The All-Brewers Team: Positional Players

1st Base – Cecil Cooper (1977-1987)

Cecil Came to the Crew in the winter of ’76 from a trade with the Boston Red Sox. For the next eleven years, Cecil was a staple at 1st base, playing a Brewers record 1,257 games for the position. During that time, he was voted on to five all-star teams, won two gold gloves, three silver sluggers, the 1983 Roberto Clemente Award and if I’m not mistaken, he got nominated for an Oscar at some point in there as well. He was a career .302 Hitter in Milwaukee, with 201 homers and 994 RBI’s. He almost didn’t win our vote, though. Here’s Lou with the reason Prince didn’t get the crown at 1st.

This has to be Cecil Cooper.  Prince Fielder is a great player and will probably go down as one of the greatest sluggers we have ever had, but he lacks the playoff prowess of Cecil.  These are two amazing players, but I have to use the playoff numbers to determine the best in franchise history. Coop was money during the ’82 World Series, hitting a home run with 6 RBI’s.  Fielder has great regular season numbers, but that lone playoff appearance was one to forget for the big guy.  To put it in perspective, Prince had 1 hit in 14 at-bats during the 2008 NLDS series with the Phillies (.071 BA).    That is what knocks him to 2nd on my all time Brewers list.