On this day in 1998 the Brewers released first baseman Bob Hamelin, effectively ending his major league career.
The Royals had drafted Hamelin in the second round of the 1988 draft, and six years later he was the AL Rookie of the Year in 1994. He hit .282/.388/.599 in the strike-shortened season, finishing ninth in the league with 24 home runs. Other contenders for the award included Manny Ramirez, Jeffrey Hammonds, Jim Edmonds and Jose Valentin.
Unfortunately, 1994 turned out to be Hamelin's best season. The Royals released him during spring training in 1997 and, after one year with the Tigers, he signed on with the Brewers in January of 1998. He was mostly used as a pinch hitter in his lone season in Milwaukee, appearing in 109 games but making just 167 plate appearances. He hit .219/.295/.404 in his final major league season with seven home runs.
Hamelin played one more pro season, appearing in 46 games for the 1999 AAA Toledo Mud Hens, but never returned to the majors.