1992 Milwaukee Brewers Season Recap

1992 Milwaukee Brewers Season Recap

1992 Milwaukee Brewers: A Small-Ball Team Chasing October

Ten years after their unforgettable run to the World Series, the Milwaukee Brewers had assembled enough talent to dream of another postseason chase. The only problem was that the Toronto Blue Jays stood in their way. Otherwise, the 1992 Milwaukee Brewers had plenty of talent on the roster to be considered a promising blend, built around small ball, advancing runners base by base, and stealing bases when it counted.

Season Overview

The Brewers went 92-70 in 1992, finishing four games behind the eventual World Series champion Toronto Blue Jays in the American League East. Milwaukee went 8-5 against Toronto in head-to-head play, finished 53-28 at home, and closed out the year 39-42 on the road. Full team numbers for the year are available through the Brewers’ 1992 statistics page.

Brewers Bats Power a Balanced Lineup

Everyday Standouts

Designated hitter Paul Molitor batted .320 with 12 home runs and 89 RBIs off 195 hits, 36 doubles, and 31 stolen bases. 1992 turned out to be Molitor’s last season in Milwaukee, closing out a remarkable 15-year career with the Brew Crew. Shortstop Pat Listach was just beginning his major league career, batting .290 with 168 hits, 19 doubles, 6 triples, and an eye-popping 54 stolen bases. Those numbers earned Listach the American League Rookie of the Year Award. Reserve outfielder Darryl Hamilton batted .298 with 62 RBIs, 140 hits, 19 doubles, 7 triples, and an impressive 41 stolen bases in 128 games. Right fielder Dante Bichette batted .287 with 111 hits, 27 doubles, and 18 stolen bases in 112 games.

Role Players and Depth

Second baseman Scott Fletcher batted .275 with 106 hits, 18 doubles, and 17 stolen bases in 123 games. Third baseman Kevin Seitzer batted .270 with 71 RBIs, 146 hits, 35 doubles, and 13 stolen bases. Center fielder Robin Yount drove in 77 runs on 147 hits, 40 doubles, and 15 stolen bases. Catcher William James Surhoff, who went by his nickname “B.J.,” collected 62 RBIs, 121 hits, 19 doubles, and 14 stolen bases. Left fielder Greg Vaughn hit 23 home runs and drove in 78 runs off 114 hits, 18 doubles, and 15 stolen bases. First baseman Franklin Stubbs had 66 hits, 11 doubles, and 11 stolen bases in 92 games. Second and third baseman Jim Gantner recorded 63 hits and 12 doubles in 101 games before retiring from professional baseball following the 1992 season. First baseman John Jaha stole 10 bases in 47 games.

Arms That Anchored the Rotation and Bullpen

Starting Rotation

Starting pitcher Jaime Navarro went 17-11 with 100 strikeouts and a 3.33 ERA, recording 5 complete games and 3 shutouts. Chris Bosio went 16-6 with 120 strikeouts and a 3.62 ERA, recording 4 complete games and 2 shutouts. Bill Wegman posted 127 strikeouts and a 3.20 ERA with 7 complete games despite going 13-14. Cal Eldred went 11-2 with a 1.79 ERA, recording 2 complete games and 1 shutout.

Bullpen Depth

Closer Doug Henry notched 29 saves. Relief pitcher Mike Fetters went 5-1 with 2 saves and a 1.87 ERA. Jim Austin went 5-2 with a 1.85 ERA. Dan Plesac went 5-4 with 1 save and a 2.96 ERA. Jesse Orosco went 3-1 with 1 save and a 3.23 ERA. Darren Holmes went 4-4 with a 2.55 ERA, and Ed Nunez went 1-1 with a 2.63 ERA.

Retiring a Franchise Legend’s Number

During the 1992 regular season, the Brewers retired the No. 34 jersey of one of the best relief pitchers in franchise history. Rollie Fingers, known for his signature handlebar mustache, pitched for Milwaukee from 1981 to 1985. The following year, in 1993, Fingers would have his No. 34 retired by another team, the Oakland Athletics.

Consistency and Signature Wins

Aside from a rocky May, the 1992 Milwaukee Brewers proved to be a solid team on the diamond, consistently winning games month after month. Milwaukee went 10-9 in April, 16-11 in June, 16-12 in July, 15-14 in August, and 20-7 in September.

Blowout at the SkyDome

One major highlight of Milwaukee’s season came on August 28 at the SkyDome, when the Brewers routed the Toronto Blue Jays by a score of 22-2. Cal Eldred was sharp on the mound, pitching 7 innings and giving up 7 hits and 2 runs while striking out 5. The damage was done in the top of the 4th, when Kevin Seitzer delivered an RBI single and Scott Fletcher opened the floodgates with a 3-run single. Pat Listach and Paul Molitor followed with a pair of RBI singles.

Shutout at Camden Yards

Another highlight came on September 12, when the Brewers blanked the Baltimore Orioles 5-0 at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Jaime Navarro tossed a complete game, allowing 5 hits and 1 walk while striking out 5. In the top of the 1st inning, Kevin Seitzer hit an RBI double, Dante Bichette added an RBI groundout, and Greg Vaughn followed with a 2-run single. Milwaukee tacked on another run in the top of the 7th when John Jaha singled home a run.

The End of an Era

Unfortunately for the Milwaukee Brewers, they would never return to the American League postseason. Significant roster changes followed the 1992 season, and after the 1993 campaign, Robin Yount would call it a career. After a few more seasons in the American League Central, the Brewers accepted an offer to switch to the National League and play in the National League Central, a move made possible when two new expansion teams, in St. Petersburg (Tampa Bay) and Phoenix, began play in Major League Baseball in 1998.