Milwaukee-ing Wounded

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[i:995d3a9912]by Tom Flaherty
originally printed: The Sporting News, February 10, 1986[/i:995d3a9912]

MILWAUKEE - Billy Joe Robidoux will fit in just fine with the Milwaukee Brewers. He's coming back from an injury.

That's appropriate for a team that has lost, among others, Paul Molitor, Robin Yount, Pete Vuckovich, Rollie Fingers and Bill Schroeder to various injuries since winning the American League pennant in 1982.

When Cecil Cooper added his name to the list by undergoing elbow surgery in December, Manager George Bamberger announced Robidoux, a rookie from Ware, Mass., would open the 1986 season at first base.

Shortly after the announcement, Robidoux had to leave the Dominican Winter League because of a shoulder problem. At the time, he was leading the league with a .404 batting average.

After an examination by Dr. Arthur Pappas, team physician for the Boston Red Sox, Robidoux's injury was diagnosed as collapsed muscle tissue in the back of his shoulder. Robidoux had just 35 percent of the normal strength in those muscles. After working on an exercise program, he built the arm strength back up to about 85 percent and expected to be 100 percent by spring training.

Robidoux led the Texas League with a .342 batting average and 143 runs batted in last season and finished second to El Paso teammate Joey Meyer with 23 home runs.

Bamberger, who feels Robidoux is ready to make the jump from Double-A, indicated the 22-year-old rookie would have to have a "very, very bad" spring training to not open the season with the Brewers.

Cooper is expected to be back in the lineup by the end of April. Until then, Bamberger plans to use him as a designated hitter and leave Robidoux at first.