Jeromy Burnitz doesn't frequently get credited for being one of the Brewers' all-time great power hitters, but perhaps he should. He's ninth among Brewers with 165 home runs and is one of just four ever to post four 30 homer seasons. On this day in 2002, though, his Brewer career came to end and when the Crew sent him to the Mets in a three team deal. Here are the specifics:
Mets Get | Brewers Get | Rockies Get |
OF Jeromy Burnitz | P Glendon Rusch | OF Benny Agbayani |
IF/OF Lou Collier | PH Lenny Harris | 3B Todd Zeile |
P Jeff D'Amico | OF Alex Ochoa | Cash |
OF Mark Sweeney | ||
1B/OF Ross Gload | ||
P Craig House | ||
Cash |
The trade was something of a reunion for Burnitz, who was drafted 17th overall by the Mets in 1990. It was also the start of Alex Ochoa's second tenure as a Brewer.
Burnitz went on to play five more major league seasons and hit 127 more home runs. The three players the Brewers got in this deal were worth a grand total of 0.9 wins above replacement (rWAR) for Milwaukee.
With help from Brewerfan.net and the B-Ref Play Index, happy birthday today to:
- Brevard County Manatee Shawn Zarraga, who turns 24.
- 1971 Brewer Bob Reynolds, who turns 66.
- 1954-57 Milwaukee Brave Danny O'Connell, who would have turned 85.
- 1901 Milwaukee Brewer Irv Waldron, who would have turned 141.
Today is also the tenth anniversary of the Brewers claiming outfielder Brady Clark off waivers in 2003. We covered that event in this space last year.