Editor's note: Somehow it took four days for someone to notice my math was off. So today is actually #20 on our Advent Calendar. My apologies for the mistake.
It may be the weekend, but the Advent Calendar never rests...behind door #20b we find...a sackload of cash and Prince Fielder!
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Ok, so there's not actually a sackload of cash back there. But, fresh off a season where he made $670,000, $18 million probably feels like a sackload of cash to Fielder, just like it would for the rest of us.
Of course, the Brewers hope Fielder will continue to provide a sackload of home runs in return. Fielder has hit 114 home runs in his first four seasons as a Brewer (counting his cup of coffee in 2005), far and away more than any other Brewer has ever hit in their first four seasons:
Player | Seasons | HR |
Prince Fielder | 2005-2008 | 114 |
Geoff Jenkins | 1998-2001 | 84 |
Greg Vaughn | 1989-1992 | 72 |
Ryan Braun | 2007-2008 | 71 |
J.J. Hardy | 2005-2008 | 64 |
In fact, Fielder's 114 home runs in his first four seasons are the 15th most all-time, behind eight Hall of Famers, four active players and Mark McGwire. But it's worth noting that Ryan Braun still has two seasons to hit 43 home runs to pass Fielder on that list.