Milwaukee’s Best, Part 1: The 50 Best To Play For Braves, Brewers: 50-41
By Phil Watson
Sal Bando, as shown on a 1978 Topps baseball card.
43. Sal Bando, 3B
Brewers 1977-81
Sal Bando was the Brewers first big foray into free agency when they signed the former Oakland Athletics All-Star in November 1976 to a whopping (at the time) five-year, $1.4 million contract.
Bando was solid for Milwaukee, but wasn’t really a star after arriving. His best season with the Crew was the breakout season of 1978, when the Brewers finished with a winning record for the first time. He hit .285/.371/.439 with 17 homers and 78 RBI that season.
Bando was reduced to part-time status by the first time Milwaukee reached the postseason in 1981, but he wound up starting all five games of the Brewers’ East Division Series with the New York Yankees, going 5-for-17 with three doubles.
Bando was a sixth-round pick of the then-Kansas City Athletics out of Arizona State University in the very first amateur draft held in 1965. He debuted for the A’s in September 1966 and took over as Oakland’s full-time third baseman in 1968.
Bando retired after the 1981 season and was a special assistant to the general manager of the Brewers from 1982-91 before assuming the GM duties in October 1991 until August 1999.
Here are his stats from his five seasons with the Brewers:
| Year | Age | G | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | CS | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS | OPS+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | 33 | 159 | 666 | 580 | 65 | 145 | 27 | 3 | 17 | 82 | 4 | 2 | 75 | 89 | .250 | .336 | .395 | .731 | 99 |
| 1978 | 34 | 152 | 629 | 540 | 85 | 154 | 20 | 6 | 17 | 78 | 3 | 2 | 72 | 52 | .285 | .371 | .439 | .810 | 128 |
| 1979 | 35 | 130 | 543 | 476 | 57 | 117 | 14 | 3 | 9 | 43 | 2 | 0 | 57 | 42 | .246 | .330 | .345 | .674 | 83 |
| 1980 | 36 | 78 | 291 | 254 | 28 | 50 | 12 | 1 | 5 | 31 | 5 | 3 | 29 | 35 | .197 | .278 | .311 | .589 | 64 |
| 1981 | 37 | 32 | 73 | 65 | 10 | 13 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 3 | .200 | .268 | .354 | .621 | 82 |
| TOTALS | 551 | 2202 | 1915 | 245 | 479 | 77 | 13 | 50 | 243 | 15 | 8 | 239 | 221 | .250 | .335 | .382 | .717 | 98 |
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 3/16/2015.
Next: 42. Once, Twice A Brewer