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Brewers 1982

Brewers 1982

Covering the Milwaukee Brewers throughout the 1982 season, in real-time, as it would have happpened.

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Bobby Grich

Brewers are World Series Bound!

October 10

Brewers 4, Angels 3
Brewers win ALCS 3-2
Box Score | Season Schedule

Brewers fans storm the field
Brewers fans storm the field after Game 5 win

MILWAUKEE — Down two games to none just a few days ago, the Brewers had little hope of a World Series. Today, as I stand on the County Stadium infield with Pete Ladd‘s cap in my hand, the fans finally trickling back into the stands, we can say it: The Milwaukee Brewers are American League Champions.

Yes, after yet another heart-stopping, come-from-behind performance on Sunday, the Brewers beat the Angels 4-3 to advance to the World Series against either the Atlanta Braves or St. Louis Cardinals (the Cardinals lead two games to none and play tonight in Atlanta).

Declaring that baseball is a “game of inches” may be cliche, but today’s pennant deciding game was a prime example. There were several plays and non-plays, bounces of chance and clutch displays of amazing skill that led us to this celebratory stage. The game may have lasted three hours and one minute, but it was boiling over with memorable moments to last a lifetime. Let’s break it down…

Defense Early
Poor defense could have played the Brewers out of the game early, committing four errors in the first four innings.

With one out in the first and a runner on second, Reggie Jackson hit a liner at Molitor, who made a nice diving catch. However, Molitor then tried to make a quick throw to second to double up Downing, but no one was covering and the throw hit Downing on the helmet. The errant throw allowed Downing to move to third. The next batter, Fred Lynn, continued to destroy Brewers pitching by hitting a line drive base hit into left field that Oglivie misplayed. His error allowed Lynn to move to second. While allowing Lynn to move up wasn’t damaging (he would not score), Oglivie may have had a shot at Downing at home if not for the combination of the two errors. Frankly, the Brewers were lucky to allow only one run in the first.

With a runner on second and no one out in the fourth, Bobby Grich laid down a bunt towards first. Cecil Cooper picked it up, pulled the ball out of his glove and tagged Grich, who was moving into foul territory to avoid the tag. The problem was that Cooper was holding the ball in his bare hand and tagged Grich with an empty glove. Grich was initially called out, but after the Angels complained, home plate umpire Don Denkinger reversed the call and California had runners at the corners with no one out. Cooper did not tag Grich, this is true. The actual question is whether Grich ran outside of the baseline to avoid the tag. Regardless, it was ruled a sacrifice and an error on Cooper.

It would be a costly error. After Foli popped out to Cooper for the first out, Bob Boone executed his second squeeze bunt of the series to score DeCinces from third. While Boone would be safe on the play, it’s unlikely the Angels attempt a squeeze bunt had Grich been tagged out, making it two outs with Boone at the plate and a runner on third.

That said, it again could have been worse. Brian Downing grounded into an inning ending double play to keep the score at 3-1 Angels.

Defense Later
That double play in the fourth was the start of a new Brewers defense in this game. Up until that point, Milwaukee’s glovemen appeared content to throw the game away. From that poing forward, they did all thew could to save it.

The next big, game saving play came in the fifth. With one down and Reggie Jackson at first, Fred Lynn hit a bouncing ball over Cecil Cooper for a hit. Charlie Moore charged it down the first base line, and made a perfect throw on a line straight into Molitor’s glove without a bounce to nail Jackson. It was an unbelievable throw for the second out of the inning. Don Baylor, the next batter, would get another base hit that would have scored Jackson to make it a 4-2 game. Instead, the Angels did not score, and it remained 3-2. The Angels would have other opportunities to test Moore’s arm throughout the game, and each time they would pass.

The biggest play of the game was made by the most unlikely of heroes. Gorman Thomas is noticeably hobbled by a sore right knee, and it is affecting his play at the plate and in the field. With the Brewers up 4-3 in the eighth, Harvey Kuenn decided to lift Gorman from the game in favor of the speedy Marshall Edwards. The move would pay off almost immediately.

With one down, Don Baylor tested the new fielder with a rocket into the gap in left center. Edwards raced back to the track, leaping and crashing into the wall. The ball would have hit the top of the wall, but instead rested comfortably in the young center fielder’s glove. Doug DeCinces would then connect on a base hit into right that undoubtedly would have scored Baylor. Edwards saved a run.

Between these two plays, the Brewers defense saved at least two runs in spectacular fashion. Without either play, it would likely have been a different conclusion.

Molitor’s Baserunning
Paul Molitor led off the first inning with a line drive base hit into left field. Off the bat of any other hitter, it’s an automatic single. The ball was not in the gap, but was one that Downing charged head on. Molitor, though, was thinking two bases as soon as he hit it. The grass wet from rain, the ball slowed on its way to Downing and Molitor took second easily. Robin Yount then moved Molitor over to third on a ground out.

With one down, Cecil Cooper hit a ground ball to Doug DeCinces at third. DeCinces was distracted by Molitor at third and faked him back to the base before throwing a ball in the dirt to first. Molitor’s presence on third caused the throwing error, and there were runners on the corners and one out. If Molitor had been on second, he would have stayed there with the grounder to the left side, and Cooper is undoubtedly thrown out for the second of the inning.

Then, with one down instead of two, Ted Simmons hit a sacrifice fly that scored Molitor. Molitor’s single that turned into a double not only kept the number of outs to one instead of two, but it allowed him to get to third sooner to be in position for the sacrifice fly. That run was entirely thanks to Molitor.

Missed Opportunities
While the defense began turning things around in the fourth, the offense would not cooperate when given the opportunities in the middle innings. Missed opportunities at the plate — and an unfortunately placed grounder — nearly cost this team the game.

With Molitor and Gantner on 1st and 2nd and no outs in the 3rd, Robin Yount hit a smash right at Doug DeCinces at third, who was a step away from the bag. DeCinces quickly stepped on third and fired to second for a double play. Grich was taken out on a slide by Molitor, but otherwise it was very close to a triple play. It was a well hit ball, but it resulted in two outs and a runner on first. The Brewers would not be able to score in the third, and remained down 2-1.

In the fifth inning and the Angels leading 3-2, Cecil Cooper came up in his first clutch opportunity with two down and runners at first and second. Cooper struck out, and the Angels remained in the lead.

Oglivie Homer
Ben Oglivie didn’t play in Saturday’s game. The decision was likely two fold: Oglivie had gone 1-for-11 in the ALCS, and he injured his ribs in a collision with the wall on a Fred Lynn double in Game 3. The switch to Mark Brouhard for Game 4 proved to be one of the most ingenious moves of the series, as the back-up outfielder would key the Brewers win.

Oglivie returned to the lineup today, and he took several awkward swings that would lead observers to believe that his sore ribs were affecting his play. However, with one down in the bottom of the fourth, Oglivie hit a Bruce Kison changeup over the right field wall to make it a 3-2 game.

The run was crucial for an offense having trouble scoring. It kept the Brewers close and made the eventual win possible.

Relief Pitching
In a series with an unending list of story lines, the emergence of the Brewers bullpen is near the top. It was this group that struggled so mightily during the past couple of months, giving away several leads and wins along the way. But relief pitching was this team’s shining star in the ALCS.

With one down in the seventh, Brewers starter Pete Vuckovich walked Rod Carew. Harvey Kuenn summoned lefty Bob McClure, who induced a Reggie Jackson inning-ending double play on his first pitch. McClure would then cruise through the eighth, aided significantly by Edwards’ play in the outfield.

McClure would give up a lead-off single to Ron Jackson in the top of the ninth with a one run lead. Pete Ladd then came on to replace McClure. Bob Boone bunted over the runner for the first out, and Ladd got the final two batters to ground out to end the game.

The Brewers bullpen allowed one earned run on only five hits in 10 2/3 innings in this series. Pete Ladd was the poster boy of relief success, retiring all 10 batters he faced and striking out five. The impressive performance of the bullpen was a big reason this team is advancing to the World Series.

Clutch Hitting and Lucky Bounces
With one down in the seventh, Charlie Moore hit a jam shot that was falling into no-man’s land behind the pitcher’s mound. Bobby Grich dove and caught it on the bounce. The attempt was correctly called a trap, to Grich’s dismay, and Moore was safe on an infield single. But had Grich caught the ball, there would have been two down.

Gantner then hit a single and Molitor popped out into foul territory. Again, had Grich made the catch, the inning would have been over. Instead, Robin Yount was up with a man on first and two down. Yount took a very close pitch for ball four that could have conceivably been called either way, and Cecil Cooper was then up with two down and the bases loaded.

Had Grich made that catch or a ball been instead called a strike, this inning was over. Instead, Cooper came up and laced a two-RBI single into left to take a 4-3 lead. It was the biggest hit in the history of this franchise. But a hit that needed assistance to be possible.

Destiny
Is baseball a game of inches? Damn right it is. I recognize that had several bounces gone a different way, the Brewers’ season would be over. I also recognize that the incredible skill displayed by the defense (after a bad start) and bullpen as well as some very clutch baserunning and hitting led to this win. The Brewers earned every bit of the American League Championship.

But with each big play that leads to another jaw-dropping win, it’s becoming clear that the Brewers aren’t just a good team. They are a great team. And a team of destiny.

Your American League Champion Brewers will face either the Braves or Cardinals in the World Series on October 12, though it may start later depending on the completion date of the NLCS.

Filed Under: Game Recap Tagged With: Angels, Ben Oglivie, Bob Boone, Bob McClure, Bobby Grich, Brian Downing, Bruce Kison, Cecil Cooper, Charlie Moore, Don Baylor, Doug DeCinces, Fred Lynn, Gorman Thomas, Harvey Kuenn, Mark Brouhard, Marshall Edwards, Paul Molitor, Pete Ladd, Pete Vuckovich, Reggie Jackson, Robin Yount, Rod Carew, Ron Jackson, Ted Simmons

ALCS Game 1 Preview

October 5

ANAHEIM — We’re in Anaheim and properly jet-lagged. The only cure for jet lag is a few brews. Logically, we have been looking for a place to tailgate, but finding nothing. We’re not in Milwaukee anymore, people. Luckily we’ve found some other Brewers fans in a nearby watering hole. Tip another!

Sure, we’re still celebrating that big win against the Orioles. While we may have felt a sense of accomplishment after the Brewers finally clinched the AL East, those feelings will soon be replaced with jitters. How will the Brewers fare on the big stage? It’ll be a nationally televised game, the only game on tonight. The NLCS doesn’t start until tomorrow.

We’ve got Mike Caldwell up against the Angels’ version of Don Sutton, Tommy John. You may recall that John was among the pitchers available in August, and the Brewers struck instead with Sutton. John has been excellent since being acquired from the Yankees, going 4-2 with a 3.86 ERA.

Mike Caldwell has been the Brewers’ iron man this season, throwing 12 complete games and three shutouts. Don Sutton and Pete Vuckovich may get all of the attention, but Caldwell has been nearly as good, going 17-13 with a 3.91 ERA. Caldwell had a rough time in his last start against the Orioles (seven earned runs on 13 hits in seven innings), but he’s also pitched seven innings or more in 14 consecutive starts. Rest comfortably with Caldwell on the hill, Brewers fans.

Caldwell has a tough assignment in the Angels. California finished the regular season strong, winning their final three games against the Rangers and taking 11 of their last 15. This is a strong team, both offensively and defensively. The Angels ranked second in both runs scored and runs allowed, so Harvey’s Wallbangers will have their work cut out for them.

Lynn, Baylor, Jackson and Carew will give Brewers pitching all that they can handle

If you think you can stop the Angels by stopping a single player, think again. Their lineup is loaded, and in many ways an equal to the Brewers’ record-setting bunch. Doug DeCinces (.301, 30 HR, 97 RBI) and Reggie Jackson (.275, 39 HR, 101 RBI) have been the team’s offensive stars, and both will be mentioned in MVP talk. But you can’t overlook other cogs in the lineup, including Fred Lynn (.299, 21 HR, 86 RBI), Rod Carew (.319, 3 HR, 44 RBI), Bobby Grich (.261, 19 HR, 65 RBI), Brian Downing (.281, 28 HR, 84 RBI) and Don Baylor (.263, 24 HR, 93 RBI).

Eesh. That’s a lot to worry about.

Quite frankly, the Angels are just as good as the Brewers. Both teams will score runs. Both teams have solid pitching, thanks largely to late-season additions. Any disparities are minimal.

Big game, Brewers fans. Our team needs this one. The final win of the regular season should provide some momentum. Win this game on the road against the Angels’ best pitcher, and it’ll be smooth sailing.

Here are today’s lineups. Start time is 7:25 PM CT. Go Crew!

# Brewers POS
1 Molitor 3B
2 Yount SS
3 Cooper 1B
4 Simmons C
5 Thomas CF
6 Oglivie LF
7 Money DH
8 Moore RF
9 Gantner 2B
Caldwell SP
 
# Angels POS
1 Downing LF
2 DeCinces 3B
3 Grich 2B
4 Baylor DH
5 Jackson RF
6 Lynn CF
7 Carew 1B
8 Foli SS
9 Boone C
John SP
 

Filed Under: ALCS Preview Tagged With: Angels, Bobby Grich, Brian Downing, Don Baylor, Don Sutton, Doug DeCinces, Fred Lynn, Mike Caldwell, Pete Vuckovich, Reggie Jackson, Rod Carew, Tommy John

Teammates Pick Vuke Up in Win

September 4

Brewers 8, Angels 2
Brewers now 80-55 (1st by 4.0 games)
Box Score | Season Schedule

Pete Vuckovich
Vuke got the job done today, with a little help from his friends.

MILWAUKEE — It appeared that Pete Vuckovich didn’t have it today. It appeared he’d be taking a quick shower. Then his teammates picked him up.

In the first, Vuke needed all the help he could get. Bobby Grich led off with a drive to deep left. Marshall Edwards raced it down and made a brilliant catch, crashing into the wall.

Rod Carew then singled to left. Brian Downing hit a liner into center, but Gorman Thomas made a nice running catch. Vuke walked Reggie Jackson. He walked Doug DeCinces. Then he uncorked a wild pitch that allowed the first run of the game to score.

But with two down and runners at second and third, Gorman Thomas was going to help his buddy get out of it. Don Baylor laced a sinking liner to center. Gorman charged and laid out at full extension, making the catch.

Vuckovich allowed one run that inning, but without the help from his friends it could have been much, much worse. It’s likely he wouldn’t have gotten out of that inning at all.

He wasn’t sharp on this day, but Vuke would get himself out of jams from that point forward. Runners were stranded at second and third in the fourth, and first and second in the sixth and seventh. He’d bend, but he would not break.

Meanwhile, his teammates put runs on the board. Jim Gantner, Ted Simmons, Gorman Thomas, Paul Molitor, Robin Yount, and even Rob Picciolo came through with RBI hits. Vuke held on and his teammates tacked on.

After Brian Downing flied to left for the final out of the game and Vuke picked up his career best 16th win, it was congratulatory handshakes and hugs all around. Vuke and Gorman embraced as they walked off the field.

“He said a few things to me,” Vuke joked. “I’m the worst, the usual.”

He eventually revealed that he simply told Gorman thanks for the defense.

“These guys have been bailing me out all year, especially Thomas. Our defense is underrated.”

The defense has gotten a bad rap all season, and some of it deserved. But as a team, no one is playing better right now.

They’re playing so well that the team received permission from the Commissioner’s Office to sell playoff and World Series tickets. Beginning September 8, fans can start mailing in their orders.

The Brewers would have home field advantage for the ALCS but not the World Series (if they get to either series, of course — don’t want to jinx it). The ALCS would begin on October 5 and 6 with games 3, 4 and (if necessary) 5 in Milwaukee on October 8, 9 and 10.

The World Series, if you want to think that far ahead, will start in a National League park on October 12 and 13. If we are so lucky, World Series baseball will come to Milwaukee on October 15, 16 and (if necessary) 17.

Want tickets? They’ll cost ya.

A box seat for the ALCS is $17 and $24 for the World Series. A strip of six tickets for each possible game is $123. Grandstand tickets are $12/$18/$90 and bleachers are $5/$8/$39.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to talk to a witch doctor about reversing the possible curse I just created.

Filed Under: Game Recap Tagged With: Angels, Bobby Grich, Brian Downing, Don Baylor, Doug DeCinces, Gorman Thomas, Jim Gantner, Marshall Edwards, Paul Molitor, Pete Vuckovich, Reggie Jackson, Rob Picciolo, Robin Yount, Rod Carew, Ted Simmons

Sixth Inning of Hell Leads to Loss

September 3

Angels 5, Brewers 2
Brewers now 79-55 (1st by 3.5 games)
Box Score | Season Schedule

Jim Gantner
Jim Gantner's miscue in the sixth helped the Angels score four runs.

MILWAUKEE — For the third consecutive game, the mighty Brewers offense managed to score only two runs. Yet the discussion following tonight’s loss focused elsewhere.

The talk was about the shaky and controversial sixth inning with the Angels batting and the Brewers leading 2-1. With Rod Carew on first and no outs, Doug DeCinces hit a grounder right at Jim Gantner for a sure double play. Or so it seemed.

“It should have been a double play,” Gantner admitted after the game. “I just got my hand in the way. It wasn’t a bad hop or anything, I just got my hand in too far and it hit the thumb on my bare hand.”

Gantner was able to get Carew at second, but DeCinces was safe at first.

Then, with the count full and the dangerous Reggie Jackson at the plate, Bob McClure threw a fastball that appeared to paint the outside corner for strike three. Instead, home plate umpire Rich Garcia called it ball four. McClure hopped up and down on the mound while catcher Ted Simmons looked back at Garcia in disbelief.

“Five or six guys came up to me after the game and said they were watching on TV and that it was right there,” McClure complained. “It was a crucial situation and he can’t miss those. I’m not blaming anybody but myself for getting into that situation, but he needs to be better than that.”

The call apparently affected McClure on the mound as Don Baylor then hit another sure double play ball, this time to the pitcher. McClure gloved it and threw to second, but the throw was high and Gantner was only able to get the force out.

With two down (and having had chances for five outs), Juan Beniquez tripled to left to score Carew and Baylor. Bobby Grich then launched a two-run homer for good measure, giving the Angels a 5-2 lead.

“Why is it when you make one stupid mistake, everything seems to fall apart?” Gantnter asked.

While all four of the runs were technically earned, the inning should have ended without a run scored. And had that been the case, the Brewers would have won.

But you can’t focus entirely on bad luck when the typically vaunted offense can’t score more than two runs. They score six or seven and this doesn’t matter.

What does matter is that the Brewers lost and both the Boston Red Sox and Baltimore Orioles won. Milwaukee’s lead in the AL East is now down to a much less comfortable 3 1/2 games.

Injury Notes: Rollie Fingers, who left the first game of yesterday’s double header with an injury, has a slight tear in his right forearm. He is expected to be out for at least a week. … Pitcher Moose Haas may miss a start after spraining his right wrist during warmups before the seventh inning yesterday. … Ben Oglivie will be out for at least 48 hours after taking a cortisone shot for bone bruises between his thumb and second fingers on both hands. The injury is caused by the pressure he puts on his hands when swinging.

Filed Under: Game Recap Tagged With: Angels, Ben Oglivie, Bob McClure, Bobby Grich, Don Baylor, Doug DeCinces, Jim Gantner, Juan Beniquez, Moose Haas, Reggie Jackson, Rod Carew, Rollie Fingers, Ted Simmons

Reggie Sends Crew to Fifth Place

May 29

Angels 5, Brewers 4 (10)
Brewers now 21-23 (5th)
Box Score | Season Schedule

Reggie Jackson
Reggie Jackson was quite proud of his game winning home run, as he tends to be.

ANAHEIM — Today’s game between the Brewers and Angels was nationally televised. The entire country was able to see for themselves just how flawed these Brewers are.

A blown 4-1 lead in the seventh, the second consecutive three-run lead lost. Fourteen hits, but 10 runners left on base. A blown save by the league’s pre-eminent closer. A Reggie Jackson home run in the bottom of the 10th to end the game. Only one win in six extra inning games. Two straight losses and six losses in the last seven games. Two games under .500 and fifth place for the first time since the Brewers were 4-6 on April 21.

And, of course, the controversy that follows losing. Manager Buck Rodgers and several Brewers are rumored to be fighting for their jobs. Today, All-Star closer Rollie Fingers made his dissatisfaction known.

Fingers relieved Randy Lerch in the seventh with runners on second and third and no outs, nursing a 4-1 lead. In eight previous starts, Lerch had lasted seven innings only once. So it should have been no surprise when he was unable to retire a batter to open the seventh.

Fingers felt the same, and wondered out loud why he hadn’t been brought in to start the inning rather than try to clean up Lerch’s mess. Bob Boone singled in two to make it a 4-3 game. With two down in the ninth, Fingers allowed an RBI single by Bobby Grich to send the game to extra innings.

Then, of course, came the shot the whole world saw. The booming drive by Reggie Jackson to left center field. Jackson swung mightily and posed, admiring his shot while he kissed his biceps and shouted to all who would listen: “That was me! I did it! Reggie Jackson! Me! Look at me!” Easterly put his head down in shame and scuffled back to the dugout.

The game may have ended dramatically to some, but it was no surprise to anyone who has been following this team closely. Drama implies the unexpected. We’ve seen this happen before.

The question all Brewers fans want answered: How many times do we need to see the same game end in the same painful way before changes are made?

Game Notes: Centerfielder Gorman Thomas injured his shoulder making a diving catch in yesterday’s game and did not play. He is considered day-to-day.

Filed Under: Game Recap Tagged With: Angels, Bob Boone, Bobby Grich, Buck Rodgers, Gorman Thomas, Randy Lerch, Reggie Jackson, Rollie Fingers

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