On this day in 2005 the National League handed out their Silver Slugger Awards and, for the first time in a long time, a Brewer was honored. Carlos Lee, who appeared in all 162 games and hit .265/.324/.487 in his first season in Milwaukee, received the award for the first time in his career.
Lee was the first Brewer to win a Silver Slugger since Dave Parker in 1990, and the first ever to win it as a National Leaguer. Prince Fielder (2007), Ryan Braun (2008-2010) and Yovani Gallardo (2010) have since joined him. Braun is probably a pretty safe bet to win the award for the fourth straight year in 2011.
When we discuss Carlos Lee these days we often discuss him as a poor defender and an awful contract the Astros should be doing everything they can to unload. But we often forget that in his prime he was a very good hitter: The 2005 season was his third of four in a row and five of six with over 30 home runs, and the third of seven seasons in a row with 99 or more RBI.
With help from the B-Ref Play Index, happy birthday today to:
- 1971-72 Brewer Bill Voss, who turns 68.
- Milwaukee native Ken Keltner, who would have turned 98. Keltner played 13 major league seasons between 1937-50, mostly as a member of the Indians.