‘Moooose’ big hit for Brewers
MILWAUKEE — It sounds, at first, like a long, drawn out “Booooo!”
But look at the name on the scoreboard and it becomes apparent what fans at Miller Park are really chanting — “Mooooose!”
Mike Moustakas has been a hit with fans and teammates with the Milwaukee Brewers since being acquired from the Kansas City Royals two-plus months ago. They appreciate his solid third base defense, and his left-handed power stroke was key in getting Milwaukee through the NL Division Series. In the clubhouse, his focused demeanor and extensive postseason experience have made him a source of steadiness for a club playing in the postseason for the first time since 2011.
“Amazing, amazing. He’s a great teammate,” utility player Hernan Perez said. “He’s been in this situation.”
Moustakas and current Brewers center fielder Lorenzo Cain helped Kansas City reach the World Series twice, including their championship run in 2015. Moustakas is one step away from a Series return with Milwaukee. Game 1 of the NL Championship Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers is tomorrow night at Miller Park.
Moustakas hit .364 in a three-game sweep of the Colorado Rockies in the NLDS with two RBI. He had a game-ending, twoout RBI single in the 10th inning in Game 1 and an RBI single in eighth of Game 2 to help break open what had been a 1-0 game.
A cool hand in tense moments. Exactly what Milwaukee had in mind for its midseason acquisition.
“The more experience that you can gain, the better off you’re going to be,” Moustakas said before yesterday’s workout.
Overall, Moustakas is hitting .234 with six homers and 17 RBI in 34 games over eight postseason series.
“But his experience, it’s important. It really is,” Brewers manager Craig Counsell said last week. “Making sure we don’t put the result ahead of the process in our at-bats, and I think Moose is doing a heck of a job of that.”
The Brewers had to get creative to add Moustakas to the lineup, with Travis Shaw on the team as the regular third baseman. Someone had to move. Shaw accepted a switch to second base.
Shaw stuck at second and has played fairly well, allowing the Brewers to have three lefty bats in the lineup to go with MVP frontrunner Christian Yelich.
The playoff run in Milwaukee winds down an eventful year for Moustakas that started with a disappointing offseason. After setting the Royals’ single- season home run record with 38 in 2017, Moustakas filed for free agency. He rejected a $17.4 million qualifying offer in November.
He never received the multiyear, mega-million dollar contract he anticipated. The Royals signed Moustakas to a one-year, $6.5 million contract.
“It’s definitely been an interesting year, but I’m very happy with the way everything turned out,” Moustakas said.