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Series Preview #31: The Brewers And Reds' Shared History

As the Brewers and Reds get ready for their third of five series this season, it's time to take a look at the players both fanbases have had in common over the years. All told 75 players have worn both a Brewer and Reds uniform, including 33 pitchers.

Longest tenured Brewer position player who was also a Red: Greg Vaughn

The Brewers selected Vaughn with the #4 overall pick in the 1986 draft and he spent eight seasons in Milwaukee, hitting .246/.333/.459 with 169 home runs, the eighth highest total in franchise history. He represented Milwaukee in two All Star Games.

Vaughn was only a Red for one season, but it was a big one. Vaughn hit 45 home runs (he's one of just five Reds ever to reach that mark) and finished fourth in the NL MVP voting in 1999 as the Reds fell just short of the playoffs, losing a 163rd game against the Mets for the Wild Card.

Longest tenured Brewer pitcher who was also a Red: Mike Caldwell

Mike Caldwell might have been the greatest trade acquisition in Brewer franchise history. He had played six MLB seasons as a member of the Padres and Giants before joining the Reds in 1977, and pitched in just 14 games for them before they shipped him along to the Brewers in exchange for two players who never reached the majors.

As a Brewer Caldwell pitched 239 games over eight seasons, posting a 3.74 ERA and nearly winning the 1978 AL Cy Young. He holds the Brewer franchise record with 81 complete games and ranks among the franchise's all time leaders in wins (second), shutouts (second), innings pitched (second) and starts (fourth).

Follow the jump for more history!

Longest tenured Reds position player who was also a Brewer: Joe Oliver

The Reds drafted Oliver in 1983 and he caught 769 of his 1076 major league games for Cincinnati between 1989 and 1997. His best season was 1992, when he hit .270/.316/.388 in 143 games.

In the middle of that long run as a Red, though, Oliver was also a 1995 Brewer. He appeared in 97 games after coming to the Crew as a free agent and hit .273/.332/.439 with 12 home runs.

Longest tenured Reds pitcher who was also a Brewer: Ron Robinson

Robinson was the Reds' first round pick in 1980 and spent seven years in Cincinnati between 1984 and 1990, pitching in 201 games and posting a 3.66 ERA over 612 innings.

Robinson's time with the Reds ended abruptly in 1990 when they traded him to the Brewers as part of a four player deal that sent outfielder Glenn Braggs to Cincinnati. He started 31 games over the 1990-92 seasons for Milwaukee and posted a 3.54 ERA over 188 innings.

The top five shared position players

Five players have appeared in at least 158 games as both a Brewer and Red:

Player Brewer Games Season(s) Red Games Season(s) Total Games
Tommy Harper 454 1969-71 648 1962-67 1102
Glenn Braggs 443 1986-90 249 1990-92 692
Rick Auerbach 238 1971-73 182 1977-80 420
Alex Ochoa 204 1999, 2002 208 2000-01 412
Russell Branyan 186 2004-05, 2008 158 2002-03 344

The top five shared pitchers

Five pitchers have pitched at least 114 innings as both a Brewer and a Red:

Player Brewer IP Season(s) Red IP Season(s) Total IP
Ron Robinson 188 1990-92 612 1984-90 800
David Weathers 289.2 1998-01, 2009 398.2 1998, 2005-09 688.1
Jimmy Haynes 372 2000-01 306 2002-04 678
Dave Burba 114 2003-04 418.1 1995-97 532.1
Todd Coffey 153.1 2008-10 206.1 2005-08 359.2