1998 Milwaukee Brewers season

MLB yearly infobox
name = Milwaukee Brewers
season = 1998
misc =

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current league = National League
y1 = 1998
division = Central Division
y2 = 1998
Uniform
ballpark = Milwaukee County Stadium
y4 = 1970
city = Milwaukee, Wisconsin
y5 = 1970
owners = Bud Selig
managers = Phil Garner
television =WCGV-TV
Wisconsin Sports Net
(Matt Vasgersian, Bill Schroeder)
radio = WTMJ (AM)
(Bob Uecker, Jim Powell)|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. [cite news|url=http://www.cincypost.com/sports/1997/brew110697.html|title=Brewers switch leagues, join Reds in NL Central|work=The Kentucky Post (Associated Press)|publisher=E. W. Scripps Company|date=1997-11-06|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20050505095313/http://www.cincypost.com/sports/1997/brew110697.html|archivedate=2005-05-05] 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. [Pappas, Doug, [http://www.roadsidephotos.com/baseball/97-4news.htm "News Briefs: Fall 1997"] , "Outside the Lines", Fall 1997.]

Also, Milwaukee was not totally unfamiliar with the National League, having been the home of the NL Braves for 13 seasons (1953-65).

Offseason

* December 8, 1997: Marquis Grissom was traded by the Cleveland Indians with Jeff Juden to the Milwaukee Brewers for Mike Fetters, Ben McDonald, and Ron Villone. [ [http://www.baseball-reference.com/g/grissma02.shtml Marquis Grissom Statistics - Baseball-Reference.com ] ]
*January 14, 1998: Bob Hamelin was signed as a Free Agent with the Milwaukee Brewers. [http://www.baseball-reference.com/h/hamelbo01.shtml]
* March 11, 1998: Ben McDonald was traded by the Cleveland Indians to the Milwaukee Brewers for Mark Watson. [ [http://www.baseball-reference.com/m/mcdonbe01.shtml Ben McDonald Statistics - Baseball-Reference.com ] ]

Regular season

eason standings

Transactions

*June 2, 1998: JJ Putz was drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 17th round of the 1998 amateur draft, but did not sign. [http://www.baseball-reference.com/p/putzjj01.shtml]
*July 23, 1998: Eric Plunk was traded by the Cleveland Indians to the Milwaukee Brewers for Doug Jones. [http://www.baseball-reference.com/p/plunker01.shtml]
*July 31, 1998: Bill Pulsipher was Traded by the New York Mets to the Milwaukee Brewers for Mike Kinkade. [ [http://www.baseball-reference.com/p/pulsibi01.shtml Bill Pulsipher Statistics - Baseball-Reference.com ] ]
*August 7, 1998: Jeff Juden was selected off waivers by the Anaheim Angels from the Milwaukee Brewers. [ [http://www.baseball-reference.com/j/judenje01.shtml Jeff Juden Statistics - Baseball-Reference.com ] ]

Roster

References

* [http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/MIL/1998.shtml 1998 Milwaukee Brewers team page at Baseball Reference]
* [http://baseball-almanac.com/teamstats/roster.php?y=1998&t=MIL 1998 Milwaukee Brewers team page at www.baseball-almanac.com]