:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/7027795/137771930.0.jpg)
We all knew or at least suspected that this day was coming, but a year ago today it finally happened: Prince Fielder signed a nine-year, $214 million contract with the Tigers and put the final punctuation mark on his Brewer career.
Fielder had spent ten seasons in the Brewer organization after being selected seventh overall in the 2002 draft, appeared in three All Star Games, won two Silver Slugger awards, finished in the top four in the NL MVP voting three times, won a Home Run Derby and hit four postseason homers.
No Brewer has ever hit more home runs in a season than the 50 Fielder hit in 2007, driven in more runs than the 141 he plated in 2009 or taken more walks than the 114 he received in 2010 (he also has the second and third spot on that list). He's second on the Brewer all-time list with 230 home runs, third with 566 walks, sixth with 656 RBI and ninth with 571 runs scored.
Fielder was an All Star, Silver Slugger and MVP candidate again with the Tigers in 2012, where he appeared in all 162 games for the third time in four seasons.
With help from the B-Ref Play Index, happy birthday today to:
- 1995 Brewer Rob Dibble, who turns 49.
- Seattle Pilot and 1970 Brewer Sandy Valdespino, who turns 74.
Today is also the sixth anniversary of the Brewers signing Martin Maldonado as a minor league free agent in 2007. We covered that event in this space last year.