50 Years in 50 Days: 2009

Fifty years ago, Appleton Professional Baseball joined the Midwest League. As part of 50 Years in 50 Days, Rattler Radio is counting down to April 5 with a look back at each season of Appleton Professional Baseball team since 1962 (with a lot of help from MWLGuide.com and baseball-reference.com). The countdown to Opening Day, 2012 has reached three.

Three Years Ago:
The Timber Rattlers and the Milwaukee Brewers began a new chapter in Appleton Professional Baseball history.

2009 Timber Rattlers Media Guide Cover

TIMBER RATTLERS INFORMATION:
Name: Wisconsin Timber Rattlers
Affiliation: Milwaukee Brewers (1st Year)
Manager: Jeff Isom (1st Year)
First Half Record:  34-36 (5th, West)
Second Half Record: 24-45 (8th, West)
Overall Record: 58-81

The 2009 Timber Rattlers.

Future Major Leaguers:
Pitcher Dave Bush (0-0, 0.00) in two games – both rehab starts – with 9K in 7.2IP
Outfielder Lorenzo Cain hit .192 with no homers and three RBI in 15 games
Pitcher Michael Fiers (0-0, 0.00) in three games – no starts – with a save & 8K in 6.0IP
Infielder Taylor Green hit .400 with a homer and 5 RBI in six games
Infielder Brett Lawrie hit .274 with 13 homers and 65 RBI in 105 games
Catcher Martin Maldonado hit .105 with no homers and 2 RBI in seven games
Pitcher Jeff Suppan (0-1, 10.80) in one game – a rehab start – with 1 K in 3.1IP

Category Leaders:
AVG: Corey Kemp – .282
HR: Brock Kjeldgaard – 20
RBI: Brock Kjeldgaard – 74
SB: Brett Lawrie – 19
OPS: Brett Lawrie – .802
WINS: Daniel Meadows – 13
ERA: Daniel Meadows – 4.01
IP: Trey Watten – 133.2
SO: Wily Peralta – 118
SV: Jim Henderson – 17

2009 MWL Season:

2009 Magnet Schedule.

The main change was in Fort Wayne.  The Wizards got a new downtown ballpark and a new nickname.  They are now known as the Fort Wayne TinCaps.

East: Dayton Dragons, Fort Wayne TinCaps, Great Lakes Loons, Lansing Lugnuts, South Bend Silver Hawks, West Michigan Whitecaps
West: Beloit Snappers, Burlington Bees, Cedar Rapids Kernels, Clinton LumberKings, Kane County Cougars, Peoria Chiefs, Quad Cities River Bandits, Wisconsin Timber Rattlers

2009 MWL All-Star Game:
Clinton hosted the game and the East won 6-3.  Five Timber Rattlers were named to the team as reserves: Catcher Corey Kemp and infielder Brett Lawrie with pitchers Jim Henderson, Daniel Meadows, and Wily Peralta.

2009 MWL Postseason:
First Round (Best-of-three):
West:
Cedar Rapids 2, Peoria 0
Burlington 2, Kane County 0

East:
Fort Wayne 2, South Bend 1
Great Lakes 2, West Michigan 1

Division Finals (Best-of-three):
West:
Burlington 2, Cedar Rapids 1

East:
Fort Wayne 2, Great Lakes 1

Championship Series (Best-of-five):
Fort Wayne 3, Burlington 0

Opening Day is April 5. Get Here Soon!