Paul Molitor

Vuke Returns, Brewers Top Angels

Brewers 4, Angels 3
Brewers now 21-21 (4th)
Box Score | Season Schedule

Pete Vuckovich made his first start since May 6.

ANAHEIM — It’s been speculated that today marks the start of a 10-game road trip that could very well determine the fates of manager Buck Rodgers and a handful of Brewers players. Coming into this game 7 1/2 games back in the AL East, this is desperation time.

Finally, the Brewers played like it, ending a four-game losing streak.

Paul Molitor led off the game with a home run over the 386-foot sign in left center off of starter Ken Forsch. Charlie Moore would drive in a run on a second inning ground out and Cecil Cooper hit a two-run homer in the third, his sixth. The offense finally showed up.

Pete Vuckovich made his first start since May 6 and pitched a solid five innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on four hits and four walks. Jamie Easterly and Rollie Fingers combined to hold the Angels to one run the rest of the way.

Beyond the numbers, we saw heart. In the fourth, Fred Lynn hit a drive to deep right field. Charlie Moore raced back, leaped and snagged what would have been a home run for the first out of the inning. Ben Oglivie would make a similarly spectacular catch in left to rob Lynn in the sixth. Then, with two down in the ninth and the tying run at first, a ground ball was hit to Paul Molitor. Molitor threw wide to first, but Cecil Cooper stretched just far enough to both catch the ball and record the game’s final out.

Maybe it was partly luck. But bad luck has gone against this team far too often. We’ve seen the alternate ending, where Cooper stretches only to see the ball go into the outfield as the tying run scores. It was nice to be on the right side of this thing.

Of course, not everything was roses today. The Brewers committed three more errors, a recurring theme. While bad defense accounted for only one run, the glovemen continue to make life difficult for the pitchers.

But today, progress was made. Jobs appear safe for another day.

Game Notes: Roy Howell made his first start since April 25, hitting second as the Designated Hitter. He went 1-for-2 and scored a run before being pinch hit for by Don Money in the fourth … Gorman Thomas played with a stiff neck that has bothered him the past few games.

Brewers Fall to .500

May 25 Leave a Comment

Athletics 10, Brewers 5
Brewers now 20-20 (4th)
Box Score | Season Schedule

Mark Brouhard couldn't do anything right today.

MILWAUKEE — For the first time since April 23 when they were 6-6, the Brewers have lost as many games as they’ve won. There is now no way around it.

The Brewers are incredibly average.

And really, that may be putting it nicely. As has been the case lately with this team, everything possible went wrong.

The A’s came into Milwaukee with a six-game losing streak. The Brewers were all they needed to cure their ills.

In the first inning, right fielder Mark Brouhard bobbled Dan Meyer‘s run scoring double, Meyer went to third and then scored as a result of the error.

In the second, first baseman Cecil Cooper fielded a Tony Phillips bunt with a runner on third and made a wild throw home allowing a run to score.

In the fourth, Brouhard made a throw to second instead of third, allowing speedster Rickey Henderson to score from first on a single.

In the sixth, Paul Molitor dropped a perfect throw from catcher Charlie Moore that should have nailed Phillips at third on the front end of a double steal. As a result of Molitor’s drop, Phillips was safe and later scored.

In the eighth, Charlie Moore ran through third base coach Harry Warner’s stop sign when Henderson bobbled the ball in center. Henderson recovered and threw out Moore at home.

You get the point. It was a sad, sad display. And the fans responded accordingly with boos. Boos upon boos upon boos.

It was the Brewers’ 10th loss in 14 games. They have tumbled to fourth place, a half game ahead of the fifth place Orioles and remained seven games back of the first place Red Sox.

This should have been a bounce-back series for the Brewers. The A’s, it appeared, were in worse shape than the Brewers. Instead, Oakland snapped a six-game losing streak, ended a streak of 17 games committing at least one error and tied a team record with six doubles.

On the bright side, world frisbee champion dog Ashley Whippet will put on a show before tomorrow’s game.

Game Notes: Brewers starter Moose Haas was removed after three innings due to tendinitis in his right elbow … Pitching coach Cal McLish, bothered by dizziness and blurred vision, left before the game and will not make the next trip … The Brewers will make up their opening season two-game series with the Indians in a September 2 double header.

It is Time for Change at the Top

May 24 Leave a Comment

Buck Rodgers is a bad fit for this veteran team.

In 1981, the Brewers were a loose, professional and happy bunch. They also won, and whether the former bred the latter or vice versa, the personality of the team and the results were starkly different last season than through May 23 of this season.

Far too much is going wrong:

Two players have demanded a trade already at some point in 1982. Charlie Moore started the trend in spring training and only agreed to stay once he was assured playing time in right field. Roy Howell requested his trade during the spring as well and continues to be unhappy about his role as the third third baseman. Yet there are no takers of his paltry batting average.
Rollie Fingers, who won both the AL MVP and Cy Young awards in 1981, has been less than perfect in 1982. He has lost five times when entering tied games. He’s also shown his displeasure with the way that he has been used.
Pete Vuckovich injured his ankle either when sliding down a slick hill behind Royals Stadium in a rain storm prior to the game or when a video game fell on it. Either way, his absence caused immediate problems on the staff (Jerry Augustine started that game in Kansas City and allowed 12 earned runs in five innings) and Vuke threatened to take legal action when rumors surfaced that he was less than forthcoming about the source of his injury.
Bob McClure was hit on the elbow by a line drive and missed time as well. The Brewers’ brass made a serious miscalculation when neither pitcher was replaced on the roster and the Brewers instead went with an eight-man staff while they awaited their return.
While there are some offensive players performing well (Paul Molitor is hitting .301, Robin Yount .291 and Cecil Cooper .340), others are downright offensive. Gorman Thomas went the entire month of April without a home run and is hitting .228. Ben Oglivie is hitting .224 and catcher Ted Simmons is hitting .203 and continues to look like his best days are behind him.
The Brewers aren’t getting consistent pitching. The staff is led by Moose Haas with a 3.22 ERA, but Mike Caldwell‘s is 4.45, Bob McClure’s is 5.14 and Randy Lerch‘s is 5.36, all pitchers who have made several starts. Pete Vuckovich may have a 3.79 ERA, but he hasn’t pitched since May 6.

The biggest problem, though, is a lack of leadership. Whether Buck Rodgers is a poor leader or simply a bad fit for this team, his players do not have his back. They routinely call him out in the press and refuse to sugarcoat their feelings about the man in charge.

And that, along with the swirling rumors that former team captain Sal Bando is ready to take over, are the main reasons that it is time to make a change. Even when they win, the team isn’t happy. They aren’t loose. And they aren’t professional.

It is time that the Brewers find a leader, as Bud Lea of the Milwaukee Sentinel said, who is more of a den mother than a major league manager. They need a leader who will stroke egos and let his players play instead of micromanaging with strategies that many of his players aren’t comfortable carrying out.

The Brewers need a player’s manager, and they need him now.

Bad Luck, Execution Lead to Another Loss

May 23 Leave a Comment

Mariners 6, Brewers 5 (11)
Brewers now 20-19 (3rd)
Box Score | Season Schedule

MILWAUKEE — A couple of wins may have quieted the storm in the Brewers’ clubhouse, but two losses later and the winds are howling once again.

Prior to the game, Roy Howell spouted off about his lack of playing time. He hadn’t played in 12 days and it is evident that he no longer wants to be part of the team. Problem is, no one wants him to be part of any other team.

“What the hell is going on here?” Howell asked anyone willing to listen. “At this point, it looks like I shouldn’t have even bothered going to spring training.”

That’s an interesting suggestion since most Brewers fans would agree. Howell has been a negative force on this team. He rarely plays, and he isn’t willing to accept his role. Yet, with a .176 batting average, how can he demand more?

Howell came up in the 11th with an opportunity to be the hero. Runner on first, one down. Gorman Thomas had just walked, so it would appear to be a time to test whether Bill Caudill could throw strikes. Instead, Howell swung at the first pitch and popped out to the mound.

Sheesh. Just let the guy go. Put him, the team and the fans out of their collective misery.

Speaking of misery, the fact that this game had to come down to Roy Howell in the first place is enough to make a person miserable. The Brewers led 5-2 through five innings. In the sixth, starter Mike Caldwell allowed a Dave Henderson ground ball single that scored Al Cowens. With runners on first and second and one out in a 5-3 game, manager Buck Rodgers made a call to the bullpen.

A bit premature? Probably. Rodgers is fighting for his job at this point, so excuse him if he’s a bit jumpy. He saw Caldwell losing his grip on the game so he made the call for Dwight Bernard. Bernard promptly allowed his inherited runners to score on a ground ball double and a groundout, and the game was tied.

Caldwell joined Howell among the disenchanted, frustrated about being pulled so early. “I don’t know,” he said. “I’m just a player. I’m just trying to do my job. I don’t know if I’m getting a chance to do it.”

Neither team scored from that point until the 11th. And given Rollie Fingers’ history when entering tied games this season (one win and five losses), it should be no surprise that the Mariners scored on his watch.

That said, this loss can’t be pinned on Rollie. The run scored was more due to luck than skill.

Dave Henderson led off the inning with a broken bat single to left field off of the handle. He moved to second on a Jim Maler bunt, bringing up pinch hitter Manny Castillo. Fingers threw a good pitch on 0-2 and again jammed the hitter, Castillo’s bat broke, and his bloop hit went over Robin Yount’s head for the eventual game winning run.

The Brewers certainly suffered from a bout of bad luck in this game. Not only in the 11th, but in the sixth when all of the Mariners’ three runs scored that inning came on ground balls that found holes.

But the Brewers also failed to produce in key situations. With runners at first and third in the second, Mark Brouhard broke for second on a delayed steal and what should have been the front end of a double steal. Catcher Bud Bulling made a high throw to second, but Brouhard pulled up standing and did not slide. Had he slid, Brouhard would have been safe and Ben Oglivie would have scored from third. Instead, Brouhard walked into the tag for the final out of the inning.

Jim Gantner led off the Brewers’ seventh with a double and Paul Molitor reached on a bunt single. With runners on first and third and no one out, Robin Yount struck out and Cecil Cooper hit a fly ball to center. Henderson caught it, Gantner tagged and was thrown out at the plate.

Today’s run total was the team’s highest in nine days. Not sure that five runs is much to be proud of. The Brewers have now lost nine of 13 games to fall to 20-19 and into a tie with the New York Yankees for third place. They now trail the Red Sox by seven games, their largest deficit since 1980.

The winds are blowing. The egos are fragile. The slightest turbulence puts the team on edge. Time has come for change.

Game Notes: Paul Molitor’s strained shoulder is now well enough for him to play in the field, but he was the designated hitter today.

Offense, Defense Falter Again

May 22 Leave a Comment

Mariners 7, Brewers 1
Brewers now 20-18 (3rd)
Box Score | Season Schedule

MILWAUKEE — For two consecutive, glorious games, everything went right for the Brewers. Magnificent pitching, timely hitting and solid defense. Today, debt was paid to the baseball gods.

Very little went right. Starter Randy Lerch was knocked around for seven runs on six hits and a walk in 4 2/3 innings. But that didn’t fall entirely on Lerch.

With two down in the third, the Mariners had scored three runs. A grounder was hit to short and Robin Yount mishandled it for an error, loading the bases. Jim Maler then hit a grand slam to make it 7-0.

Four unearned runs.

All of the Mariners runs were scored in that one inning. The Brewers’ defense did what they could to help them score more with two more errors, but the bullpen kept Seattle at bay.

On a day in which the inconsistent Brewers offense managed only a run on four hits, the bullpen was the one collective shining star. Jim Slaton, Jerry Augustine and Jamie Easterly combined to allow only a single baserunner through 4 1/3 innings in relief of Lerch.

Of course, that’s yet another case of too little, too late when you give up seven runs in an inning and your lineup can’t muster more than a single hit in an inning. The only Brewers run scored as a gift when starter Gene Nelson walked the bases loaded in the first and Gorman Thomas scored on a groundout. A run without a hit, apparently one of the few ways this team can score right now.

That’s six straight games in which the Brewers have scored four or fewer runs and eight of the last nine. Not going to cut it with this average pitching staff.

Game Notes: Paul Molitor, who has been nursing a sore shoulder, sat out today’s game. Don Money started at third base and hit cleanup while second baseman Jim Gantner hit in Molitor’s customary leadoff spot.

Brewers Win, but Chaos Reigns

May 20 Leave a Comment

Brewers 4, Angels 1
Brewers now 19-17 (3rd)
Box Score | Season Schedule

MILWAUKEE — Outfielder Marshall Edwards was rushed to Mount Sinai Hospital this morning with a bleeding ulcer. Given the emotions stirring in the clubhouse, you’d think it would be manager Buck Rodgers dealing with a bout of indigestion.

You wouldn’t know that the Brewers scored as many runs in this game as they did the previous three.

You wouldn’t know that the Brewers snapped a three game losing streak when they topped the Angels 4-1 in Milwaukee today.

You wouldn’t know that Moose Haas pitched his first complete game of the season, throwing a gem in which he allowed only a run on six hits.

No, the focus remained on what is wrong with the team. And that focus is squarely on the manager. The rumor swirling around Milwaukee is that former team captain Sal Bando is ready to take over as soon as general manager Harry Dalton gives Rodgers his pink slip.

Want a vote of confidence from the players? You aren’t going to get one. Asked if Rodgers is respected as manager, Charlie Moore avoided the question: “I’d rather stay away from that.”

Don Money: “I don’t know. I can’t say anything.”

Gorman Thomas: “I have no comment on that.”

Their silence speaks volumes.

Bud Lea of the Milwaukee Sentinel summed it up nicely: “What this team may need is a den mother instead of a manager, someone who would stroke egos. Rodgers does not coddle anyone.”

If the players have proven anything this season it’s that they’re sensitive. Roy Howell‘s tantrum over playing time. Rollie Fingers‘ freakout over when he’s used. Charlie Moore’s demand for a trade.

Is Rodgers fighting for his job? “If we win, I stay. If we lose, I go,” he said succinctly.

True. But there hasn’t been much winning lately. And when your players don’t have your back, you might as well start packing.

Game Notes: The Brewers are now 19-17, five games behind the Tigers in the AL East … Paul Molitor returned to the lineup as the DH. He probably won’t return to the field for a few more days … Mark Brouhard, who had missed eight games with a tight calf, was back in right field … Marshall Edwards’ bleeding ulcer is expected to keep him out about a week … Ben Oglive drove in his 27th run but only the first since May 9.