Brewers 1982

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

Moose Haas

Breaking: Brewers Trade for Don Sutton

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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.

Ninth Inning Rally Comes Up Short

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A’s 7, Brewers 6
Brewers now 75-52 (1st by 5.5 games)
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1982 Topps Paul Molitor
Paul Molitor struck out with the tie run in scoring position to end the game.

MILWAUKEE — This game seemed to be in hand for the Brewers. And just as it was falling out of hand, they nearly made a miraculous comeback.

Starting pitcher Moose Haas was perfect for three innings: nine up, nine down. Meanwhile, the Brewers had built a 2-0 lead. It felt like, the way Moose was going, two runs could be enough.

Of course, it wasn’t. The next 2 1/3 innings were not kind to Haas. He’d allow four runs on seven hits and two walks. Pete Ladd relieved him with one out in the sixth and two on and allowed his one inherited runner to score. After six complete innings, the game was tied at four.

Two home runs off of Ladd appeared to put the game out of reach. Mitchell Page led off the top of the eighth with a solo shot and with one down in the ninth, Wayne Gross launched a two-run shot to make it 7-4.

But the Brewers didn’t quit. Gorman Thomas and Ben Oglivie singled to lead off the bottom of the ninth, bringing the tie run to the plate. Charlie Moore flied to right for the first out, but Roy Howell and Ted Simmons then hit back-to-back singles to make it a one-run game with runners at the corners and one out.

Suddenly, it seemed inevitable that the Brewers would at least force extra innings. Instead, the A’s turned to reliever Bob Owchinko. Jim Gantner grounded to second, and Dave McKay threw out Roy Howell trying to score. Paul Molitor then struck out to end the game.

“I thought we were going to come back,” manager Harvey Kuenn told the Milwaukee Sentinel. “We battled all night but just couldn’t get it done.”

A team that has made a name for itself with monster rallies and offensive heroics came up short this time. But there’s always a next time.

The second place Boston Red Sox beat the California Angels in 10 innings to pull back to within 5 1/2 games of the Brewers. The third place Baltimore Orioles also won and are now six games back.

Mariners in Giving Mood, Brewers Sweep

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Brewers 8, Mariners 5
Brewers now 72-50 (1st by 6.0 games)
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Moose Haas
Moose Haas recovered after allowing a grand slam in the first inning.

SEATTLE — Sometimes, you don’t have to be the team that wins the game. Just as long as you aren’t the team that loses it.

The Brewers didn’t play their best baseball today. They really didn’t deserve to win. But the Seattle Mariners simply gave them too many second chances. Eventually, the Brewers won by default.

The Mariners took a 4-0 lead in the first inning thanks to an improbable rally. With no one on base and two outs, Al Cowens singled and Moose Haas walked both Richie Zisk and Dave Revering. Dave Henderson then launched a grand slam to put the Brewers into a huge hole.

Then the Brewers duplicated the start of the Mariners’ rally in the top of the second, again with two outs and no one on. Ed Romero, filling in for an injured Ben Oglivie, singled to center. Ned Yost walked. Jim Gantner then hit a routine grounder to Todd Cruz at short that should have ended the inning. Second baseman Paul Serna, though, was late covering the bag and everyone was safe. Paul Molitor reached on an infield single, scoring one. Todd Cruz then made a throwing error that scored two more runs. And Cecil Cooper singled in two more.

What do we have? Five Brewers runs, and although one of the runs was technically earned, none of them should have scored. Suddenly, the Brewers had a 5-4 lead that they didn’t really deserve.

Well, they did deserve it… Because the Mariners certainly didn’t deserve to lead. It’s complicated…

After that six outs of insanity, the bats went quiet for both teams until the bottom of the eighth. Once again, the Mariners struck with a long ball with two outs. This time, it was Al Cowens with a solo shot to tie the game at five.

But of course, this was not a game the Mariners were meant to win. Ned Yost led off the top of the ninth inning with a single to left. After Gantner bunted Yost over, Floyd Bannister was removed in favor of shut-down closer Bill Caudill. Let’s set the scene…

Caudill, known as “The Inspector,” entered the field to the playing of the Pink Panther theme song. Caudill was 10-4 with a 1.85 ERA. He has been close to automatic.

After a first pitch strike to Paul Molitor, the Kingdome organist giddily played The Inspector’s theme music again. Then on the next pitch, Molitor ripped a single to left that scored Yost, taking second on the throw, and giving the Brewers a 6-5 lead.

“I was looking for a fastball,” Molitor explained. “I came up against him in a similar situation in Milwaukee and he struck me out on fastballs, so that was all I was looking for and I got one.”

Molitor then stole third and scored when Robin Yount laced a single off of Caudill’s glove to make it 7-5. Yount then stole second, the team’s fourth swipe of the night, and scored off of Gorman Thomas‘ single off of the left field wall.

The Brewers scored eight runs in all, but only three of them should have scored. But sometimes, you can win by simply not being the worst team on the field that day. That was the case on this night.

The Brewers swept the Mariners and next play the Angels tomorrow in Anaheim. The Red Sox beat the A’s 4-2 to keep pace six games back of the Brewers.

Game Notes: The Brewers are in search of a right fielder and a left handed reliever. They did pursue outfielder Ellis Valentine of the Mets, but nothing materialized. … Frank DiPino has been dominating the Pacific Coast League and is expected to be called up when rosters are expanded to pitch the second game of a double header with Cleveland on September 2nd.

A’s Hunt Down Moose

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A’s 10, Brewers 6
Brewers now 68-49 (1st by 4.0 games)
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Moose Haas
Moose Haas allowed nine A's hits in three innings.

OAKLAND — For the first time since July 7, Brewers pitchers allowed double digit runs. And well… when that happens, you’re typically going to lose.

You wouldn’t expect the Brewers to allow double digit runs to the A’s, a team that hit .210 through the first four games of their current homestand. But in the series opener with the Brewers, it happened.

This loss falls on starter Moose Haas and reliever Jerry Augustine. Haas never had it. He allowed two runs on a Tony Armas home run in the first. He escaped the second after allowing the A’s to load the bases. And in the third, he allowed three more runs on four hits. He allowed 11 baserunners in all.

Haas was awful. But Jerry Augustine may have been worse. He took the mound to start the fourth and could retire only one batter. He walked three, allowed one hit and threw a wild pitch. Dwight Bernard eventually cleaned up the mess (or attempted to), but when all was said and done Augustine had allowed four runs in one third of an inning.

By the end of the fourth inning, the Brewers were already down 9-2. These may be “Harvey’s Wallbangers,” but that’s a deficit even this mythical bunch can’t overcome.

Sure, they tried. Robin Yount, steadily making his case as the American League Most Valuable Player, had three hits including his 21st and 22nd home runs. Cecil Cooper went 3-for-3 and knocked out his 24th before leaving with a slight hamstring pull in the sixth inning. The Brewers scored four runs in the final two innings, but it would be too late.

Milwaukee has now lost three straight, but luckily for them the Red Sox lost again, falling 10-2 to the Angels. The Red Sox have lost 12 of 18 games, allowing the Brewers some breathing room.

Game Notes: Oakland’s Rickey Henderson stole his 110th base of the season, pulling him to within eight of the record set by Lou Brock.

Brewers Blown Back

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Rangers 6, Brewers 3
Brewers now 65-46 (1st by 4.5 games)
Box Score | Season Schedule

Moose Haas
Moose Haas couldn't stop the barrage of Rangers singles.

MILWAUKEE — Today was a day to be a singles hitter at County Stadium. Unfortunately, a singles-hitting team the Brewers are not.

You see, the there was a stiff wind blowing in today. On several occasions, Brewers hit baseballs that would appear to be home runs on any other day. Paul Molitor hit such a drive in the sixth inning that was caught. Ben Oglivie hit another that should have been caught, but the wind so confused outfielder Larry Parrish that the ball bounced off of his chest for a bases clearing double.

“Wind was the thing,” manager Harvey Kuenn lamented later. “Balls were holding up — the ones you thought would drift.”

Meanwhile, the Texas Rangers hit singles off of Brewers starter Moose Haas. Lots of them. In the seventh inning, trailing the Brewers 3-2, the Rangers reached on six hits, all singles, to take a 6-3 lead. It’s all they would need.

The loss snapped the Brewers’ three game winning streak, but they won two of three in the series and Kuenn is satisfied.

“I’m happy to get two out of three anytime,” Kuenn said. “I’d take two out of three the rest of the year.”

And that’s pretty much what the Brewers have been doing under Kuenn. Since he took over for Buck Rodgers, Milwaukee is 42-22, winning 66% of their games. So that philosophy certainly holds true.

The homestand continues tomorrow with a five-game series against the Toronto Blue Jays, beginning with a double header that starts at 6 PM CT.