Rod Carew

Brewers Sweep into First at Break

Brewers 8, Royals 5
Brewers now 48-35 (1st)
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1982 Topps Paul Molitor — Paul Molitor goes into the break with 10 home runs, already a career high.

MILWAUKEE — Prior to their game with the Mariners in Seattle on June 2, the Milwaukee Brewers were scuffling in fifth place with a 23-24 record, seven games back in the AL East. That was the day that Buck Rodgers was fired and Harvey Kuenn took over on an “interim” basis.

Today, the Brewers wrapped up the first half of the season with a sweep of the Kansas City Royals, a team that was in first place in the AL West before the series began. In 36 games after Kuenn took over, the Brewers go into the All-Star break as the AL East leaders, up by percentage points over the Boston Red Sox after they fell to the Twins today.

How did the Brewers do it? Much in the way they won today’s game: The long ball. Today, “Harvey’s Wallbangers” launched four more home runs, one each by Paul Molitor (10), Charlie Moore (4), Ted Simmons (14) and Gorman Thomas (22). Molitor has already eclipsed his career high of nine, done twice before.

Before Rodgers was let go, the Brewers had hit 58 home runs in 47 games for 1.2 per game. Since Kuenn took the helm, they’e hit 67 in 36 games, or 1.9 per game. That’s downright silly. The 1982 Milwaukee Brewers, on pace to hit 244 home runs, are now being mentioned in the same breath as the 1961 New York Yankees, who set the team record with 241.

It hasn’t just been the home runs, though they’ve helped. The Brewers have also gotten much more consistent pitching, both from the bullpen and the starting rotation. The team that was a game under .500 36 games ago has been 25-11 ever since.

Is it all the manager? Maybe not. But the roster has remained the same. Kuenn’s approach has a relaxing influence on the team. They play looser and have more fun. Do they have more fun because they’re winning or the other way around? Who knows. But it’s working.

Game Notes: Rod Carew announced he would miss the All-Star Game due to tendinitis in his right hand. Cecil Cooper is a back-up, but Carew’s starting replacement has not been named. … The Brewers had 10 hits, the 13th time in the past 16 games that they’ve reached double digits.

Oglivie Homers Again as Brewers Win

June 21 Leave a Comment

Brewers 6, Yankees 2
Brewers now 36-29 (3rd)
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MILWAUKEE — It was Hank Aaron Hall of Fame Night at County Stadium, and they were handing out Ben Oglivie home run balls. Or so it seemed…

Prior to the game, Hammerin’ Hank was presented with $1 for every special Hank Aaron general admission ticket sold. The money would go to the Hank Aaron Youth fund, which would also announce two scholarships for local high school students.

But Oglivie took the occasion to hit like the former Milwaukee Braves and Brewers icon, slugging his fourth home run in two days. That’s four home runs in seven plate appearances. And if you want to remove the walks, it was four home runs in five official at bats. Ridiculous.

Oglivie attributes the recent power surge to a change in his approach: “I had a loop in my swing, and I had a tendancy to drag my hands through,” said Oglivie, who now has 16 home runs on the season. “I wouldn’t have the power I normally do.” He’s getting his hand through just fine now, thank you.

Those who are paying attention also notice that Oglivie is holding the bat higher, staying back on the pitch and getting better extension. But you don’t care about that. All that matters are the results.

Havey’s Wallbangers keep hitting home runs. If it’s not Oglivie, it’s someone else (Paul Molitor also hit his seventh tonight). But it’s not just the chick-digging home run balls. For the sixth time in seven games, Milwaukee pitching has kept their opponents to three or fewer runs (well, five of six if you don’t count the 2-2 tie with the Orioles). No wonder they’ve won six straight.

And while the Red Sox may have won today to maintain a four-game lead over the Brewers, a very important series is on the horizon. Once this series ends with the Yankees, the Brewers have a day of rest before heading to Boston for a four-game series at Fenway.

Apply for your sick days now…

Game Notes: The Brewers are seven games over .500 for the first time this season … In addition to his homer, Molitor had two doubles and a single, going 4-for-4 … Pete Rose tied Hank Aaron with hit number 3,771 today … Carl Yastrzemski moved ahead of Nap Lajoie for ninth on the all-time hit list with number 3,253 … All-Star vote updates have been released and Ted Simmons is second to Chicago’s Carlton Fisk, Paul Molitor is fourth to Kansas City’s George Brett, Cecil Cooper is third to California’s Rod Carew, Jim Gantner is fifth to New York’s Willie Randolph, and Robin Yount is second to Yankee Bucky Dent.

Robin Yount Stars in Brewers Win

June 15 Leave a Comment

Brewers 6, Orioles 3
Brewers now 31-29 (4th)
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Robin Yount proved again why he is the best shortstop in the game, but he may not play in the All-Star Game in Montreal on July 13.

BALTIMORE — Today’s win was a full team effort.

Bob McClure started and held the potent Orioles offense to three runs (two earned) on six hits in seven innings. Jim Slaton went the rest of the way and did what Jim Slaton does, allowing only a hit in two scoreless innings.

The Brewers got off to a good start in the first when Paul Molitor led off with a walk and Robin Yount then launched a homer to stake his roommate McClure to a 2-0 lead.

The Orioles would take the lead in the third when Dan Ford struck again with a two-run single. It was Ford who hit a grand slam yesterday to put that game out of reach.

The pitchers took over from that point until the eighth when a surprising defensive miscue gave the Brewers an opportunity. With two down, Mark Brouhard hit a routine grounder to rookie vacuum Cal Ripken, Jr.. Brouhard would reach safely when Ripken threw high to first, committing his first error in 44 games. After Molitor singled, Yount came through again with a triple off of the wall in right to give the Brewers a 4-3 lead.

The Brewers got some nice insurance runs in the eighth when Gorman Thomas led off with a booming home run to left and Marshall Edwards brought home Ben Oglivie with a sacrifice fly. But with Jim Slaton on the mound, those runs were merely recreational.

As has been the case so many times this season, Robin Yount was the star of this show. He went 2-for-5 and drove in four of the Brewers’ six runs. He is now hitting .313 with eight home runs and 36 RBI.

“If Robin Yount is not the starting All-Star shortstop,” said manager Harvey Kuenn, “then there’s something wrong with the balloting.”

Well, there’s likely something wrong with the balloting. As it currently stands, Yankees part-timer (and owner of a .153 batting average) Bucky Dent is leading all shortstops in the voting. Robin Yount sits third. Helplessly.

It’s okay. The Yankees can play in the meaningless All-Star Game. The Brewers will just keep winning the games that count.

Game Notes: The Brewers are considering calling up reliever Pete Ladd or starter Frank DiPino from Vancouver. Ladd is 9-1 and has allowed 32 hits in 40 2/3 innings. DiPino is 7-4 with a 3.17 ERA … Ted Simmons is second among catchers in the All-Star voting behind Chicago’s Carlton Fisk. Cecil Cooper is fifth among first basemen behind California’s Rod Carew. Molitor is seventh among third basemen behind Kansas City’s George Brett. Ben Oglivie is sixteenth among outfielders … Reliever Rollie Fingers (back spasms) may be available for tomorrow’s game … Cecil Cooper, who had been out of the lineup for five games with a hamstring injury, returned and couldn’t get the ball out of the infield in four at bats.

Brewers Start with Bang, End with Whimper

May 28 Leave a Comment

Angels 6, Brewers 5
Brewers now 21-22 (4th)
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ANAHEIM — Through 6 1/2 innings today, it had appeared that the Brewers we’ve all been waiting for had finally arrived.

Tied 2-2 in the top of the sixth, Cecil Cooper, Don Money and Gorman Thomas led off the inning with back-to-back-to-back home runs, a franchise record. Through six innings, Mike Caldwell had allowed two runs on five hits and no walks. And the defense behind him sparkled. Gorman Thomas made a diving catch on a line drive by Bob Boone in the third, then jumped up and doubled off Rod Carew at first.

It was all going so well. Maybe too well.

Then the Angels scored three runs off of Caldwell and Dwight Bernard in the seventh to tie up the game. Don Baylor would add the clincher in the eighth on a solo home run off of Bernard.

It was a loss. It was a painful loss. The Brewers have now dropped 12 of 17 to fall to 21-22 and 7 1/2 games back of the Boston Red Sox in the AL East. There were signs of hope, but we need more than signs right now.

The Brewers need results.

Game Notes: Charlie Moore will miss a couple of games with a jammed thumb, suffered in the first inning of yesterday’s game … Ted Simmons has hit safely in six straight games, his longest streak as a Brewer … Minor league pitching instructor Pat Dobson will replace Cal McLish as the team’s pitching coach until he’s healthy enough to return.