Favorite Brewers of All Time - Molitor Region Rd. 1
We now have the 4th and final region open for voting in our All-Time Favorite Milwaukee Brewers tournament bracket, looking to weed out the well-liked from the truly loved "Beer Makers."
In the Paul Molitor Region, a local boy holds the top seed while a pair of closers sit in the next couple of spots to make for an intriguing fight to the Final Four.
Voting in the 1st Round of the Molitor Region closes on Thursday, March 10 at 10pm (CT). Your votes determine who advances, and you can submit your choices in a few ways.
Twitter: Tweet me your answers @Tim_Muma
Facebook: Send me a message via Facebook (www.facebook.com/Tim.J.Muma) or comment on the Facebook post featuring the article.
Email: Send your answers to tim.j.muma@gmail.com
You'll find the entire 64-player bracket below, including the Molitor Region, which you see will match up the winner of this region with the Yount Region's top player - you can click here to vote in that region as well!
Take a look at the player bios and their opening round battles...and happy voting!
"Gumby" owns the highest career defensive WAR in team history, and was the perfect complementary piece to Yount and Molitor, owning a respectable .274 AVG. Gantner's best year was in '83 when he scored 85 runs, had 74 RBI and slugged over .400. He has the single-season club record for at-bats per strikeout (17.0) and sits in the top 10 in many categories including 4th in hits and 5th in runs.
Sporting a bulldog stare, Fetters ranks 5th in Brewers' history with 79 career saves. He had a career-high 32 saves in '96 with a 3.38 ERA. Prior to becoming the full-time closer, Fetters owned a 2.57 ERA (169 ERA+) with the Brewers from '92-'94.
A polarizing figure in Milwaukee, Weeks ranks 5th in career walks and 6th in runs in club history. He also has the franchise record for hit-by-pitches all time (125) while tied for the single-season mark (25). Weeks posted an .830 OPS in 2010 with 20 HR, 32 doubles, 83 RBI and 112 runs (8th-best in team history). The following year he earned his only All-Star berth, but was limited to 118 games overall.
Axford holds the single-season club record for saves (46), posting a stellar 1.95 ERA and 202 ERA+ in 2011 to even earn him some Cy Young votes. He's 2nd all-time in career saves in franchise history (106) and had a 10.9 K/9 ratio as a Brewer. His interaction with fans on social media boosted his popularity, but at times burned him.
Simmons had an up-and-down run in 5 years with the Brewers, including a terrific '83 season when he hit .309 with 39 doubles, 13 HR, 108 RBI and a .351 OBP. "Simba" was named an All-Star twice with Milwaukee, was the 2nd-toughest Brewer to strikeout in a career (13.0 AB/K), and is one of only 2 catchers in club history with a 4.0 or better WAR season (Lucroy).
"El Caballo" was a 2-time All-Star in his year-and-a-half with the Brewers. In '05, he had 32 HR, 41 doubles, and 114 RBI. The next season, Lee had 28 HR and 83 RBI through 102 games, posting a .549 slugging percentage and an .896 OPS before being traded to Texas - a deal more infamous for Nelson Cruz's inclusion than Lee's.
Higuera is the career leader in WAR for pitchers (30.6) in Brewers' history, owns the best single-season WAR, and has 3 of the top 5 for the franchise. Higuera ranks 3rd all time in strikeouts (1,081) and wins for the Brewers, and he's the last 20-game winner for the club (1986). From '85-'88, Higuera was 69-38 with a 3.25 ERA, averaging 192 K's and 237 innings while earning an All-Star nod in '86.
At 37 years old when he was traded to the Brewers, Sutton went 4-0 in his last 6 starts that season, posting a 3.15 ERA and a shutout. He also got the win in game 162 to hold off the Orioles and win the AL East, allowing 2 runs in 8 frames.
An All-Star in 2010, Gallardo had 4 straight seasons of at least 185 IP and 200 strikeouts, finishing with a 3.69 ERA as a Brewer (5th in club history). He also ranks 5th in wins (89) and 6th in WAR for pitchers (15.9), while owning the career record for K/9 IP (8.558) and 3 of the top 10 single-season marks as well. Gallardo remains the franchise leader in punch outs with 1,226 in his Brewers' career.
Listach busted onto the scene to win Rookie of the Year in '92, posting a .352 OBP with 93 runs and 54 stolen bases - 3rd-best single-season mark in club history. He was a solid glove man at shortstop, but injuries completely derailed his career.
Plesac holds the record for career saves in team history (133) while also in the top spot in ERA (3.21) and hits allowed per 9 innings (7.896). His ERA+ of 128 is the best in club history, and from '86-'89 he was one of the best relievers in baseball: 2.63 ERA (162 ERA+), 100 saves, and 3 All-Star appearances. In 1988, Plesac even garnered 1% of the MVP vote.
A catcher by trade, Moore played the outfield more frequently later in his career. He started each postseason game in RF in '82, hitting .385 with an .890 OPS in 12 games. Moore was the ultimate role player who gave his all to help the team, and in '83 he hit 27 doubles with a .722 OPS.
In his first full season in Milwaukee in '78, Caldwell finished 2nd in Cy Young voting with a 22-9 record, 2.36 ERA, and a 1.06 WHIP in 293.1 frames. His 23 complete games and 6 shutouts that year are Brewers' records, while the 8.1 WAR is 2nd-best. Caldwell ranks 5th in team history with a 17.3 pitcher's WAR, 2nd in wins (102), and went 2-0 with a 2.04 ERA in the '82 World Series.
With a 3.99 ERA, Cappy won 18 games in '05, 4th-most in single-season Brewers' history. The next year he was named an All-Star as he went 10-4 with a 3.21 ERA and a 4.48 K/BB ratio. He ranks 7th among Brewers in all-time K/BB ratio (2.46) and K/9 IP (7.45), while 9th in total strikeouts.
The man with the handle bar mustache won the Cy Young and MVP in '81 with a ridiculous 333 ERA+ and 1.04 ERA in 78 IP, 28 saves, and a 0.872 WHIP. Twice an All-Star with Milwaukee, he had a 1.86 ERA in his 1st 3 seasons with the club, sporing a WHIP below 1.00 in 203.2 frames. Fingers ranks 3rd in career saves for the franchise (97) and is in the top 10 in many advanced statistics.
Another in a long line of promising pitchers who floundered, D'Amico was 12-7 with a 2.66 ERA (171 ERA+, 5th all time for the Brewers) and 1.16 WHIP in 162.1 IP as a 24-year-old. He battled injuries before and after that season, ending his Brewers' career with a 4.23 ERA and less than 100 IP per season.
