It may be a bit old if you did some digging around on
BrewerFan.net this weekend. BUT, I wanted to share it here.
Farm Hops -- November 2008 is the title of this post in the forum. First, is a projected [2009, I meant 2009 not 2008 as I originally wrote. Thanks, josh.] Timber Rattler Roster. PLEASE NOTE! THIS IS NOT OFFICIAL! PROJECTED is the key word. Did I make that clear enough?
Wisconsin Timber Rattlers
| Hitters | Name | Pitchers | Name |
| Starting C | Brett Lawrie | #1 Starter | Evan Frederickson |
| Starting 1B | Brock Kjeldgaard | #2 Starter | Lucas Luetge |
| Starting 2B | Cutter Dykstra | #3 Starter | Wily Peralta |
| Starting 3B | John Delaney | #4 Starter | Michael Bowman |
| Starting SS | Mikey Marseco | #5 Starter | Cody Adams |
| Starting LF | Erik Komatsu | Closer | Garrett Sherrill |
| Starting CF | Logan Schafer | Piggyback #1 | Efrain Nieves |
| Starting RF | Christopher Dennis | Piggyback #2 | Cody Scarpetta |
| Bench - C | Anderson De La Rosa | Middle Relief #1 | Nick Tyson |
| Bench - C | Corey Kemp | Middle Relief #2 | Trey Watten |
| Bench - IF | David Fonseca | Setup-RHP | Adam Arnold |
| Bench - IF | Miguel Vasquez | Setup-RHP | Daniel Meadows |
| Bench - OF | Michael Vass |
Now to the roundtable discussion that involves the Timber Rattlers.
Question #1
How excited are you to have a Brewers minor league affiliate moving back to the Midwest League? Are you going to make it a point to take in some games, and overall how would you expect the interest to be given the success of the Milwaukee Brewers?
Toby: Ever since Appleton got an affiliated minor league baseball team, it has seemed inevitable that they would eventually become part of the Brewers' minor league chain. The fit was too natural not to happen. Now that the inevitable is reality, it'll be interesting to me to see how much it sparks the interest of casual Brewers fans in the minor leagues and Brewer prospects. This union comes at a good time for the Timber Rattlers because there is currently so much interest statewide in the Brewers. Success breeds interest. I expect that many of those who haven't seen a minor league game in years, perhaps since Beloit was affiliated with the Brewers, will make the trek up to Appleton. I don't live in Wisconsin, so I might not get over to Appleton every year, but I will make a concerted effort to try. It certainly sounds more appealing than going to Beloit. Patrick: While I understood the reasoning for the Brewers leaving Beloit to find greener pastures, I was always pretty bummed that I couldn't hop in my car and drive an hour to see some of the more exciting pieces to the Brewers future. I guess the Brewers aren't too concerned about the weather in April and even May to move back to the Midwest League, and I couldn't be happier to see that happening. Especially considering the facilities they will be playing in as compared to what they had in Beloit. I think the T-Rats are going to enjoy some record attendances next year, which will only strengthen their relationship with the big-league club, while the fans will get a taste of players such as Brett Lawrie and the bulk of the 2008 draft class, and I certainly will be one of those fans in attendance.
Jim: Many folks know that I'm a Massachusetts resident, so in terms of personal attendance, it's a non-factor for myself. However, from a Brewerfan Link Report standpoint, it appears that the online audio game package and local newspaper coverage will be on a par with the excellent standards that were set by the Charleston, West Virginia media. I'm looking forward to all the first-hand accounts we'll be getting; it will be as if Brewerfan acquired multiple correspondents. I'm sure others on the internet will make wonderful use of video and reporting tools to make the 2009 Timber Rattlers the most discussed minor league squad in Wisconsin history. The kids on the Wisconsin roster will be celebrities to be sure, ready or not.
Brad: More than anyone else, it seems, I'm really disappointed by this. In the last few years, I've gotten to go to many West Virginia Power games, and I'm going to deeply miss getting to see our farmhands play. On top of that, my hometown lost its minor league affiliation completely, so the closest place for baseball is now 90 miles away. On the other hand, I think increased awareness about the baseball and the Brewers will help the low-A team succeed in Appleton. I know you guys will have a blast getting to watch and meet the young guys.
So much to get to and so little time. I will try to revisit this later today. Now, BACK TO WORK!
