’82 team to be honored in July.
The Milwaukee Brewers announced Thursday plans to celebrate the 35th anniversary of their 1982 World Series team during the weekend of July 14-16. The event will feature a reunion of those American League champion players in an on-field ceremony July 15 at Miller Park.
This year’s Brewers will wear replicas of the team’s 1982 home uniforms during all three games of that weekend series against Philadelphia. The Phillies will join the celebration by wearing powder blue throwback uniforms from that season.
On Friday, July 14, the first 20,000 fans in attendance for the 7:10 p.m. game will receive a FreeShirt Friday replica Paul Molitor powder blue jersey.
On that Saturday, coaches, players and staff from the ’82 team will reunite in an on-field pregame ceremony. Jerry Augustine, Mark Brouhard, Cecil Cooper, Mike Caldwell, Jamie Easterly, Jim Gantner, Larry Haney, Moose Haas, Larry Hisle, Pete Ladd, Don “Doc” Medich, Charlie Moore, Ben Oglivie, Rob Picciolo, Ed Romero, Jim Slaton, Gorman Thomas, Pete Vuckovich and Robin Yount are all confirmed to attend. Bud Selig, former owner of the Brewers, also will be on hand.
In addition, family members will represent late manager Harvey Kuenn, and members of that front office staff will be on hand. Additional attendees may be added.
Members of that team also will hold a 45-minute autograph session for ticketed fans before the game Saturday.
To cap the weekend, fans who attend the Sunday afternoon contest will receive a 1982 American League championship replica ring.
Coaching staffs announced: The organization announced its minorleague staffs at all seven levels Thursday, with six managers returning to their affiliates for another season.
Rick Sweet (Class AAA Colorado Springs), Mike Guerrero (Class AA Biloxi), Joe Ayrault (advanced Class A Carolina), Matt Erickson (Class A Wisconsin), Nestor Corredor (rookie Helena) and Victor Estevez (Dominican Summer League) are the returnees, while former Brewers minor-leaguer Rafael Neda takes over the rookie Arizona Brewers.
Erickson, an Appleton native, is the longest-tenured manager in the system at seven years. He led the Timber Rattlers to a playoff berth in the Midwest League in 2016.
Among the changes will be the promotions of Ned Yost IV and Al LeBoeuf to Colorado Springs, where they’ll join Sweet’s staff after spending 2016 at Brevard County and Wisconsin, respectively.
Chuckie Caufield moves to Biloxi from the Wisconsin staff, while Wisconsin welcomes a new pitching coach in Steve Cline and coach Hainley Statia. Cline spent the last 16 years in the same role with the rookie Arizona Brewers, while Statia is a one-time Brewers prospect who spent last year with the Arizona Brewers.
Neda will be flanked in Arizona by Tony Diggs, who managed the team last season.
There was one change to the roving minor-league staff, with Kenny Graham replacing Jeremy Reed as the hitting coordinator. July 14-16 events include ceremony