Robin Yount, Prince Fielder and the Best Seasons in Milwaukee Brewers History

John BowenJul 15, 2011

A little background first:

Today is my dad’s 60th birthday. He’s the man who taught me to love and embrace the game of baseball and also to love the Milwaukee Brewers—no matter how much more painful it makes the overall fan experience.

So Dad, thanks for all the wonderful memories, whether they be at the JCC, Glendale Little League, County Stadium or Miller Park. I wouldn’t trade them for the world.

Here are the greatest seasons in the history of our favorite team, the Milwaukee Brewers.

Catcher: Ted Simmons, 1983

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One of Cooperstown’s greatest snubs, Ted Simmons ranks among the top five in runs, hits, doubles and walks by a catcher. After years of excellence in St. Louis, Simmons was traded to the Brewers, where he became a key cog in their pennant drive of 1982. The next year, he was even better, hitting .308 with 39 doubles, 13 home runs and 108 RBI.

First Base: Prince Fielder, 2009

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With a potential nine-figure deal hanging in the balance, 2011 may prove to be Prince Fielder’s best—and by extension, the best ever by a Brewers first baseman. For now, his 2009 season stands alone as either the most or second-most productive season by any Brewer. Fielder hit just under .300 while setting a team record with a 1.014 OPS and driving in a franchise record 141 runs. His 46 home runs that season rank second in Brewer history only to his own record set two years before.

Second Base: Willie Randolph, 1991

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It may surprise some that Willie Randolph kept playing baseball after leaving the Yankees—and indeed, ended up in Milwaukee. In his second-to-last year, Randolph set a personal best with a .327 batting average and reached base at an outstanding .424 clip—good for second in the American League.

Third Base: Paul Molitor, 1987

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One of two Brewers in the Hall of Fame with a Brewers cap, Paul Molitor accomplished a great deal in a short amount of time in 1987. Playing in just 114 games, The Ignitor managed to lead the American League in runs scored and doubles while putting up a magnificent .353/.438/.566 line and even stealing 45 bases in 55 attempts. Molitor’s career year was highlighted in large part by a 39-game hitting streak—the longest in the American League since DiMaggio’s 56 gamer in 1941.

Shortstop: Robin Yount, 1982

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A fitting selection indeed—the Milwaukee Brewers have always been and will always be associated with No. 19, Robin Yount.

Yount—one of just four players to win MVP’s at multiple positions— holds virtually every franchise mark and was justly inducted into the Hall of Fame on the first ballot in 1998, which Dad and I got to see in person.

The Kid was never better in his extraordinary career than he was in 1982, when he hit .331 (one point off the league lead) and led the league with a .578 slugging percentage, 166 OPS+, 46 doubles and 210 hits. Combined with the gold glove defense he played at a premium defensive position, Yount’s ’82 season ranks among the greatest individual seasons by any player in baseball history.

Left Field: Ben Oglivie, 1980

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The overwhelming odds are that, at some point in the next 10 years, Ryan Braun will have a season in left field that blows away all others in team history. Indeed, at the rate he’s going, he could challenge Yount for the greatest Brewer ever.

For now, I will instead honor one of the mainstays for Harvey’s Wallbangers, Ben Oglivie. In his third season as a Brewer, Oglivie led the league with 41 home runs and hit .304 with the league's third best slugging percentage at .566.

Center Field: Scott Podsednik, 2003

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Of course, the best center fielder in Brewers’ history is Robin Yount, but he’s also the greatest shortstop— a true testament to his greatness. In his place, I’m penciling in Scott Podsednik, who, at the age of 27, finally got his chance to be a big league ballplayer and rewarded the Brewers for their faith in him. Scotty Po hit .314 with a .379 on-base percentage and stole 43/53 bases in his rookie season with Milwaukee.

Right Field: Sixto Lezcano, 1979

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After four-plus years in the big leagues, Sixto Lezcano had a major break-out year in 1979, hitting .321 while placing fourth in the league with a .414 on-base percentage and third in the league with a .573 slugging percentage. Only Boston’s Fred Lynn put up a higher adjusted OPS than Lezcano’s 166 that year. Lezcano slipped the next season, but still found a way to help his club, as he was used as trade bait to acquire Rollie Fingers, Pete Vuckovich and Ted Simmons, who would all be huge in guiding the Brewers to their first pennant in 1982.

LHP: Teddy Higuera, 1986

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The greatest pitcher in team history, Teddy Higuera didn’t get his start until the age of 27 in 1985. By the age of 28, he was among the best pitchers in baseball, winning 20 games and throwing 248.1 innings at a 2.79 ERA. His estimated 8.4 Wins Above Replacement actually ranked him first that season, ahead of Cy Young (and MVP) winner and still technically innocent Roger Clemens.

LHP: Mike Caldwell, 1978

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In 1978, Ron “Louisiana Lightning” Guidry had one of the best seasons of all-time, going 25-3 with a 1.74 ERA and 0.946 WHIP for the World Series champion Yankees.

This was unfortunate for Mike Caldwell, who finished second to Guidry in virtually every statistical category except for complete games, where he led the league with an astounding 23. Caldwell finished 22-9 with a 2.36 ERA and 1.064 WHIP in 293.1 innings pitched, an effort that easily would have garnered a Cy Young award if Guidry had remained in AAA, where George Steinbrenner had appeared intent on keeping him.

RHP: Ben Sheets, 2004

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In 2004, Ben Sheets deserved so much more than a 12-14 record and a single measly third place Cy Young vote. Sheets placed third in the league in both ERA (2.70) and innings pitched (237.1) while placing second with a team-record 0.983 WHIP and leading baseball with an incredible 8.25 K/BB ratio—the seventh highest mark of all-time.

RHP: Chris Bosio, 1989

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In a fairly under-the-radar year in 1989, Chris Bosio went 15-10 with a 2.95 ERA over 234.2 innings while ranking sixth in the American League in both WHIP (1.163) and K/9 (6.64).

LHP: CC Sabathia, 2008

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Three months. 17 starts. That’s all the time that CC Sabathia actually spent in a Brewers uniform in his career. However, he did more for his team in those 17 starts than just about any Brewer has ever done in the history of the franchise.

Coming over from Cleveland for then-prospects Matt LaPorta and Michael Brantley, Sabathia went 11-2 with a 1.65 ERA and 1.003 WHIP down the stretch to carry the Brewers to their first playoff berth in 26 years. And while I understand the skepticism of listing a half-season amongst the best total seasons in team history, consider that CC Sabathia led the National League in complete games and shutouts for the entire 2008 season despite pitching only half of it.

He gave up two runs or less in 14 of those 17 starts, including back-to-back victories on three days rest to drag the Brewers across the finish line to the postseason, with game 162 being pure, Sabathia-esque complete game domination.