1998 Milwaukee Brewers season

1998 Milwaukee Brewers
Major League affiliations
Location
Other information
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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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.

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

Regular season

Season standings

NL Central W L Pct. GB Home Road
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:

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

Roster

1998 Milwaukee Brewers
Roster
Pitchers Catchers

Infielders

Outfielders Manager

Coaches

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
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

[12]

Other batters

Player G AB R H HR RBI Avg. SB
Dave Nilsson 102 309 39 83 12 56 .269 2

Pitching

Starting pitchers

Player G IP W L ERA SO

Other pitchers

Player G IP W L ERA SO

Relief pitchers

Player G IP W L ERA SO

Farm system

Level Team League Manager
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

[13]

References

  1. "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.
  2. Pappas, Doug, "News Briefs: Fall 1997", Outside the Lines, Fall 1997.
  3. Jack Voigt at Baseball-Reference
  4. Marquis Grissom at Baseball-Reference
  5. Bob Hamelin at Baseball-Reference
  6. Ben McDonald at Baseball-Reference
  7. J. J. Putz at Baseball-Reference
  8. http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/weathda01.shtml
  9. Eric Plunk at Baseball-Reference
  10. Bill Pulsipher at Baseball-Reference
  11. Jeff Juden at Baseball-Reference
  12. http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/MIL/1998.shtml
  13. Johnson, Lloyd, and Wolff, Miles, ed., The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball, 3rd edition. Durham, North Carolina: Baseball America, 2007
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