1998 Milwaukee Brewers season

1998 Milwaukee Brewers
Major League affiliations
National League (since 1998)
Central Division (since 1998)
Location
Milwaukee County Stadium (since 1970)
Milwaukee, Wisconsin (since 1970)
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

• 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
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

• 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
Roster
Pitchers 52 Bobby Chouinard 58 Valerio de los Santos 21 Cal Eldred 40 Chad Fox 53 Rod Henderson 43 Joe Hudson 43 Doug Jones 14 Jeff Juden 42 Scott Karl 41 José Mercedes 57 Greg Mullins 28 Mike Myers 31 Bronswell Patrick 39 Eric Plunk 46 Bill Pulsipher 47 Al Reyes 52 Rafael Roque 89 Travis Smith 46 Paul Wagner 49 David Weathers 27 Bob Wickman 48 Brad Woodall 37 Steve Woodard		Catchers 25 Brian Banks 33 Bobby Hughes 23 Marcus Jensen 16 Jesse Levis 22 Mike Matheny Infielders 11 Ronnie Belliard 26 Jeff Cirillo 30 Bob Hamelin 32 John Jaha  8 Mark Loretta  7 Dave Nilsson  2 José Valentín  1 Fernando Viña		Outfielders 20 Jeromy Burnitz  9 Marquis Grissom 24 Darrin Jackson  5 Geoff Jenkins 50 Greg Martinez 10 Marc Newfield 39 Eric Owens		Manager  3 Phil Garner Coaches 12 Chris Bando (Bench) 35 Bill Castro (Bullpen) 23 Lamar Johnson (Hitting) 29 Jim Lefebvre (Hitting) 38 Doug Mansolino (First Base), (Third Base) 45 Don Rowe (Pitching) 36 Joel Youngblood (First Base), (Third Base)

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

• 1998 Milwaukee Brewers team at Baseball-Reference
• 1998 Milwaukee Brewers team page at www.baseball-almanac.com