The fan favorite, the blue collar player, the Postseason hero, the veteran, the batting stance, the hometown kid. There are many ways to describe you, but none fits better this season than “struggling”. As much as the city of Milwaukee adores you and still has that boyish enthusiasm emerge each time you dig into the left handed batter’s box, as many more runs as you may save than Rickie Weeks, as many people that will place your bobblehead on their shelves on August 14, your time as a Major League ballplayer is up.

It wasn’t the 0-45 streak that nearly placed you into baseball mortification that leads me to say this; stick it out the rest of the season like we all know you will and hang up the spikes after you return your promise to bring a winning tradition back to Milwaukee.

Eagerly awaiting a call up to the Brewers are young minor leaguers such as Eric Farris, Mat Gamel, and Taylor Green. By every right, they each deserve to be on the 25-man active roster. No doubt that you still bring value to the club with defense and clubhouse leadership, as well as good at-bats, but there are more productive players elsewhere.

Not once in 45 at bats could you simply make good contact and find a hole in the defense. The streak ended one short of 46 hitless AB’s, which would have tied for the longest such streak ever by a position player. Doug Davis has the longest streak as a Brewers player, ending at 49 at bats. However, the apocalyptic hit on Friday in Houston that generated a ruckus from the visitor’s dugout brought smiles to fans throughout the city, state, and nation.

Your leadership is undoubtable, but so is your lack of ability. It’s been a great career, highlighted by two World Series rings, and, hopefully, a third yet to come. Thanks for everything, Craig. You’ll be missed after this season.