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Milwaukee Brewers: Ranking top 5 faces of the franchise

By Brian Sampson

MILWAUKEE - OCTOBER 05: Jeff Suppan #37 of the Milwaukee Brewers pitches against the Philadelphia Phillies in game four of the NLDS during the 2008 MLB playoffs at Miller Park on October 5, 2008 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The Phillies won the game 6-2 to win the series 3 games to 1. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
MILWAUKEE - OCTOBER 05: Jeff Suppan #37 of the Milwaukee Brewers pitches against the Philadelphia Phillies in game four of the NLDS during the 2008 MLB playoffs at Miller Park on October 5, 2008 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The Phillies won the game 6-2 to win the series 3 games to 1. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) /
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The Milwaukee Brewers are an ascending team with a number of people within the organization who could qualify as the face of the franchise.

After coming within one game of the World Series last season, the Milwaukee Brewers have legitimate hopes to take the next step and accomplish the ultimate goal of a championship. Even though there are a few moving pieces, they are in the fortunate position to have the core of their team locked up for the next few years.

This will allow the front office to be flexible in their approach and allow them to add complementary talent to the roster. There won’t be any big-name signings or moves, but championships are won in the details.

Before we get too far ahead of ourselves, however, let’s rank the five people within the Brewers’ organization who are most associated with the team.

5. David Stearns

At just 34-years-old, Stearns has a bright, bright future ahead of him (hopefully with the Brewers). He’s rebuilt the Brewers faster than anyone could’ve ever imagined and has given them a great core of players as well as a deep and talented farm system to help supplement the talent Milwaukee could lose.

His face may not be recognizable to casual fans, but his name sure is. Even though he’s behind the scenes, Stearns is one of the up-and-coming faces of the Brewers’ franchise.

4. Lorenzo Cain

Cain began his career in Milwaukee before being shipped to the Kansas City Royals. While in Kansas City, he made a name for himself in helping to lead them to a World Series title. Now back in Milwaukee, he quickly re-established himself as a fan favorite.

Cain is on the backend of his career, but he’s shown the ability to adapt his game and stay relevant for years to come. He may not be as flashy at the plate as the other guys ahead of him on this list, but he consistently does what’s necessary to win games.

3. Craig Counsell

Counsell is the most innovative manager in the entire MLB. Even though some traditionalists question his methods, he led an undermanned Brewers’ team deep in the playoffs. He earned a lot of recognition for his use of starters and the bullpen, but that’s exactly the creativity Milwaukee needs to compete with the big boys. I’m excited to see what stops he pulls out next.

2. Christian Yelich

Yelich just won the NL MVP award and was scorching hot to finish the regular season. He cooled down a bit in the NLCS, but had a tremendous season nonetheless. He’s also still locked up for the next couple of seasons and under team-friendly terms at that.

Yelich is quickly ascending to be the face of the franchise and one more great season will likely do that. However, he has to compete with the longstanding history this next player has with the team.

1. Ryan Braun

There’s no saying exactly how many seasons Braun has left, but he’s certainly nearing the end. He’s unable to stay healthy throughout the whole season and his play has continued to slide over the last few years.

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Even with that being said, Braun is still the most commonly thought of player to casual fans. He’s earned that right thanks to his longevity and willingness to stay in Milwaukee. At least heading into the 2019 season, Braun is still the face of the franchise.

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