The Milwaukee Brewers are a baseball organization that has epitomized small-market MLB: a few big ups with plenty of downs. The team was originally from Seattle and called the Pilots, but eventually moved to Milwaukee and renamed.
The Brewers' history is one littered with underachieving and just plain bad seasons, but also with some very memorable ones. The run to the World Series in 1982, the 13-game winning streak to begin 1987, and the 2008 wild card berth are all examples. Last season provided a very good year for Brewers history with the team's first division title in nearly 30 years, their second playoff appearance in four seasons, and a thrilling ride through the playoffs coming just short of a World Series trip.
This list is not only a list of the best in Brewers history, but it is a way of looking at all of those years through the players that were on the field during them.
Catcher: Ted Simmons (1981-85)
In several ways, Simmons was the final piece to the puzzle of getting the Brewers to the playoffs for the first time in team history. Simmons came to Milwaukee via a trade with St. Louis and brought veteran leadership with him. He had a career-high 108 RBIs in 1983 and nearly matched his career-high in HRs the year before when he belted 23 homers.
First Base: Cecil Cooper (1977-87)
Not a power hitter, Cooper instead brought full-scale productivity to "Bambi's Bombers." Cooper never hit more than 32 home runs in a season, but batted in more than 120 runs in 1980, '82, and '83. During his time with the Brewers, Cooper collected five All-Star appearances, two Gold Gloves, and three Silver Sluggers.
Second Base: Jim Gantner (1976-92)
More for his fielding than his hitting. Gantner was a good hitter, but never passed a certain level in that department. On the other hand, his fielding was consistently good, if not great ,for his entire 17-season career in Milwaukee. Now that is reliability.
Shortstop: Robin Yount (1974-93)
My personal favorite Milwaukee Brewer. A career Brewer, his best years came at shortstop. At this position, Yount won one of his two MVPs, two of his three Silver Slugger Awards, and his only career Gold Glove. Young also made all three of his All-Star appearances as a shortstop.
Third Base: Paul Molitor (1978-92)
Quite possibly the greatest Brewer of all time. A five-time All-Star and two-time Silver Slugger winner, Molitor was just as consistent a hitter as Yount, but had added versatility with over 500 stolen bases in his MLB career.
Left Field: Geoff Jenkins (1998-2007)
One of the great hitters and producers in Brewers history. Currently, Jenkins ranks third in Brewers' history in home runs, fifth in hits, fourth in RBIs, and fifth in runs.
Center Field: Gorman Thomas (1973-76, 1978-83, 1986)
In the days of "Bambi's Bombers," Thomas was the biggest. From '78-'82, Thomas only failed to hit 30 homers and 100 RBIs in 1981, the season during that time where he played the least games. In '79, Thomas lead the AL with a career-high 45 home runs.
Right Field: Jeromy Burnitz (1996-2001)
Burnitz was the main offensive force during some less than stellar years for the Brew Crew. In Burnitz's final four seasons with Milwaukee, he never failed to hit 30 HRs and only once failed to get 100 RBIs, tallying 98 in 2000.
Starting Pitcher: Pete Vuckovich (1981-86)
One of the great could have been stories in baseball history. Vuckovich already had a couple of really good seasons under his belt by the time he arrived in Milwaukee in 1981. That season, he went 14-4 and nearly won the Cy Young Award. In '82, he did win the Cy Young with an 18-6 record and tied a career-high with nine complete games. Sadly, a torn rotator cuff brought about a slow end to his career soon after.
Starting Pitcher: Mike Caldwell (1977-84)
Here's a pitcher that you could put out there and expect to go an entire game. From 1978-84, Caldwell had one complete game for every three starts, including 23 complete games in '78. While he never matched the greatness of his 1978 season, Caldwell continued to persevere, winning at least 10 games every season from '78-'83.
Starting Pitcher: Ben Sheets (2001-08)
In Sheets' eight seasons with Milwaukee, he only failed to strike out at least 100 in his rookie season, but still made the All-Star team that year. Sheets would make his other All-Star appearances in 2004, '07, and '08. The 2004 season, in particular, showed Sheets' value to the team, as he amassed a career-high 264 strikeouts and an 8.25 strikeouts-to-walks ratio.
Starting Pitcher: Teddy Higuera (1985-91, 1993-94)
Higuera's first four years with the Brewers alone earn him entry to the list. In those years, Higuera was 69-38 with 766 strikeouts, made his only All-Star game and nearly won the Cy Young Award with a 20-win season in 1986. Despite injuries derailing his career, Higuera nearly returned to form in 1990 with an 11-win, 129-strikeout season.
Starting Pitcher: Jim Slaton (1971-77, 1979-83)
While not a career Brewer, Slaton made his mark in Milwaukee as quite possibly the most productive pitcher in team history. Currently, Slaton is still the Brewers' all-time leader in wins by a pitcher (117), as well as innings pitched (2025.1). He also is second (by a single game) for the team record for game appearances by a pitcher and third in team history for strikeouts.
Lefty Specialist: Dan Plesac (1986-92)
Plesac was the Brewers' example of a pitcher who kept getting better. It was in the first four years of Plesac's time with Milwaukee that he made his mark. Plesac's ERA never went above 3.00, his save total kept going up, and his strikeout numbers stayed good, even when the number of innings he pitched decreased. Plesac still holds the Brewers' records for most game appearances (365), saves (133), and save opportunities (178).
Setup Pitcher: Mike Fetters (1992-97)
The best stretch of Fetters' career came in Milwaukee from 1994-97. During that period, Fetters never had fewer than thirty strikeouts, recorded at least 15 saves in three of the four years, and the year he didn't get the 15 saves (1997), he recorded the most innings pitched (70.1) and strikeouts (62) for a season in his career.
Closer: Rollie Fingers (1981-85)
Fingers saved his career by becoming a closer in Oakland. In Milwaukee, Fingers was a two-time All-Star and won the 1981 AL MVP & Cy Young Award. In three of his four seasons in Milwaukee, Fingers gained 20+ saves and had an ERA at 2.60 or below.
Bench Player: Ryan Braun (2007-Present)
The 2011 NL MVP is well on his way to becoming one of the best players in Brewers history. In five full seasons with Milwaukee, Braun has hit at least 30 HRs in four of the seasons and has at least 100 RBIs in four of the seasons. He won Rookie of the Year in 2007 and made All-Star appearances in all four seasons following that. At the pace is he is on, Braun is likely to break nearly every hitting record in Brewers history.
Bench Player: Prince Fielder (2005-11)
The definition of a power hitter. In six seasons with the Brewers, Fielder averaged 38 HRs and 108 RBIs. During those six years he was also a four time All-Star and two-time Silver Slugger winner. In 2007, Fielder became the only Brewer to ever hit 50 home runs in a season.
Bench Player: Don Money (1973-83)
The Brewers' anchor during some rough years as well as their rise to prominence. Money's best seasons came from 1974-78 where he earned all four of his All-Star appearances (including three in a row) and had his best seasons as a hitter.
I am a Wisconsin native who has been going to and watching Brewer games since 1992. I have immersed myself in the history of the franchise and was also at the final game at Milwaukee County Stadium. I still have the bricks that my brother & I received after the stadium was torn down because we purchased tickets for the final game.
Sources:
Baseball-Reference.com
The Official Site of the Milwaukee Brewers (milwaukee.brewers.mlb.com)
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