the team to the playoffs and beyond, these names will be forgotten.

Breaking: Brewers Trade for Don Sutton

August 30 Leave a Comment

MILWAUKEE — Immediately following tonight’s game, rumors started leaking out of Houston that the Milwaukee Brewers had acquired veteran starting pitcher Don Sutton from the Astros for three undisclosed players.

1982 Topps Don Sutton — The Brewers acquired Don Sutton from the Houston Astros in a blockbuster deal.

We now have confirmation from general manager Harry Dalton that the trade has been completed. Dalton says the deal was in the works for nearly a month, but the pieces finally came together today. Since the deal was made before rosters expand on September 1, Sutton would be eligible for the playoff roster.

That was the professional report. Now, the fan reaction…

OH MY GOD!!!! WE GOT DON SUTTON! HOLY CRAP, WE GOT DON SUTTON!!!!

Don Sutton has 274 career wins. Don Sutton. On the Milwaukee Brewers. This… is… awesome.

Sutton is having a terrific season with Houston, going 13-8 with a 3.00 ERA. The ERA may be a bit deflated in a league in which pitchers hit, but it’s obvious this is an enormous upgrade for the Brewers. This is how the Brewers rotation now stacks up, assuming none of the current members are involved in the deal:

Don Sutton (13-8, 3.00 ERA)
Pete Vuckovich (15-4, 3.22 ERA)
Mike Caldwell (12-11, 4.07 ERA)
Bob McClure (10-6, 4.13 ERA)
Moose Haas (9-8, 4.85 ERA)

And Doc Medich either heads to the bullpen or retires to be a doctor or something.

Not so bad, eh? This is a playoff rotation, my friends.

Let the speculation begin on the three players heading back. The Astros, at 62-69 and fifth place in the NL West, are in rebuilding mode. In all likelihood, they want prospects. That’s perfect for the Brewers since they would not want to shake up the current roster, considering how great the chemistry has been.

Brace yourself for top prospects heading the way of the Astros. I’m just hoping it’s not Randy Ready, Kevin Bass or Frank DiPino.