Brewers 1982

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

Randy Ready

Breaking: Brewers Trade for Don Sutton

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.

Brewers Baffled by Knuckleball

Rangers 3, Brewers 1
Brewers now 55-40 (2nd)
Box Score | Season Schedule

Mike Caldwell
Mike Caldwell was out-pitched by Charlie Hough.

ARLINGTON, Tex. — Last time the Brewers met knuckleballer Charlie Hough, the Rangers pitcher was knocked around and out in the third inning. Today… Well, today was a different story, as Hough led the Rangers to a 4-1 win.

The secret? He had less movement on his knuckler.

“If it’s really moving,” Hough explained to the Milwaukee Sentinel, “I end up walking six guys and throwing 2,000 pitches. It’s a funny pitch. You just can’t predict which way it will go, which is good since the hitter can’t either.

Hough kept Brewers hitters off balance all game, mixing in an occasional 70 MPH “fastball” with his famed knuckleball. He limited the Crew to only a run on four hits in nine innings while walking only one.

Mike Caldwell was the victim of another opposing pitcher’s gem as he pitched plenty well enough to win. Caldwell scattered nine hits over eight innings while allowing only two earned runs.

The loss was the Brewers’ second in a row and fifth in their last seven games. This has been the team’s most challenging stretch under Harvey Kuenn.

Is Harvey worried? “I’m not worried in the least,” he said. “These guys are too good of players not to snap back.”

Well, the Red Sox beat the Blue Jays 3-2 today to retake first place in the AL East by a half a game. So hopefully fortunes will change quickly.

Game Notes: The Rangers had come into the game having lost 10 of their last 12 games. … Pitching coach Cal McLish visited the club after missing nearly two months with myasthenia gravis, a chemical imbalance resulting in a weakness in the muscles. No decision has been made on his role with the club for the remainder of the season. … Robin Yount was named the American League Player of the Week along with Baltimore’s Tippy Martinez by batting .460 with four homers and six RBI. … Randy Ready, the third baseman for the Brewers’ El Paso farm club, was named the Topps AA Player of the Month for the second straight month. He hit .388 with two homers and 18 RBI. … Brewers general manager Harry Dalton hinted that he wouldn’t mind picking up a starting pitcher with big league experience for the stretch run, but wouldn’t name any names.