At Miller Park, Prince Fielder says getting Brewers back to playoffs in '08 was 'the most fun I had playing baseball'

Prince Fielder



MILWAUKEE -- The Milwaukee Brewers on July 24 went back in time to honor a couple of players and front office members who brought a lot of winning to the city -- and that's not all they were known for.

"We are all getting flashbacks and stuff and it's pretty cool," said Prince Fielder, former Brewers' first baseman.

Fielder and Geoff Jenkins, former Brewers' outfielder, along with former GM Doug Melvin were honored at Miller Park.

"So many great memories here. Ten years playing with the team. It was really like 14 years with minor leagues and all that," said Jenkins.

Geoff Jenkins



Jenkins now has a place on the Walk of Fame.

"It's an amazing honor. I think you see some of the names up there in that group -- it starts with Hank Aaron, Robin Yount, Paul Molitor and everybody else, so how could you not be humbled and honored to be in that group?" said Jenkins.

Fielder and Melvin were added to the Brewers' Wall of Honor.



"I mean, it's awesome! I wasn't really expecting it," said Fielder.



"I was a little surprised when they told me this past winter, but again, you don't do it if you don't have good players. I was very fortunate to have good players, good managers, coaches," said Melvin.

Doug Melvin



"I'm really happy about it. I'm still kind of, I don't know. It hasn't like, sunk in yet. I just saw the plaque out there so that's pretty cool. Now I can brag to my kids a little bit more," said Fielder.

It wasn't lost on all three that their careers in Milwaukee overlapped.

Jenkins was already a veteran on the team when Fielder and several other talented prospects started making it to the Major League.

Geoff Jenkins



"To have that many great players come through at one time, and they're all just great guys too, but that's a testament to Doug. Guy is the architect of many a great team and bringing those guys together is pretty special task. A tough task, but something he did great at," said Jenkins.

Prince Fielder



"Nobody was jerks when we got here, so it was really a lot of fun. Nobody was a jerk to us. They gave us, they kept us in line, but nobody was mean," said Fielder.

"I'll tell you, the teams that these guys were on are some of the toughest teams. I said a few times, I think a couple teams later that I had probably were never as tough as what these guys were. Played the game as hard as anybody," said Melvin.



They also won, getting the Brewers back to the playoffs in 2008 -- something Fielder said he'll never forget.

"That was just the most fun I had playing baseball. I don't even know why -- I just had a lot of fun. I think it had a lot to do with how the fans where. I think they felt it as much as we did, so that helps," said Fielder.

All three said they believe the legacy they left is helping fuel the current team as they look to return to the postseason.

"We brought back a culture, a winning environment to Milwaukee, and now we see just how much fun it is with the guys in the clubhouse now trying to continue on and get there," said Melvin.

The team also honored the late Harry Dalton with a spot on the Wall of Fame. He was the general manager during the team's only World Series appearance in 1982.