Brewers 1982

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

Rob Picciolo

Grading the Brewers: Hitters

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Paul Molitor and Robin Yount
Robin Yount and Paul Molitor led a potent Brewers offense in 1982

It would be easy to give every Brewer a grade of A for the 1982 season because they came within one win of a World Series title. But while the team will receive an A (whoops, did I ruin the surprise?), like the Brewers season, nothing is easy, not even grading this team.

[View the Pitching Grades]

It will come as no surprise that Robin Yount received the highest grade while others such as the injured Larry Hisle bottomed out.

INFIELDERS

Cecil Cooper, 1B
Is there a better first baseman in the American League? Nope. He’s a legit Triple Crown threat each season. For the third consecutive full season, Coop hit at least .300 (.313), he slammed 32 homers and was second in the AL with 121 RBI. He added 38 doubles as a part of his 205 hits and scored a career-high 104 runs. He committed only five errors.
Grade: A

Jim Gantner, 2B
Played in 132 games, the fewest of all the regular Brewers infielders, which isn’t surprising, considering his hard-charging style and his ability to hang in when runners are bearing down on him. For a guy who hit from the nine-hole, a .295 average wasn’t too shabby. He’s not a masher (four homers), but a good bottom of the order guy.
Grade: B

Paul Molitor, 3B
The Ignitor lived up to his name as he provided the spark for the American League’s most potent offense. Led the league in AB (666), plate appearances (751) and runs scored. Hit .302 and had career highs in homers (19), RBI (71) and stolen bases (41). One of the best baserunners you’ll ever see. Adequate in the field.
Grade: A

Robin Yount, SS
Simply one of the finest seasons ever by a shortstop. His 129 runs, most ever by a shortstop. His 114 RBI, third all-time. Add to that a .331 batting average with 29 taters, 46 doubles, 12 triples and you get a .578 slugging percentage, which was .001 behind Ernie Banks for best ever. But Banks hit .285. Yount hit for power and average. Would have won the AL batting title if Willie Wilson had been man enough to play the last day of the season. He led the league in hits (210), doubles, slugging percentage and total bases with 367. And to think, he’s only 26. He was the clear MVP.
Grade: A+

Don Money, DH, INF
A damn good season for the 35-year-old Money, who platooned with Roy Howell at DH. In 275 ABs, Money slugged .891 as 33 of his 78 hits went for extra bases, including 16 home runs, the third highest total of his career.
Grade: B+

Roy Howell, DH INF
The Brewers had plenty of power, but only four taters? That’s Gantner territory (no offense, Gumby). Howell hit .260 and managed to drive in 38 runs. Other than that, the Crew may need to find another left-handed bat at DH.
Grade: C

Ed Romero, 2B
Backed up Gantner at second and played in 52 games and hit .250. He didn’t walk much, didn’t steal a base and hit one homer. He’s a typical light-hitting middle infielder.
Grade: C-

Rob Piccolo, INF
Came over from Oakland in a midseason deal, hit .286 in 21 ABs in 22 games.
Grade: Inc.

CATCHERS

Ted Simmons, C
Simba’s slower than the orbit of Pluto, but few backstops call a better game. He also’s a switch hitter and the Crew doesn’t need to sit him depending on who is pitching. His 97 RBI were the most since he drove in 100 with the Cardinals in 1975 and his 23 homers were the most since he hit 26 in 1979. His 29 doubles were fourth on the team. At 32, Simmons is what he is.
Grade: B

Ned Yost, C
His homer in Boston proved to be one of the biggest hits of the season, as it helped the Crew get a four-game lead with five to play. Other than that, he played in 40 games, hit. 276 and was OK as Simmons’ backup. He’s 27, but he’s not starter material.
Grade: C+

OUTFIELDERS

Ben Oglivie, LF
Benji, with Coop, provided the left-handed pop in the lineup smashing 34 homers and driving in 102 runs. He won’t hit for average, but his .244 followed the 1981 season where he hit .243. This from a guy who hit .282 or better in his first three seasons with the Crew.
Grade: B

Gorman Thomas, CF
Stormin’s 39 homers and 112 RBI were beautiful. His .245 average and 143 strikeouts were not. Gorman’s not gonna hit for average, ever, but his 29 doubles were third on the team, even ahead of Molly, who had 26 doubles. With Gorman, what you see is what you get: a gritty dude who’ll swing for the fences.
Grade: B

Charlie Moore, RF
A converted catcher, Moore’s hose accounted for 23 outfield assists. And who can forget the throw that nailed Reggie Jackson in Game 5 of the ALCS? Like the rest of the Crew outfield, Moore didn’t hit for average (.254), but he had 22 doubles. Other than that, he hit like a catcher.
Grade: B-

Mark Brouhard, RF
Brouhard saved the Crew’s bacon in Game 4 of the ALCS, his finest moment of the season. His worst moment, losing the job in right field to Moore after being injured. Brouhard played in 40 games and had four homers and 10 RBI.
Grade: C

Marshall Edwards, OF
The only outfielder on the Brewers with any speed, but he suffered from the same affliction of the other Crew outfielders: low batting average. Edwards hit .247 and worse yet, walked only four times. For a team that drove in runs by the bunches, Edwards didn’t distinguish himself in any fashion.
Grade: C-

Larry Hisle, OF-DH
It was sad to see the man who helped the Crew’s renaissance in ’78 succumb to injury. He hit .129 in what will likely be his last season.
Grade: D

Bob Skube, OF, UTL
Never saw enough time to make an impact, compiling 12 ABs between them.
Grade: Inc.

OVERALL

Stats don’t lie: They hit a major-league leading 216 home runs, drove in an MLB-high 843 RBI, led the majors in total bases (2606), runs (891), slugging percentage (.455) and at bats (5733). Wait, we’re not done yet. The Crew was second in hits (1599, four behind the Royals), doubles (277, also behind the Royals), batting average (.279, six points behind the Royals) and second-last in strikeouts (714). They didn’t walk much (484, 14th in the majors) and they don’t steal bases (84), but when you pound the ball like the Crew did this season, you don’t need to go station-to-station.

There is no other grade for this team. It was second to none at the plate.

GRADE: A

Brewers Pile on in Sixth

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Brewers 8, Angels 5
Brewers now 81-55 (1st by 4.0 games)
Box Score | Game Schedule

The Brewers won, but Gorman Thomas' injured arm is a concern.

MILWAUKEE — Entering the sixth inning, the Milwaukee Brewers could get nothing done in support of another terrific start by Mike Caldwell. Geoff Zahn was shutting them out on two hits and carried a 1-0 lead.

It all started when Jim Gantner led off the inning with a hit by pitch, taking a high fastball off of his wrist. Gantner would be replaced by Rob Picciolo, and x-rays revealed only a deep bone bruise.

Molitor singled to left, Robin bunted both runners over, and then Cooper hit a harmless groundout to short.

So there it was. The Brewers had runners at second and third with two outs, trailing 1-0. It’s where pennant contending teams cash in. It’s where others do not.

The Brewers cashed in. Zahn threw a wild pitch, plating Picciolo. Gorman Thomas then hammered a rare opposite field single to score Molitor. Don Money hit a looper into the corner in right that Reggie Jackson couldn’t cut off for an RBI triple. And then Mark Brouhard, filling in for the injured Ben Oglivie, launched a three-run homer to make it five two-out runs in the inning.

The Angels would battle back with a two-run homer by Reggie Jackson in the top of the seventh, but the Brewers then put their collective foot on the throat with three runs on four hits in the eighth. Every offensive player other than Gantner got into the act, collecting either a hit, run score or RBI.

Caldwell allowed all five runs in eight solid innings of work to pick up his 14th win and sixth in his last seven starts. Caldwell has been a revelation since Kuenn took over, going 9-3 with a 3.63 ERA since early July and 7-1 with a 2.70 ERA since August 1.

Pete Ladd, the temporary closer while Rollie Fingers nurses a slight tear in his right forearm, allowed only a single in a scoreless ninth for the save.

If there was anything to worry about as a Brewers fan following this game it was Gorman Thomas’ health. He injured his arm in the second making a throw and struggled with the pain for the rest of the game.

Thomas originally hurt the arm 12 days ago in Anaheim making a diving catch. Manager Harvey Kuenn says it’s something that most players would miss time with, but Thomas simply treats it with ice.

Thomas was in so much pain that he asked Charlie Moore, who was playing right, to go after anything close.

“I was shading everyone to center more than I usually would,” Moore said. “He also told me if a ball got through to get ready to make a throw for him. You know he’s really hurting when he says something like that and is showing pain on his face.”

The Brewers need to get healthy because their rivals are getting stronger. The Baltimore Orioles and Boston Red Sox each won to remain 4 and 4 1/2 games back respectively.

Game Notes: Moose Haas has officially moved to the bullpen, thereby granting the fifth spot in the bullpen to Doc Medich.

Teammates Pick Vuke Up in Win

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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.

Blue Jays Bully Brewers

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Blue Jays 9, Brewers 4
Brewers now 59-44 (1st-Tied)
Box Score | Season Schedule

Bob McClure
Bob McClure's day was over in a hurry.

TORONTO — The Blue Jays entered today’s game in last place and 10 1/2 games back in the AL East. But they sure didn’t play like it.

And to be fair, they haven’t played like it at all lately. They are 12-6 since the All-Star break. After a first inning unearned run, Dave Stieb toyed with Brewers batters until Don Money hit a solo homer in the eighth and two desperation runs were scored with two outs in the ninth.

Bob McClure was not nearly as good for the Brewers. He allowed three runs on a double, triple, two singles and a walk in the first inning. The next two batters reached in the second, and McClure’s day was quickly over.

“Bobby just didn’t have it today,” manager Harvey Kuenn told the Milwaukee Sentinel after the game. “He had no location and was high with all his pitches.”

Jerry Augustine and Randy Lerch, making his first relief appearance since being removed from the rotation, weren’t much better. They combined to allow five more runs in six innings to put the Brewers in a 8-1 fifth inning hole.

Former Brewer Buck Martinez was also a thorn in his old team’s side. He went 2-for-3 with a home run, driving in two for the Blue Jays.

“I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t fun to beat these guys,” Martinez said about his last place team beating the first place team.

The Red Sox beat the Orioles 5-2 to to pull back into a first place tie with the Brewers in the AL East.

Game Notes: Cecil Cooper left the game in the fourth with a sore big right toe after being stepped on by Garth Iorg. … Robin Yount had a routine day off. Rob Picciolo got the start at shortstop and went 1-for-4.

Will Brewers Make a Deal?

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With talk of upgrading the Brewers roster continue to float about, is a deal imminent?

While few specific rumors have surfaced, we can speculate on which players may be available and what needs the team may want to fill. So let’s have at it, shall we?

Needs

Ted Simmons
Is Ted Simmons on the trade block?

If the Brewers make a deal, it will likely address one of the following areas:

Bullpen: Rollie Fingers has been banged up and less dependable than he was last year, making the contributions of the other relievers all the more important. Other than Jim Slaton, can the Brewers count on Jamie Easterly, Jerry Augustine or Dwight Bernard? No. The Brewers could use at least one dependable addition to the bullpen.

Starting Rotation: It’s been a sticking point all season. Pete Vuckovich is the undisputed ace, but then what? Mike Caldwell, when not throwing a fit about whatever it is that ticks him off this week, can be good on occasion. But at 3-6 with a 5.04 ERA, he’s far from dependable. Moose Haas has been up and down, but overall he’s been the second best starter on the staff with a 4.05 ERA. Bob McClure is the “other” lefty in the rotation (along with Caldwell) with a bloated 4.56 ERA. Randy Lerch is the true definition of a number five starter with a 5.25 ERA. In other words, the Brewers have one ace, a number three or number four starter in Haas, and three number five starters. One trade probably won’t be enough to make the changes that are necessary here.

You Can Have Him

There’s one player the Brewers would just assume give away, but they’ve been trying unsuccessfully since the spring. No one wants him.

Roy Howell: Howell’s tirades have become tired. Granted, while playing under Kuenn he’s been quieter since he’s actually getting playing time. But he’s third on the depth chart at third base, and could easily be dealt if the Brewers can get a need in return.

Oh, you want him?

These are players who likely aren’t the centerpiece of any trade discussion, but could come up as a throw-in or minor deal:

Marshall Edwards: He’s a valuable defensive replacement in the outfield, but offers little else.

Ed Romero: He’s nice to have in case Gantner needs a breather, but that’s about it.

Mark Brouhard: Still young and with promise, but the Brewers have depth in right field.

Ned Yost: If the Brewers keep Simmons, there’s really no need to have three catcher-capable players on the roster.

Rob Picciolo: Recently acquired from Oakland to fill a perceived need, but he rarely plays.

Jerry Augustine: His 6+ ERA is a bit misleading due to the 12 runs he allowed in Kansas City on May 11, but he’s rarely used.

Randy Lerch: Sometimes passable, sometimes awful. Easily replaceable.

Jamie Easterly: With a 3.32 ERA, he actually has been pretty good this year. But the Brewers may not trust those results if an offer comes their way.

Dwight Bernard: Like Easterly, his results (3.66 ERA) haven’t been particularly bad, but he’s also a body that shouldn’t be very difficult to replace or upgrade.

Likely discussion starters

If the Brewers do make a deal, don’t be surprised if it involves one of these players. They not only are available, but may be attractive to other teams:

Ted Simmons: He’s yet to live up to his reputation as a catcher with a big bat since putting on a Brewers uniform in 1981. The Brewers have three players capable of catching, and Simmons may be seen as the veteran presence that another team needs as a final piece of the puzzle. His name’s been floated around for a while now, and he’d likely already be gone if Buck Rodgers were still around.

Charlie Moore: It comes down to depth. While it would be helpful to have Moore around to split right field duties with Mark Brouhard, he’s one of three players who can catch. And he’s capable of hitting .300, so other teams may covet him. He also demanded a trade during the spring before being assured he’d get a shot in the outfield.

Mike Caldwell: He’s not performing for the Brewers, but other teams will think a change of scenery could light a fire under him. And they may be right.

Moose Haas: Would only be dealt in a package deal that would give the Brewers an upgrade to the rotation.

Don Money: Very valuable as a designated hitter, but the Brewers could take a hit on offense to improve their pitching staff. One of three third basemen.

Bob McClure: Like Haas, he could be dealt in a package deal to improve the rotation.

Could be available, but at a price

It would seem highly unlikely that any of these players would be traded unless the Brewers received an offer they couldn’t refuse:

Jim Gantner: Seemingly too valuable as a defender, but not irreplaceable. Ed Romero could be slotted in at second if the Brewers could add a nice piece to the pitching staff.

Paul Molitor: His age (25) and production would make him very hard to deal, but given the depth at third base a trade would have to be considered if the Brewers could get a young, top of the rotation starter in return.

Unavailable

There would seem to be no way the Brewers would trade these players due to age, depth or value to the team:

Cecil Cooper: He may not get the credit he deserves around the league, but fans in Milwaukee know he’s been the best first baseman in baseball the past few years. The team has no back-up plan for him.

Robin Yount: Like Cooper, Yount may be the best in the league at his position. He’s 26 and the drop-off from Yount to Rob Picciolo is downright silly.

Gorman Thomas: He’s a leader and a big power bat in the middle of the lineup. Most importantly, there just isn’t a viable back-up plan.

Ben Oglivie: See Gorman above. Benji isn’t going anywhere.

Pete Vuckovich: The team’s only dependable starter. No way he’s going anywhere.

Rollie Fingers: The heart and soul of the bullpen, if not the team. Fingers may be having a down year, but his experience in the postseason makes him irreplaceable.

Jim Slaton: He can start, pitch long relief or get saves when Rollie is unavailable. And he’s productive. He can’t be replaced.

What do you think? Which players should the Brewers be looking at trading and what areas should they upgrade?

Kuenn: “Somebody Spiked the Wallbangers”

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Orioles 8, Brewers 3
Brewers now 27-27 (4th)
Box Score | Season Schedule

Harvey Kuenn
The Brewers have not been banging walls for Harvey the last three games.

MILWAUKEE — Well, that didn’t take long. The honeymoon is officially over.

While winning four straight games under new manager Harvey Kuenn by a combined score of 33-8, the team renamed itself “Harvey’s Wallbangers.” Brewers VP of Marketing Dick Hackett has gone so far as apply for a trademark of the name.

Now? Same old team. Maybe worse.

After the first three games of a four-game series with the Orioles, Baltimore has yet to go to the bullpen. The Brewers have scored a grand total of seven runs (only three earned) on 17 hits. Today it was Mike Flanagan who held the Brewers to three runs (one earned) on six hits.

“Well, it definitely looks like somebody spiked the Wallbangers,” Kuenn said after the game.

Harvey’s Wallbangers?

For the first time this season, the Brewers are 8.5 games back in the AL East.

A different team?

The Orioles got just about all they needed in the second when .148 hitter Joe Nolan hit a three-run homer off of Moose Haas. The same old story.

The boos rained down from the County Stadium crowd. They had been fed the line repeatedly that all the team needed was a change in leadership. We all ate it up.

Now we’re suffering from a collective case of indigestion.

Game Notes: After the loss, the Brewers fell to 10-15 at home … Robin Yount sat out the game with a sore shoulder and is questionable for tomorrow’s series finale. Rob Picciolo started in his place at shortstop … Jim Ganter had a day off and Ed Romero played at second base … Brewers signed eighth round pick Jim Paciorek, brother of White Sox player Tom Paciorek. Jim Paciorek hit .443 with 17 homers this spring for Michigan.