Pete Vuckovich

Grading the Brewers: Pitchers

Don Sutton gets the only straight A among Brewers pitchers.

Now that we’ve had a month to absorb the finality of the 1982 season and dust off the painful ending, it’s time to take a balanced look at what went right and what went wrong. We’ve gotten our pencils out and are going to grade three main categories: Offense, Starting Pitching and Relief Pitching. Under each section, we will grade players individually. Today we’ll start with pitchers. An average result will be a C, so such a grade should be the typical expectation. We will not grade more loosely or harshly based on expectations.

Additionally, note that we will not grade players who are no longer with the team (like Randy Lerch). Minimal number of plate appearances to receive a grade is 100 and pitchers must log at least 25 innings pitched. Anyone else will be given an Incomplete grade.

Starting Pitching
Despite the big names of Pete Vuckovich, Don Sutton and Mike Caldwell, the Milwaukee Brewers starting rotation was very average until Don Sutton arrived. In fact, one could argue that the Brewers were not a playoff caliber team without Don Sutton on it. The Brewers’ starting pitchers were at or a bit above the league average in several key categories: complete games (fifth with 34), shutouts (seventh with six) and quality starts (fourth with 84). They also led the American League in wins (76) and innings pitched per games started (6.7). While the Brewers had difficulty finding consistency at the back end of the rotation, the Sutton-Vuckovich-Caldwell trio was one of the best in the game, and the starting five finished as one of the better groups in the AL.
Overall Grade: B

Relief Pitching
While the starting rotation got a boost near the end of the regular season, the bullpen took a major hit when Rollie Fingers went down. The Brewers could not replace the 1981 AL Cy Young and MVP winner. In fact, not close to adequately, as the bullpen threw several key games down the stretch to make the regular season conclusion much more interesting than it should have been. While the relievers were a surprising bright spot in th ALCS, it’s quite possible the Brewers are World Champs with a healthy Rollie Fingers in the World Series. Jim Slaton was a rock in the bullpen, but otherwise a Fingers-less relief corps was far below average. And while Fingers would make this group a B- by himself, it’s all about how the team finished.
Overall Grade: D+

Don Sutton, SP
Sutton was everything Harry Dalton could have asked for when he pulled the trigger on a late season trade with the Astros. In seven regular season starts with the Brewers, Stutton went at least seven innings in all but one, when he went 6 2/3. The Brewers won five of his seven starts, including all of his final four. It was Sutton who stopped the bleeding in Baltimore on the final day of the season, where Vuckovich and Caldwell could not. Sutton’s regular season ERA was a shiny 3.29. If that trade was not made, the Brewers would not have made it to the postseason.
Grade: A

Pete Vuckovich, SP
Vuke just wins games. In 30 starts, he won 18 and lost only six. His 3.34 ERA was lowest of any regular starter on the team, he led the Brewers with 105 strikeouts and was second in complete games (9) and innings pitched (223 2/3). While he never made it easy on himself by walking an excessive number of batters, Vuke will also be remembered for his big 11-inning complete game win over the Red Sox in a crucial game in the final month in Boston. Then again, he’ll also be remembered for not winning another game from that point forward through the end of the postseason.
Grade: A-

Rollie Fingers, RP
This evaluation is nearly incomplete since Fingers missed the final month and change due to an injured forearm. It’s difficult imagining what the Brewers could have done with a healthy Rollie Fingers. Rollie was on his way to another fantastic season, posting a 2.60 ERA and 29 saves before being lost for the season. Fingers was leading the league in saves at the time of his initial injury, and is still the premier closer in the game when healthy. Fingers only gets a minus here because of factors outside of his control, as we wonder what could have been.
Grade: A-

Mike Caldwell, SP
The unsung hero on this staff. Pete Vuckovich gets the attention as the Cy Young winner and Don Sutton as the savior, but Mike Caldwell was the team’s iron man. He led the Brewers in starts (34), complete games (12), shutouts (3) and innings pitched (258), and was second with 17 wins.
Grade: B+

Jim Slaton, SP/RP
Slaton was used as an all-purpose pitcher for the Brewers in 1982, used in high leverage situations out of the bullpen as well as an occasional spot start. His 3.29 ERA was the best of any reliever not named Fingers, and other than a blip in his final regular season appearance in Boston, Slaton was solid from August on while his bullpen-mates were coughing up games regularly.
Grade: B

Moose Haas, SP/RP
Haas was solid overall, but imploded in June (6.96 ERA) and August (5.49 ERA). Still, Moose finished strong with a 2.22 ERA in September and October, and was also solid in the postseason. Haas was third on the team in innings pitched (193 1/3) and second in strikeouts (104). Yet, his lack of consistency kept him from being a dependable pitcher for the Brewers.
Grade: C+

Dwight Bernard, RP
Bernard’s final 3.76 ERA isn’t bad, but he was worst when the Brewers needed him most. He actually had an ERA of 2.92 on September 2, but then fell apart. Bernard allowed 10 earned runs in his final eight regular season appearances, which covered most of the final month. Harvey lost confidence in Bernard and used him sparingly from that point forward.
Grade: C

Doc Medich, SP
A late season addition for the Brewers from Texas, Medich was not what the doctor ordered. Hoping he’d be a stabilizing force as a veteran starter in the rotation, the Brewers signed Medich and let go of Randy Lerch. Medich (5.00 ERA in 10 starts) wasn’t any better than Lerch (4.97 ERA).
Grade: D+

Jerry Augustine, SP/RP
He’s been a Brewer since 1975, but Jerry Augustine was not a fan favorite in 1982. While injuries may have contributed to and shortened his season, Augustine was ineffective and did not play a major role on this staff. A May 11 start against the Royals resulted in 12 earned runs on 15 hits in five innings, and was used primarily out of the bullpen from then on. Augustine was a non-factor after the All-Star break, partly due to injuries and partly due to ineffectiveness. In his final 12 innings pitched, Augie allowed 14 earned runs.
Grade: D

Jamie Easterly, RP
Like Augustine, injuries and ineffectiveness limited Easterly’s role on the Brewers in 1982. He started well, posting a 3.27 ERA through June. But as seems to be the case with many of the Brewers’ relievers, Easterly fell apart when the injury to Fingers required production. Easterly allowed six earned runs in two appearances against the Yankees in September and his ERA ballooned to 5.27. He was a mop-up man from then on.
Grade: D

Pete Ladd, RP
While Ladd wasn’t spectacular in his 16 regular season appearances (4.00 ERA) in 1982, he did show glimpses of what may be to come, particularly in the ALCS when he retired 10 batters in a row.
Grade: Inc.

Chuck Porter, RP
Porter spent most of his 1982 season in Vancouver, but is expected to have a much larger role on the Brewers in 1983.
Grade: Inc.

Doug Jones, RP
The 25-year-old rookie allowed five hits and three runs in his only 2 2/3 innings pitched with the Brewers this season. It’s unlikely that he has a long term future with the club.
Grade: Inc.

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

Stieb TSN AL Pitcher of Year

October 22 Leave a Comment

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

’82 World Series: Game 7 Preview

October 20 Leave a Comment

ST. LOUIS — For those who haven’t followed the Brewers all season, they might look dead. For those who have followed the Brewers, the Crew has the Cardinals right where they want them.

After a 13-1 rain-delayed debacle in Game 6 that was as ugly and as soggy as it sounds, the Brewers have to pick themselves off the stained carpet of Busch Stadium, wring themselves out and get back to fighting.

Again, the Brewers face an ultimate game whose results will have ultimate consequences. Win and they’re world champions. Lose, and they have a long, cold winter thinking of what could have been.

Now, here’s where it gets tricky. Harvey Kuenn is going to hand the pea to Pete Vuckovich, the Brewers’ Cy Young candidate. Normally, such a move wouldn’t be questioned. But, in this case, it should be.

Vuke got cuffed around in Game 3. He hasn’t been on his game this postseason. We have mentioned that he hasn’t been the same since throwing 160-plus pitches in an 11-inning game in Septemeber. While he’s been man enough to not refuse the ball, and he won’t refuse the ball here, he’s not the man for the Crew on the hill. Harvey should put Mike Caldwell on the mound.

Caldwell is a horse and he’s completely befuddled the Cards throughout this series. He’d be going on three-days rest, but the Cardinals have yet to figure him out. There is no margin for error in a Game 7.

The Brewers, meanwhile, have yet to figure out Joaquin Andujar, the man who will pitch for the Cards, the man who is 2-0 this postseason.

First pitch of the rest of their baseball lives is at 7:20 p.m. ET.

As always, if you can’t watch the game or listen to it, you can follow our tweets at @tweetsfrom1982.

The St. Louis Massacre

October 19 1 Comment

Cardinals 13, Brewers 1
World Series now tied 3-3
Box Score | Season Schedule

ST. LOUIS — There was rain. There was mud. The only thing missing from this one-sided battle was blood.

After two stoppages totaling two hours and 39 minutes in rain delays, the St. Louis Cardinals finally put the Brewers out of their Game 6 misery by winning 13-1. It was torture to watch.

Here’s hoping the Brewers pull out Game 7 to win the World Series. Then, and only then, will I be able to forget this debacle.

If the Brewers win Game 7, Tuesday’s game will be something we smile and laugh about. It’ll even be a game pushed entirely out of our memories. “Remember Game 6 when the Brewers embarrassed themselves and their fans with an all-around pathetic display in the midst of more than two hours of rain delays?” Nope. Don’t remember it. I just remember running naked around the neighborhood after the big Game 7 win.

It shouldn’t have been this way. The Brewers were coming off of two emotional victories that gave them a 3-2 series lead. They had a day off to rest their weary. They had Don Sutton on the mound, the man who so many times during the past month and change has saved their season.

For the first time since his acquisition, Don Sutton was awful. In a game that the Brewers desperately needed a complete or nearly complete effort, Sutton went only 4 1/3 innings before turning it over to the bullpen. By the time he handed the ball to Harvey, his team had a seven-run deficit.

“I have no excuse,” said Sutton. “I was sitting in the clubhouse icing my arm trying to think of one but there are none.”

We don’t care about excuses, Don. We just want wins.

Meanwhile, rookie John Stuper pitched a complete game, allowing only four hits. The only run scored on a wild pitch in the ninth inning. The performance was all the more impressive given that it covered nearly five hours, including the rain delays.

Jim Slaton and Dwight Bernard were solid in relief for the Brewers, as they and the rest of the bullpen have been all postseason. But Doc Medich, who is more accustomed to the work of an ineffective starter, gave up the remaining six runs in two innings of work.

In Game 5, Mike Caldwell and the Brewers held the Cardinals to four runs even though they mashed out 15 hits. St. Louis was much more efficient in Game 6, scoring 13 on 12 hits. Of course, four Brewers errors tended to help. Robin Yount and Jim Gantner each committed two, and Gantner tied a World Series record (also held by Honus Wagner) with at least one error in four straight games.

Those four Brewers errors led to four unearned runs. The Brewers defense has committed at least one error in all but the first game of this World Series, flubbing 11 over the remaining five games. Going back to Game 4 of the ALCS, the Brewers have committed 17 errors in eight games.

You want to prevent the opposition from scoring 13 runs, and the pitching and defense were not up to that challenge. But when your offense is set down in order five times and reaches on only four hits, you’re not going to win many games. Actually, you shouldn’t win any games.

The cowardly retort would be to blame the rain. Don’t blame the rain. The Brewers were already down 7-0, the game well out of reach, when the tarp first touched the infield. No, this was a full team effort. A colossal failure in every respect.

Paul Molitor (1-for-4) and Robin Yount (0-for-4 and two errors) didn’t contribute much in this game. But it’s tough to blame two players who are batting .326 and .366 respectively in the playoffs. And Charlie Moore is hitting a surprising .389 while Jim Gantner hits a respectable .270 (though his defense certainly isn’t helping).

It’s everyone else in between. It’s amazing we’re still in the position to win a World Series title when Cecil Cooper is hitting .222, Ted Simmons is hitting .189, Ben Oglivie is hitting .184 and Gorman Thomas is “hitting” .108. Essentially, the Crew’s only chance of scoring starts at the bottom of the order. Not how they drew it up.

And Harvey. Please, Harvey. Don’t play Roy Howell in Game 7. The bearded wonder has yet to collect a postseason hit.

“Everybody always wants to see the World Series go 7 games,” claims manager Harvey Kuenn. “So now everybody should be happy.” I don’t know who these people are who want a Game 7, Harvey, but they aren’t Brewers fans.

We’ll have Vuke on the mound for that seventh game, and I don’t know if that’s a blessing or a curse. He’s the possible AL Cy Young winner for the regular season, but Pete Vuckovich hasn’t won a big game since Sept. 20 in Boston.

Maybe he’s due? Oh, is he ever.

I tend to overreact. What are your feelings about this loss and the prospects for another final game win?

’82 World Series: Game 4 Preview

October 16 4 Comments

MILWAUKEE — Willie McGee with two home runs and four RBI from the eight hole. Of course that’s how the Crew would fall into a 2-1 hole.

After all that has befallen our beloved baseball team, it would figure that a guy who hit only four homers would hit two in a game. Because that’s how the Brewers roll. Or, in this case, stumble. Right, Gorman?

“We’re in the same boat we were in against Baltimore, in the same boat we were in against California,” Thomas told The New York Times. “The boat hasn’t changed. We’re still riding the same boat. Call it PT-109 or the Love Boat, the boat’s been bottom up in the bay before and we always seem to rise to the occasion.”

Pete Vuckovich hasn’t won since Sept. 20. You may remember that game. Vuke went 11 innings, threw close to 165 pitches. He may be asking if it was worth it. Meanwhile, the Crew couldn’t figure out Joaquin Andujar, who only gave up three hits in 6 1/3 before a Ted Simmons rocket clipped Andujar in the knee.

If Cards pitchers keep befuddling Crew batters as Andujar did, the Brewers may be reduced to caning Cards hurlers in the knees in the bowels of the Stadium.

But if we know anything about these Brewers, it is that they bounce back. Moose Haas will take the mound for the Crew while rookie Dave LaPoint gets the egg for St. Louis.