All-Decade pitchers (1998-2007)

The Timber Rattler pitchers for the All-Decade team (1998-2007) have been named.

Click on the link for the list. Here is the special mention:

Clint Nageotte set the Timber Rattlers strikeout record in 2001 with 187 punchouts, besting Gil Meche's 168 from 1998. No Rattlers pitcher has come within 20 strikeouts of Nageotte's record since. The following season, Clint led all of the Minor Leagues with 214 K's. Unfortunately, Nageotte has only struck out 26 batters in the Major Leagues in his career.

All-Decade players (1998-2007)

Jay has the latest edition of the All-Decade Team posted at the Rattler site.

Good names on the list. Click on the link to find out who is on it. Here are the special mentions:

Neither of them ever played a game in the Major Leagues, but the duo terrorized Midwest League pitching in 1999, combining to hit 84 doubles, 8 triples, 34 home runs, and drive in 209 runs. They were rated the top two seasons ever by a Timber Rattlers player, with [Juan] Silvestre #2 and [Bo] Robinson #1.

All-Decade pitchers (1988-1997)

The latest All-Decade team for Appleton baseball is up at the main site. This one is for the Pitchers from 1988-1997

Here are the names:

Tom Gordon
Mike Magnante
Shawn Estes
Ryan Franklin
Damaso Marte
Brian Fuentes

Manager: Gary Varsho

Special Mention: Tim Davis

The Brian Fuentes baseball card is worth the click alone.

All-Decade players (1978-1987)

Jay put this up last week.

The obvious choices are shortstop and first base. Just head over to the link for some names that will make you go..."He played in Appleton? Wow."

Kerwin Moore is the special mention:

Kerwin Moore led the 1990 Appleton Foxes in on base percentage with a .378 mark despite hitting only .222. He only had 100 hits in 128 games, but the 19 year old walked 111 times. The speedster was a terror on the bases, stealing 57 bags. He never did figure out how to hit for average though, but despite a Minor League career average of .237, Moore appeared in 22 games for the Oakland A's in 1996.

All-Decade pitchers (1978-1987)

The latest installment of the All-Decade Teams is available.

Do you know what former Pittsburgh Pirate is on that team? Can you guess who the manager is? Check it out. I give nothing away today on this.

All-Decade players (1978-1987)

Jay has the latest installment of the All-Decade team with the players from the 1978-1987 seasons.

Head over for the names and some rocking pictures.

I don't want to give away too much, but I will say this: The 1982 Appleton Foxes Uniforms? They weren't pretty. Maybe if the logo were larger?

Special mention, complete with SI cover goes to Harry Chappas:

The 5 foot 3 inch shortstop went straight from Appleton to the Majors during the 1978 season. After hitting .302 with 23 doubles, 14 triples and 60 stolen bases for the Foxes, Chappas got a September promotion to Chicago. The following spring, Chappas was featured on the cover of Sport Illustrated as "The Littlest Rookie".

Over at the main website....

Some updated material at the main Timber Rattler website.

Timberrattlers.com Player of the Month and Pitcher of the Month
Joe Dunigan and Michael Pineda

Mehring Monday has to do with autographs.

Hall of fame second baseman Ryne Sandberg is here for a few more days and it has been neat watching him sign autographs for fans before games. It takes me back to some of the autographs I have picked up through the years.

Just a few.

All-Decade pitchers (1968-1977)

Head over to the main Rattler site for the All-Decade pitchers from the years 1968-1977. Jay has once again provided an good list and some in-depth information.

Here is the list of pitchers:

Bart Johnson
Chris Knapp
Terry Forster
Goose Gossage
Pete Vuckovich
Steve Trout

Manager Joe Sparks

Special Mention: Wayne McCauley. Here's why:

He never made it to the Major Leagues, but McCauley had a week to remember during the 1972 season. Just six days after losing a 2-1 decision in which he struck out 20 batters, McCauley threw a 7 inning no hitter against Quincy. (Special thanks to mwlguide.com for the tidbit)

All-Decade players (1968-1977)

The latest edition of the Appleton All-Decade team is available at main Rattler website.

This one is for position players who played in Appleton for the years 1968-1977.

They are:
C - Marv Foley
1B - Lamar Johnson
2B - Jerry Hairston
SS - Bucky Dent
3B - Kevin Bell
OF - Brian Downing
OF - Sam Ewing
OF - Harold Baines

Head over there to read about their careers in Appleton and their time in the big leagues...

...And to see the most awesome picture of Jerry Hairston as the prototypical 70's ballplayer.

All-Decade pitchers (1958-1967)

Jay has the latest post in his series of All-Decade Teams. This one is the 1958-1967 pitchers.

You'll have to click the link for the story about those pitchers, but here are the names for you:

Lee Stange
Dean Chance
Dave McNally
Eddie Watt
Jim Ray (who has the best major league uni of any of these guys)
Sparky Lyle

The Manager of the all-decade team for 1958-1967. Earl Weaver.

This week's special mention is Fred Rath of the 1966 Fox Cities Foxes. Why, Fred Rath?

Rath, a 4th round draft choice of the White Sox in 1965, only pitched 23 innings in the Majors, but had a memorable season with the Fox Cities Foxes in 1966. Not only did he go 17-3 on the mound in leading the Foxes to the Midwest League Championship, he also met Joan Koenig, the 1966 Miss Fox Cities Foxes, whom he married the following year.

That's why Fred Rath.

All-Decade players (1958-1967)

Jay has done a heck of a job over at the Timber Rattler web site with a new series. The idea is to pick out an All-Decade team for the following ten season spans:

1958-1967
1968-1977
1978-1987
1988-1997
1998-2007

There will be a story about the position players and about the pitchers for each decade.

This week's article is about the position players in Appleton from 1958-1967.

You have to go over there to take a look at some of the pictures and the names. Enjoy a look back at some Appleton Baseball History.