- Publish date:
Milwaukee Brewers LOST IN AMERICA
TALENT CHALLENGED/NL CENTRAL
On Opening Day the giant tote board hanging from the facade of
County Stadium will read 732 MORE DAYS. For many in the Brewers
organization, this represents a countdown to prosperity--the
time remaining until the christening of Miller Park, a
retractable-dome stadium scheduled to open for the 2000 season.
If 732 days sounds like a long time, it is. Especially in
Milwaukee, which has been waiting so long for the Brewers to
play a postseason game (15 years) that time seems to stand
still. Luckily, Brewers fans are nothing if not patient.
Despite suffering from a lack of star power (the plague of many
small-market teams) plus the playoff drought, Milwaukee narrowly
gained the public funding needed for the new stadium. As they
were preparing to break ground for the ballpark, the Brewers
began to adopt a plan similar to the one used by Indians general
manager John Hart in the early '90s, signing most of their core
players to long-term contracts in anticipation of the revenue
boost that will be generated by Miller Park. The soul of the
team--infielders Jeff Cirillo, Dave Nilsson, Jose Valentin and
Fernando Vina; pitchers Cal Eldred and Scott Karl; and
outfielders Jeromy Burnitz and Marquis Grissom--is signed
through 2000. Despite losing $6 million last season, the club
increased its '98 payroll by 60%, from $22 million to $35
million. "For years it seemed like this team was just trying to
survive from one year to the next," says Eldred, who has spent
seven years in Milwaukee. "Now it's like we have an actual
future."
Part of the franchise's optimism stems from its off-season move
to the National League, a migration engineered by Brewers owner
and acting-commissioner-for-life Bud Selig, who appears to be
indulging in his own radical interpretation of interleague play.
The switch creates a natural rivalry with the nearby Cubs and
with the Braves, who abandoned Milwaukee in '66. The novelty of
a new league has sparked season-ticket sales, which are running
about 25% ahead of last year. The club record of 8,994, set in
'93, will almost certainly be broken.
That manager Phil Garner spent 12 of his 16 years as a player in
the National League should facilitate his team's adjustment.
Alas, the Brewers are still a team without a superstar. "All our
signings have improved our reputation," G.M. Sal Bando says.
"But at best we've gone from a flyweight to a lightweight. We're
still asked to beat the heavyweights, so we have to bob and
weave and hope to win split decisions."
The Brewers' strength in recent years has been their pitching,
but shoulder injuries to Ben McDonald (who was traded to
Cleveland in December, only to be sent back last week for
healthy lefty Mark Watson) and Jeff D'Amico leave them with only
three healthy returning starters, Eldred, Karl and Jose
Mercedes, none of whom had a winning record in 1997. While they
have good hitters in Burnitz, Cirillo, Grissom, Nilsson and John
Jaha, the Brewers finished 13th in the American League in runs
because they lack a quality leadoff man and power, shortcomings
they hope won't be as costly in the lower-scoring senior circuit.
If Milwaukee can hang in the race in baseball's weakest
division, the NL Central, the most important player may become
Grissom, who was acquired in the vexed deal involving McDonald.
Grissom, who appeared in the last three World Series, could
provide valuable experience down the stretch for a team that
last season trailed the Indians by just 2 1/2 games on Sept. 2
but wilted, dropping 16 of its last 24 games.
Garner, who has the rare distinction of having managed the same
team through five consecutive losing seasons, likes to point out
that everybody in his Opening Day lineup except Grissom, a
nine-year veteran, has between four and six years of major
league experience. "That's when a player feels like he really
belongs in the big leagues," Garner says. "We've been struggling
with youth for years. Now is our window of opportunity to
succeed, and so we're left to wonder, how much more time will it
take?"
How many more days? A frequent question in Milwaukee. But when
it comes to winning a pennant, there is no way to be sure if
that countdown has really begun.
--T.C.
COLOR PHOTO: KEN LEVINE/AP SAFE RETURN After a largely frustrating absence of 32 years, Milwaukee, with Grissom, is back in the National League. [Marquis Grissom in game]
COLOR PHOTO: V.J. LOVERO [John Jaha]
BY THE NUMBERS
1997 Team Statistics (AL rank)
1997 record: 78-83 (third in AL Central)
BATTING AVERAGE .260 (11) OPP. BATTING AVG. .261(3)
RUNS SCORED 681(3) ERA 4.22(4)
HOME RUNS 135(13) FIELDING PCT. .980(10)
OFF-SEASON MOVES
WHAT THEY NEEDED: An ace, relievers, a leadoff hitter and a
power hitter.
WHAT THEY GOT: Pitcher Jeff Juden will start. Mike Myers, from
the Tigers, is a workhorse reliever. Chad Fox also comes in from
the pen. Marquis Grissom, from Cleveland, takes over centerfield
and the leadoff spot. Backup first baseman Bob Hamelin is the
new Gorman Thomas, without the consistency...or the Fu Manchu.
WHAT IT ALL MEANS: The Brewers think they have enough pitching
to contend, but Juden--a chronic malcontent--is no ace. Grissom
is the most exciting player here since Robin Yount, but Yount
had a lot more talent surrounding him. This team still needs help.
THE X-FACTOR
He is the dean of the Brewers every-day players, which these
days is about as significant as being the oldest former member
of Menudo. Although John Jaha is starting his seventh season in
Milwaukee, an injury-filled '97 makes him a dangerously unknown
quantity. If the revamped Brewers have any wild-card hopes, Jaha
must provide the power-starved Brew Crew with 30 home runs. With
the move to the NL, however, he'll have to do it while fielding
his position, no easy task for the brittle big man. Do the
Brewers think he's up to it? Their one-year contract offer
suggests the answer is a resounding no.
Projected Roster With 1997 Statistics
Manager: Phil Garner (seventh season with Milwaukee)
BATTING ORDER B/T BA HRs RBIs SBs
2B Fernando Vina L/R .275 4 28 8
CF Marquis Grissom[***] R .262 12 66 22
3B Jeff Cirillo R .288 10 82 4
1B John Jaha R .247 11 26 1
RF Jeromy Burnitz L/R .281 27 85 20
LF Marc Newfield R .229 1 18 0
SS Jose Valentin S/R .253 17 58 19
C Mike Matheny R .244 4 32 0
BENCH
LF Dave Nilsson** L/R .278 20 81 2
1B Bob Hamelin[***] L .270 18 52 2
IF Mark Loretta R .287 5 47 5
OF Darrin Jackson R .261 5 36 4
C Jesse Levis L/R .285 1 19 1
STARTERS W L IPS BR ERA
RH Cal Eldred 13 15 5.9 1.51 4.99
LH Scott Karl 10 13 6.0 1.46 4.47
RH Jose Mercedes 7 10 6.4 1.28 3.79
RH Jeff Juden*[***] 11 6 5.8 1.48 4.46
RH Steve Woodard 3 3 0 1.28 5.15
RELIEVERS W L S BR ERA
RH Doug Jones 6 6 36 0.92 2.02
RH Bob Wickman 7 6 1 1.39 2.73
RH Chad Fox[***] 0 1 0 1.46 3.29
RH Al Reyes 1 2 1 1.48 5.46
LH Mike Myers[***] 0 4 2 1.58 5.70
RH Jeff D'Amico** 9 7 5.9 1.40 4.71
[***]New acquisition (R) Rookie B/T: Bats/throws IPS:
Innings pitched per start BR: Base runners per inning pitched
*Combined AL and NL stats **Will begin season on DL
