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Yount’s Glove Golden

The Rawlings Gold Glove winners were announced today, as voted on by managers and coaches. Robin Yount adds yet another award to his trophy case with his first Gold Glove.

Yount committed 24 errors as the Brewers’ shortstop for a .969 fielding percentage, and he was part of 94 double plays. It was Robin’s first career Gold Glove, but his eighth major award in recognition of an historic 1982 season.

It was also the first Gold Glove for pitcher Ron Guidry and first baseman Eddie Murray. Second baseman Frank White won for the sixth time, while outfielder Dwight Evans (five), third baseman Buddy Bell (four) and the trio of catcher Bob Boone and outfielders Dwayne Murphy and Dave Winfield each won for the third time.

Pitcher: Ron Guidry, NYY
Catcher: Bob Boone, CAL
1st Base: Eddie Murray, BAL
2nd Base: Frank White, KCR
3rd Base: Buddy Bell, TEX
Shortstop: Robin Yount, MIL
Outfield: Dwayne Murphy, OAK
Outfield: Dwight Evans, BOS
Outfield: Dave Winfield, NYY

Yount Wins AL MVP

November 9 3 Comments

Yount’s amazing season was rewarded with an AL MVP award.

MILWAUKEE — It started with a single voice. One prescient, informed voice.

“M-V-P! M-V-P!”

Or maybe it started as a joke. Maybe it was some two-fist slopper in the grandstand, soused to the gills and slurring.

“M-V-P! M-V-P!”

Whether it started as an honest examination of the season or whether it started in jest, Brewers fans birthed and owned the chant of “M-V-P!” in 1982. Though it wouldn’t count, it was the Brewers’ fans vote for their hero, The Kid, Robin Yount.

Today, the Baseball Writers of Association America made it official, but shockingly not unanimous. Yount won 27 of 28 of the first place votes and 385 total points to win the American League Most Valuable Player award. Of course, the BBWAA is the same prestigious group who have never unanimously elected anyone to the Hall of Fame, including Hank Aaron earlier this season. (Really, the guy hits 755 home runs, and there are a few who don’t think he’s a Hall of Famer? Idiots.)

Yount missed becoming the AL’s first unanimous selection since Reggie Jackson. In a bitter irony, Jackson received the other first-place vote. Who knew it was like Heisman Trophy voting where past winners get a chance to cast a ballot? (That’s a joke, just like Yount not winning unanimously.)

“It’s quite an honor,” said a humble Yount. “I feel it’s the type of award you couldn’t win without the help from everybody else.”

Robin is the ultimate teammate, and it’s his humility that may have kept Golla from voting for him. As Yount says, he couldn’t have done it without his teammates.

But those teammates and his coaches love him. And ultimately, Robin doesn’t care about that one vote or the award.

“I’m very happy for him because he’s definitely deserved being named Most Valuable Player,” said manager Harvey Kuenn. “As far as I’m concerned, he’s the best shortstop I’ve ever seen play.”

That great shortstop far outpaced Baltimore’s Eddie Murray, who finished second with 228 points, and California’s Doug Decinces was third with 178. Jackson was fourth.

The Crew’s amazing season was rewarded in the voting as five Brewers received MVP votes: Cecil Cooper finished fifth, Gorman Thomas finished eighth, and Paul Molitor, Pete Vuckovich and Rollie Fingers also received votes.

Except for one moronic voter, there was no other choice. But the voices inside County Stadium rang true. They knew, and soon so did everyone else.

“M-V-P! M-V-P! M-V-P! M-V-P!”

Player – Tm	Pts	1st	AVG	HR	RBI	W	ERA	SV
Robin Yount, MIL	385	27	.331	29	114
Eddie Murray, BAL	228	0	.316	32	110
Doug DeCinces, CAL	178	0	.301	30	97
Hal McRae, KCR	175	0	.308	27	133
Cecil Cooper, MIL	152	0	.313	32	121
R. Jackson, CAL	107	1	.275	39	101
Dwight Evans, BOS	57	0	.292	32	98
G. Thomas, MIL	44	0	.245	39	112
D Quisenberry, KCR	39	0		0	0	9	2.57	35
R. Henderson, OAK	38	0	.267	10	51
Dave Winfield, NYY	33	0	.280	37	106
Paul Molitor, MIL	29	0	.302	19	71
Lance Parrish, DET	26	0	.284	32	87
Brian Downing, CAL	22	0	.281	28	84
Willie Wilson, KCR	16	0	.332	3	46
Bob Boone, CAL	12	0	.256	7	58
Rollie Fingers, MIL	12	0		0	0	5	2.6	29
P. Vuckovich, MIL	11	0		0	0	18	3.34	0
Jim Rice, BOS	10	0	.309	24	97
Harold Baines, CHW	9	0	.271	25	105
George Brett, KCR	9	0	.301	21	82
Toby Harrah, CLE	9	0	.304	25	78
Don Baylor, CAL	8	0	.263	24	93
A. Thornton, CLE	8	0	.273	32	116
Bob Stanley, BOS	6	0		0	0	12	3.1	14
Rod Carew, CAL	5	0	.319	3	44
D. Garcia, TOR	5	0	.310	5	42
Jim Palmer, BAL	5	0		0	0	15	3.13	1
Bill Caudill, SEA	4	0		0	0	12	2.35	26
Buddy Bell, TEX	3	0	.296	13	67
Cal Ripken, BAL	3	0	.264	28	93
C. Lansford, BOS	1	0	.301	11	63
Rick Sutcliffe, CLE	1	0		0	0	14	2.96	1
Gary Ward, MIN	1	0	.289	28	91

Cooper, Yount are Silver Sluggers

November 8 2 Comments

NL Award Winners

The votes are in from the American League managers and coaches, and the Brewers’ Robin Yount and Cecil Cooper were named the best offensive players at their respective positions.

Yount is being recognized seemingly every day for another award following his historic 1982 season. It is the second time he has been a Silver Slugger, winning it first in 1980.

Cecil Cooper is a three time Silver Slugger winner, taking the honors in each of the last three seasons. Often overshadowed by Yount this year, Cooper was spectacular. Second only to his amazing 1980 season, Cooper hit .313 with 32 homers and 121 RBI.

It’s not surprising that multiple Brewers would make the list. And not to get greedy, but you could make an argument for Paul Molitor, Gorman Thomas, Ben Oglivie and Ted Simmons as well. Though to be fair, all winners were deserving, and are probably more deserving than the Brewers just mentioned.

What do you think? Were any Brewers snubbed?

Pos: Player, Tm	AVG	HR	RBI	H	2B	3B	SB
C: Lance Parrish, DET	.284	32	87	138	19	2	3
1B: Cecil Cooper, MIL	.313	32	121	205	38	3	2
2B: Damaso Garcia, TOR	.310	5	42	185	32	3	54
3B: Doug DeCinces, CAL	.301	30	97	173	42	5	7
SS: Robin Yount, MIL	.331	29	114	210	46	12	14
OF: Reggie Jackson, CAL	.275	39	101	146	17	1	4
OF: Willie Wilson, KCR	.332	3	46	194	19	15	37
OF: Dave Winfield, NYY	.280	37	106	151	24	8	5
DH: Hal McRae, KCR	.308	27	133	189	46	8	4

NL Silver Sluggers Announced

November 8 Leave a Comment

Mike Schmidt — Schmidt won his third consecutive Silver Slugger.

AL Award Winners

The National League managers and coaches have spoken, and the annual Silver Slugger Awards have been announced to recognize the most prolific hitters in the league at each position.

Anyone get left off here? What about Lonnie Smith of the St. Louis Cardinals in the outfield? He hit .307 with 68 stolen bases. Or Jack Clark, who hit 27 homers and drove in 103 for the San Francisco Giants? Bill Buckner of the Chicago Cubs hit .306 and drove in 105, but it’s tough to argue with Al Oliver. It’s tough to argue with any of the winners, for that matter.

Pos: Player, Tm	AVG	HR	RBI	H	2B	3B	SB
P: Don Robinson, PIT	.282	2	16	24	5	0	0
C: Gary Carter, MON	.293	29	97	163	32	1	2
1B: Al Oliver, MON	.331	22	109	204	43	2	5
2B: Joe Morgan, SFG	.289	14	61	134	19	4	24
3B: Mike Schmidt, PHI	.280	35	87	144	26	3	14
SS: Dave Concepcion, CIN	.287	5	53	164	25	4	13
OF: Dale Murphy, ATL	.281	36	109	168	23	2	23
OF: Leon Durham, CHC	.312	22	90	168	33	7	28
OF: Pedro Guerrero, LAD	.304	32	100	175	27	5	22

Bob McClure a Free Agent

November 5 Leave a Comment

The Brewers announced today that left handed pitcher Bob McClure has been granted free agency. Though McClure is expected to get significant interest from other teams on the open market, McClure says he wants to remain a Brewer.

Should the Brewers bring McClure back for the 1983 season?

“I definitely want to stay in Milwaukee,” McClure said. “Bud (Selig) and Harry (Dalton) have been excellent to me. I hope it doesn’t come to the point where we can’t reach terms.”

McClure has been in Milwaukee since a 1977 trade with the Kansas City Royals. Prior to 1982, the 30-year-old hurler was used almost exclusively out of the bullpen. But the Brewers had trouble finding stability in the back-end of their rotation early on last season, so McClure got to see action as a starter in 26 games.

Considering it was his first full season used mainly as a starter, 1982 was arguably McClure’s most productive season. He established career-highs in wins (12), innings pitched (172 2/3) and strikeouts (99) while sporting a solid 4.22 ERA. His use as a starter came to an end in mid-September, but McClure allowed only one earned run out of the bullpen in his final 4 2/3 innings pitched.

As a left-handed pitcher with versatility as a starting pitcher and a reliever, McClure realizes this is his time to maximize his value.

“I have to think about my family, too,” said McClure. “This may be my only shot at this. But I hope it all works out.”

Don Sutton, Pete Vuckovich, and Mike Caldwell will anchor the pitching staff again in 1982. If he returns, McClure would challenge Moose Haas, Jim Slaton, and possibly youngster Chuck Porter for the final two spots.

There are several left-handed pitchers available on the free agent market, but only one (Floyd Bannister) is a full-time starter with the credentials of McClure. The Mariners and Angels couldn’t agree on a trade, so Bannister has officially become a free agent. But Bannister is likely to be too pricey for the Brewers, making resigning McClure all the more important.

In other Brewers pitching news, Doc Medich has retired to pursue a career in medicine. It was a move that many expected prior to the Brewers acquiring the veteran hurler from Texas during the season.

Vuke Wins AL Cy Young

November 3 Leave a Comment

The Baseball Writers Association of America announced today that Pete Vuckovich of the Milwaukee Brewers is their choice for the American League Cy Young Award, given to the league’s best pitcher.

Pete Vuckovich was voted the American League’s best pitcher.

Though Vuke had been seen as one of the favorites to win the award, the announcement came as something of a surprise since Toronto’s Dave Stieb was named the American League Pitcher of the Year by The Sporting News. In fact, even California’s Geoff Zahn beat out Vuckovich to make the Sporting News team. That said, pitching awards for the American League have been across the board this year. While Vuckovich didn’t make the TSN AL team, he was named the best right-handed pitcher in all of baseball by the Associated Press and was also named to the UPI AL team.

Forgive the voters for their lack of commitment, though, since this year marked one of the weakest AL Cy Young fields. In fact, it may have been the weakest.

Vuke finished the year 18-6 with a 3.34 ERA. Certainly impressive stats, but it was the first time a non-starting pitcher with fewer than 20 wins won the award since it was first handed out in 1958, and his ERA was also the highest of any Cy Young winner. Vuke also stumbled down the stretch, failing to win after a classic September 20 in 11 innings at Fenway Park (though his postseason failures were not considered).

Put all of that aside. Someone had to win, and the voters considered Vuke the most worthy candidate.

“I really feel great about it,” Vuke said, “but I can’t take full credit for it. I just happen to be lucky enough to be out there on the days the team’s playing well enough for me to be a winner. It feels great, it really does, but I’d like to break it up into 25 pieces. Thirty pieces.”

Vuke is humble, but he’s right. When you win as many games as he’s won with only six losses and a somewhat modest ERA, luck certainly plays into it.

“That’s the best election result of the day,” said satisfied general manager Harry Dalton. “I’m so happy for Pete. He’s pitched well enough to win it for two years. I knew he earned it, he should get it, but whether the people voting would recognize that, you’re never sure. This gives him the type of recognition he’s truly earned the past two years. I’m just thrilled for him.”

Speaking of the last two years, the Brewers are now a Robin Yount MVP away from sweeping the two major awards two years running. Reliever Rollie Fingers won both the AL MVP and Cy Young awards last season.

Vuckovich received 14 of the possible 28 first-place votes while the leftovers were split up among Toronto’s Dave Stieb (five), Baltimore’s Jim Palmer (four), Kansas City’s Dan Quisenberry (four), and Cleveland’s Rick Sutcliffe (one).

Player – Tm	Pts	1st	W	L	SO	SV	IP	ERA
P Vuckovich, MIL	87	14	18	6	105	0	223.2	3.34
Jim Palmer, BAL	59	4	15	5	103	1	227.0	3.13
D Quisenberry, KCR	40	4	9	7	46	35	136.2	2.57
Dave Stieb, TOR	36	5	17	14	141	0	288.1	3.25
Rick Sutcliffe, CLE	14	1	14	8	142	1	216.0	2.96
Geoff Zahn, CAL	7	0	18	8	81	0	229.1	3.73
Bill Caudill, SEA	4	0	12	9	111	26	95.2	2.35
Bob Stanley, BOS	4	0	12	7	83	14	168.1	3.10
Dan Petry, DET	1	0	15	9	132	0	246.0	3.22