They Were Brewers? Trivia

Every franchise has suited up some players that are better known as members of another team. Ryne Sandberg debuted with Philadelphia. Babe Ruth ended his career with the Braves. Mike Piazza played some games as a Marlin. The list goes on.

There are also players who were stars in their primes but spent only a brief, forgettable time on some teams. Think Willie Mays on the Mets, Wade Boggs in Tampa, Randy Johnson as an Astro, or Christy Mathewson pitching one game for Cincinnati. There are plenty more examples throughout baseball history.

The Brewers have hosted their fair share of each type of player. I've described a mystery player at each position (outfield and pitching are abbreviated, I know) with the hope that you can guess which good player but ultimately forgettable Brewer is in each slot. Good luck!

SPOILER ALERT: The answers have been figured out and listed in the comments.

Catcher - XXX XXXXXXXX

I'm sixth on the list of most games caught in MLB history. I made three All-Star teams in my career, including one as a member of the Brewers. I also was awarded six consecutive Gold Gloves. I came to Milwaukee in a trade for fellow backstop Ned Yost and the father of current Brewers prospect Cody Scarpetta. I spent only one season in Milwaukee before being traded to Kansas City in time to win my only World Series ring.

First Base - XXXXX XXXXXX

Before I migrated to first base and designated hitter duties, I was a star shortstop and second baseman for a decade. I hit over .300 in five out of six seasons in my prime, topping out at .341 in 1991. I am a three-time All-Star and five-time Silver Slugger. Between those salad days and my time in Milwaukee, I spent a year in Japan. Following my time with the Crew, I returned to Japan and also ended up playing in Korea. My MLB career was resurrected in Atlanta after the turn of the century.

Second Base - XXXXXX XXXXXXXX

My time with the Brewers has become much more familiar to readers of this blog thanks to KLSnow's WAR posts and my current position in baseball. I supplanted a hometown hero at second but my bat silenced any complaints. Let's face it, a .327 batting average and .424 OBP is great for a second baseman. I made six All-Star teams in my career, all as a member of the Yankees, and I wound up with over 2000 hits. Milwaukee isn't my only one-season stop - does anyone remember I used to be a Pirate?

Shortstop - XXXX XXXXXXXXX

I'm probably the least known player on this list. I spent nineteen seasons in the big leagues but I was a regular in only two of them. My defense kept me in the majors, but it wasn't enough to lock down a starting gig. I only batted 3545 times (average of 187 PA per season) and finished with 699 hits. I was in Milwaukee for the tail end of my career. I went only 3 for 28 with two walks for the Brewers, a .107/.194/.179 line. My son of the same name spent fourteen years in the majors and my grandson helped end the Brewers World Series hopes in 2008.

Third Base - XXXXX XXXX

You should remember me. I didn't play that long ago and I'm part of one of baseball's biggest player families. I only became a Brewer because an injury took out the team's everyday third baseman. Never a great hitter, I didn't change my ways in Milwaukee as my .256/.323/.400 line can attest. Even though I was just 33, my career was over after my half season in Milwaukee.

Outfield - XXXXXX XXXX

I can guarantee you no one reading this saw me play for the Brewers. I only batted three times in three games before I was released. I did spend some time in Milwaukee as a member of the Braves, though, so some Milwaukee fans remember seeing me play. I spent seventeen years in the majors, rapping out 2101 hits. I probably had the best career compared to my brothers but my son outdid me. I can still be found in baseball, even if it's just managing a national team in the WBC.

Starting Pitcher - XXXXX XXXXX

A tall lefty, I bounced around the National League for the first two decades of my career and was named to two All-Star teams. My career high in wins was 18 and I reached that three times. I won a total of 220 games in my career, but only one for the Brewers. I came over from the White Sox in the middle of the 1989 season and started only seven games for the Crew down the stretch. I only completed five innings in four of those games, explaining my 1-4 record with the team. After the season I was released and a few appearances in September 1990 with the Pirates, one of my former teams, closed out my career.

Relief Pitcher - XXXXXX XXXXX

I was drafted in the first round by the Cubs in 1973 and was a workhorse reliever for them in the late 1970's. Bouts of ineffectiveness doomed me to cups of coffee in 1980 (St. Louis), 1981 (Milwaukee), and 1982 (Atlanta). Things turned around after that and I became one of the best relievers in baseball over the next four seasons. Unfortunately, my success put me in position to give up one of baseball's biggest home runs. One strike away from the World Series, I gave up a two-run home run and my team eventually lost the championship series in seven games. Injuries curtailed my effectiveness and cut my career short. By 1989 I was out of baseball.