Power ranking the Brewers who appeared in Backyard Baseball

We all come to the glorious game of baseball in different ways. For one generation, though, people born in the 90's and early 2000's, our journey to America's Pastime seems to overlap quite a bit. Many, myself included, first fell in love with this sport through the video game series Backyard Baseball.

Backyard Baseball, initially launched by Humongous Entertainment, was a video game that first debuted in 1997, marketed for the younger generation by making all of the characters in the game kids. In 2001, the developer took a massive leap, partnering with the MLB and MLBPA to include 31 real MLB stars as children, and a video game dynasty was born.

Throughout the years, a number of Brewers players have appeared in the games, some donning the Milwaukee uniform, and others who had once or would become pieces of the Brewers’ legacy. Throughout the initial run of the game, nine players who had or would come to have Milwaukee ties were featured in the game.

Earlier this week, Playground Productions, the new developer responsible for reviving the legendary series, announced that due to the success of the rebooted Backyard Baseball '97 , available on Steam, mobile, Nintendo Switch, and PlayStation 5, a reboot of Backyard Baseball 2001 would be launching on Steam and mobile platforms in July. The remastered game will feature 28 of the initial 31 players, including former Brewer Jeromy Burnitz.

So as we all prepare to once again be able to play as our favorite childhood stars and the Backyard Kids, the debate rages on: who is the best Brewers player to be featured in the game? Factors being considered for this list include overall career, impact during time spent with the Brewers, and usefulness in the game.

9. Carlos Gomez

Featured in the final rendition of the original series, released in 2015 for mobile devices only, Carlos Gomez leads off this list as the 9th best former Brewer to appear in the series. Gomez had an incredible run in Milwaukee from 2009 to 2015, before being traded to the Houston Astros. In that time, "Go-Go" was a 2x All-Star and a 2013 Gold Glove Award winner.

There are a couple of factors against him for consideration on this list. First, the legacy of the game as a whole. The 2015 version was a very unceremonious game released to just mobile devices, and it quickly faded into obscurity. Second, while Gomez was at the peak of his career, it went pretty quickly downhill after leaving Milwaukee. Last, unless you were a diehard Brewers fan at that time, you likely would have found the same power and speed combination in Pablo Sanchez and Achmed Khan, both of whom were original Backyard Kids. Every list has to start somewhere, and Gomez is the perfect leadoff candidate.

8. Eric Gagne

Former Brewers reliever Eric Gagne appeared in the game in the 2005/2006 release, during his stint with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Gagne had a great overall career, including a Cy Young in 2003, 3 All-Star Game appearances, and World Series win with the Red Sox in 2007.

Gagne came to Milwaukee for the final season of his major league career, and it was statistically his worst season as a pro. He would lose the closer role, as well as the set-up role to Salomon Torres and Guillermo Mota, respectively, going 10 for 17 in save opportunities, with a 5.41 ERA and only 38 strikeouts across 46 innings. This was a far cry from the prime of his career when he won the Cy Young and was the NL saves leader.

In the Backyard Baseball world, players can choose between six or nine innings. While pitchers do wear down as the game goes, they can be re-powered with Juice Boxes, acquired by striking out batters and other feats such as double plays. In that sense, you don't really need a bullpen pitcher playing another position, as you were sacrificing that role for a better hitting player. Plus, when looking at the other pitchers in that game, Pedro Martinez, Greg Maddux, Randy Johnson, and Dontrelle Willis, Gagne just wasn't needed on your team.

7. Dontrelle Willis

This one might be a stretch, but Dontrelle Willis is too fun of a video game player not to include. Willis also appeared in the game in the 2005/2006 release. Despite never formally playing a game for the Brewers, having signed with the team in January 2015, and then retiring in March 2015, Willis gets the nod here over Gagne for the entire body of work over his career.

Willis had a great bat, making him an asset in the game since there wasn't a DH. Willis also was a 2x All-Star, a World Series champ, NL Rookie of the Year, and 2005 NL wins leader, all during his time with the then-Florida Marlins. So while this may be controversial since he never officially played in a regular-season game for the Brewers, his impact in the game he appeared in, as well as not needing to be unlocked with achievements in the video game, earns him a spot on this list.

6. Jeromy Burnitz

Jeromy Burnitz checks in at the 6th spot on this list. Burnitz was a member of the Brewers from 1996-2001, and was an All-Star in 1999. He was a career .253 hitter, with 315 career homers and 981 career RBI.

Burnitz appeared in the 2001 version, the first version with playable pro athletes on the baseball side of things. He has also agreed to be a playable character in the relaunch when it comes out in the upcoming days.

While he may not be the most notable Brewers player on this list, with just the one All-Star appearance, he gets a huge upgrade for being the first. Keep in mind, the Brewers were historically bad during his time in Milwaukee, yet he still got the nod to appear in the game.

5. Greg Vaughn

Greg Vaughn appeared in Backyard Baseball 2003, at that time with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. This comes well after his prime in the early 90s, where he spent a lot of time with the Milwaukee Brewers. Vaughn was with Milwaukee from 1989-1996, going to two of his four All-Star Games with the Crew, and later ending up on the Brewers Wall of Fame.

For his career, Vaughn hit 355 home runs and 1,072 career RBI. Towards the end of his career, Vaughn finished with 50 home runs, good for 4th in the league behind Griffey Jr., Sosa, and McGwire in 1998, and good enough to win a Silver Slugger award. Power mattered a lot in the game, giving Vaughn the 5th-place finish.

4. Jason Kendall

Starting to get into the heavy hitters on this list, as the 4th spot belongs to Jason Kendall. Kendall appeared in the game in the 2001 and 2003 for the Pittsburgh Pirates, right in the prime of his career. Before coming to Milwaukee in 2008, he was a 3x NL All-Star, hit for a career .288 average, and had 2,195 hits over his career.

During his two seasons with Milwaukee, he was instrumental. A constant presence behind the plate, appearing in 151 games in 2008 and 134 in 2009, Kendall guided a young pitching staff back to the postseason. He also threw out a career-best 42.8% of would-be base stealers.

In terms of gameplay, was having a true catcher the most necessary? Probably not. But having a great arm that could in theory play any position in a video game like this goes a long way.

3. Richie Sexson

Richie Sexson appeared in a Brewers uniform in Backyard Baseball 2003. That alone is worthy of being higher on the list. Also notable to Sexson and the 2003 game is that you got extra power if you played as the Brewers and had him on your team.

It can definitely be argued that Sexson's best seasons of his career took place in a Brewers uniform. Both of his All-Star appearances came during his stint with Milwaukee, including serving as a host of the 2002 All-Star Game at (then) Miller Park.

Appearing in the game must have also given him real-life powerups. In 2003, he tied a career high of 45 home runs, while setting career highs in hits, walks, and games played and finished 12th in MVP voting.

2. CC Sabathia

CC Sabathia appeared in the Wii exclusive Backyard Baseball 2010 game. Of course, this was due in part to his brief but legendary stint with the Brewers in 2008. Sabathia is the only person on this list who is set to be an MLB Hall of Famer, as he is to be inducted this summer.

The praises of Sabathia are well known. A 6x All-Star, Cy Young Award winner, ALCS MVP, and World Series champion, all will go on his plaque in Cooperstown. What may not be on that plaque is just how important he was to Milwaukee's return to the postseason for the first time in 26 years. Pitching on three days’ rest down the stretch and providing some pop in the batters’ box.

In the Backyard Baseball world, that tenacity and pop with the bat go a long way. Pitchers don't need rest in between games, but that workhorse ability means going further in games if not getting juice boxes. Plus, that power provides plenty of offense in a game without a DH. This game got peak Sabathia, and players were rewarded with one of the best pitchers in the game.

1. Prince Fielder

Prince Fielder is the king of the Brewers to appear in Backyard Baseball, appearing in two versions of the game. Fielder appeared in the 2007 and 2010 versions, of course in a Brewers uniform both times. This puts him at the top of the list of Brewers appearing in the game.

Fielder's best seasons in his career came with Milwaukee, with three of his six All-Star appearances coming in his Brewers tenure. He won two Silver Slugger awards as a Brewer, the 2007 Hank Aaron Award, and had led the National League in both home runs and RBI in various seasons.

Of course, in the game, that power and contact go a long way. A .283 career average, 319 career home runs, and 1,028 RBI are very well reflected in his appearances. The game did make him slow, which limited his extra-base hit potential, but if you put the ball over the hedge in Eckman Acres or into the pool at Steele Stadium, you can round the bases at whatever speed you want.