1998 Milwaukee Brewers season
The Milwaukee Brewers' 1998 season was the first season for the franchise as a member of the National League. The Brewers finished in fifth in the NL Central, 28 games behind the Houston Astros, with a record of 74 wins and 88 losses. Before the 1998 regular season began, two new teams—the Arizona Diamondbacks and Tampa Bay Devil Rays—were added by Major League Baseball. This resulted in the American League and National League having fifteen teams. However, in order for MLB officials to continue primarily intraleague play, both leagues would need to carry a number of teams that was divisible by two, so the decision was made to move one club from the AL Central to the NL Central.
1998 Milwaukee Brewers | |
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Owner(s) | Bud Selig |
General manager(s) | Sal Bando |
Manager(s) | Phil Garner |
Local television | WCGV-TV Wisconsin Sports Net (Matt Vasgersian, Bill Schroeder) |
Local radio | WTMJ (AM) (Bob Uecker, Jim Powell) |
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This realignment was widely considered to have great financial benefit to the club moving. However, to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest, Commissioner (then club owner) Bud Selig decided another team should have the first chance to switch leagues. The choice was offered to the Kansas City Royals, who ultimately decided to stay in the American League.[1] The choice then fell to the Brewers, who, on November 6, 1997, elected to move to the National League. Had the Brewers elected not to move to the National League, the Minnesota Twins would have been offered the opportunity to switch leagues.[2]
Also, Milwaukee was not totally unfamiliar with the National League, having been the home of the NL Braves for 13 seasons (1953–1965).
Offseason
- December 1, 1997: Jack Voigt was released by the Brewers.[3]
- December 8, 1997: Mike Fetters, Ben McDonald, and Ron Villone were traded by the Brewers to the Cleveland Indians for Marquis Grissom and Jeff Juden.[4]
- January 14, 1998: Bob Hamelin was signed as a free agent by the Brewers.[5]
- March 11, 1998: Mark Watson was traded by the Brewers to the Cleveland Indians for Ben McDonald.[6]
Regular season
Season standings
NL Central | W | L | Pct. | GB | Home | Road |
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Houston Astros | 102 | 60 | 0.630 | — | 55–26 | 47–34 |
Chicago Cubs | 90 | 73 | 0.552 | 12½ | 51–31 | 39–42 |
St. Louis Cardinals | 83 | 79 | 0.512 | 19 | 48–34 | 35–45 |
Cincinnati Reds | 77 | 85 | 0.475 | 25 | 39–42 | 38–43 |
Milwaukee Brewers | 74 | 88 | 0.457 | 28 | 38–43 | 36–45 |
Pittsburgh Pirates | 69 | 93 | 0.426 | 33 | 40–40 | 29–53 |
Record vs. opponents
1998 National League Records Sources: | |||||||||||||||||
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Team | ARI | ATL | CHC | CIN | COL | FLA | HOU | LAD | MIL | MON | NYM | PHI | PIT | SD | SF | STL | AL |
Arizona | — | 1–8 | 5–7 | 4–5 | 6–6 | 6–2 | 4–5 | 4–8 | 6–3 | 2–7 | 4–5 | 2–7 | 6–3 | 3–9 | 5–7 | 2–7 | 5–8 |
Atlanta | 8–1 | — | 3–6 | 7–2 | 5–3 | 7–5 | 4–5 | 8–1 | 7–2 | 6–6 | 9–3 | 8–4 | 7–2 | 5–4 | 7–2 | 6–3 | 9–7 |
Chicago | 7–5 | 6–3 | — | 6–5 | 7–2 | 7–2 | 4–7 | 4–5 | 6–6 | 7–2 | 4–5 | 3–6 | 8–3 | 5–4 | 7–3 | 4–7 | 5–8 |
Cincinnati | 5–4 | 2–7 | 5–6 | — | 4–5 | 9–0 | 3–8 | 5–4 | 6–5 | 8–1 | 3–6 | 4–5 | 5–7 | 1–11 | 2–7 | 8–3 | 7-6 |
Colorado | 6–6 | 3–5 | 2–7 | 5–4 | — | 6–3 | 6–5 | 6–6 | 4–7 | 7–2 | 3–6 | 5–4 | 5–4 | 5–7 | 7–5 | 3–6 | 4–8 |
Florida | 2–6 | 5–7 | 2–7 | 0–9 | 3–6 | — | 3–6 | 4–5 | 0–9 | 5–7 | 5–7 | 6–6 | 3–6 | 4–5 | 0–9 | 4–5 | 8–8 |
Houston | 5–4 | 5–4 | 7–4 | 8–3 | 5–6 | 6-3 | — | 3–6 | 9–2 | 7–2 | 5–4 | 7–2 | 9–2 | 5–4 | 6–3 | 5–7 | 10–4 |
Los Angeles | 8–4 | 1–8 | 5–4 | 4–5 | 6–6 | 5–4 | 6–3 | — | 5–4 | 5–4 | 3–5 | 5–4 | 7–5 | 5–7 | 6–6 | 4–5 | 8–5 |
Milwaukee | 3–6 | 2–7 | 6–6 | 5–6 | 7–4 | 9–0 | 2–9 | 4–5 | — | 6–3 | 1–8 | 4–5 | 6–5 | 3–6 | 5–4 | 3–8 | 8–6 |
Montreal | 7–2 | 6–6 | 2–7 | 1–8 | 2–7 | 7–5 | 2–7 | 4–5 | 3–6 | — | 8–4 | 5–7 | 2–7 | 4–4 | 3–6 | 3–6 | 6–10 |
New York | 5–4 | 3–9 | 5–4 | 6–3 | 6–3 | 7–5 | 4–5 | 5–3 | 8–1 | 4–8 | — | 8–4 | 4–5 | 4–5 | 4–5 | 6–3 | 9–7 |
Philadelphia | 7-2 | 4–8 | 6–3 | 5–4 | 4–5 | 6–6 | 2–7 | 4–5 | 5–4 | 7–5 | 4–8 | — | 8–1 | 1–8 | 2–6 | 3–6 | 7–9 |
Pittsburgh | 3–6 | 2–7 | 3–8 | 7–5 | 4–5 | 6–3 | 2–9 | 5–7 | 5–6 | 7–2 | 5–4 | 1–8 | — | 5–4 | 2–7 | 6–5 | 6–7 |
San Diego | 9–3 | 4–5 | 4–5 | 11–1 | 7–5 | 5–4 | 4–5 | 7–5 | 6–3 | 4–4 | 5–4 | 8–1 | 4–5 | — | 8–4 | 6–3 | 6–7 |
San Francisco | 7–5 | 2–7 | 3–7 | 7–2 | 5–7 | 9–0 | 3–6 | 6–6 | 4–5 | 6–3 | 5–4 | 6–2 | 7–2 | 4–8 | — | 7–5 | 8–5 |
St. Louis | 7–2 | 3–6 | 7–4 | 3–8 | 6–3 | 5-4 | 7–5 | 5–4 | 8–3 | 6–3 | 3–6 | 6–3 | 5–6 | 3–6 | 5–7 | — | 4–9 |
Notable transactions
- June 2, 1998: J. J. Putz was drafted by the Brewers in the 17th round of the 1998 Major League Baseball draft, but did not sign.[7]
- June 24, 1998: Dave Weathers was selected off waivers by the Milwaukee Brewers from the Cincinnati Reds.[8]
- July 23, 1998: Doug Jones was traded by the Brewers to the Cleveland Indians for Eric Plunk.[9]
- July 31, 1998: Mike Kinkade was traded by the Brewers to the New York Mets for Bill Pulsipher.[10]
- August 7, 1998: Jeff Juden was selected off waivers from the Brewers by the Anaheim Angels.[11]
Roster
1998 Milwaukee Brewers | |||||||||
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Roster | |||||||||
Pitchers
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Catchers
Infielders
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Outfielders
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Coaches
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Player stats
= Indicates team leader |
Batting
Starters by position
Note: Pos = position; G = Games played; AB = At Bats; R = Runs; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting Average; HR = Home Runs; RBI = Runs Batted In; SB = Stolen Bases
Pos | Player | G | AB | R | H | Avg. | HR | RBI | SB |
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C | Mike Matheny | 108 | 320 | 24 | 76 | .238 | 6 | 27 | 1 |
1B | John Jaha | 73 | 216 | 29 | 45 | .208 | 7 | 38 | 1 |
2B | Fernando Viña | ||||||||
3B | Jeff Cirillo | ||||||||
SS | José Valentín | ||||||||
LF | Geoff Jenkins | 84 | 262 | 33 | 60 | .229 | 9 | 28 | 1 |
CF | Marquis Grissom | ||||||||
RF | Jeromy Burnitz |
Other batters
Player | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | Avg. | SB |
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Dave Nilsson | 102 | 309 | 39 | 83 | 12 | 56 | .269 | 2 |
Pitching
Starting pitchers
Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
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Other pitchers
Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
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Relief pitchers
Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
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Farm system
Level | Team | League | Manager |
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AAA | Louisville RiverBats | International League | Gary Allenson |
AA | El Paso Diablos | Texas League | Ed Romero |
A | Stockton Ports | California League | Bernie Moncallo |
A | Beloit Snappers | Midwest League | Don Money |
Rookie | Helena Brewers | Pioneer League | Tom Houk |
Rookie | Ogden Raptors | Pioneer League | Ed Sedar |
References
- "Brewers switch leagues, join Reds in NL Central". The Kentucky Post (Associated Press). E. W. Scripps Company. November 6, 1997. Archived from the original on May 5, 2005.
- Pappas, Doug, "News Briefs: Fall 1997" Archived July 27, 2008, at the Wayback Machine, Outside the Lines, Fall 1997.
- Jack Voigt at Baseball-Reference
- Marquis Grissom at Baseball-Reference
- Bob Hamelin at Baseball-Reference
- Ben McDonald at Baseball-Reference
- J. J. Putz at Baseball-Reference
- https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/weathda01.shtml
- Eric Plunk at Baseball-Reference
- Bill Pulsipher at Baseball-Reference
- Jeff Juden at Baseball-Reference
- https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/MIL/1998.shtml
- Johnson, Lloyd, and Wolff, Miles, ed., The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball, 3rd edition. Durham, North Carolina: Baseball America, 2007
- 1998 Milwaukee Brewers team at Baseball-Reference
- 1998 Milwaukee Brewers team page at www.baseball-almanac.com