50 Years in 50 Days: 2011

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 one.

Last Year:
The Timber Rattlers had an Appleton native as their manager

2011 Media Guide Cover

TIMBER RATTLERS INFORMATION:
Name: Wisconsin Timber Rattlers
Affiliation: Milwaukee Brewers (3rd Year)
Manager: Matt Erickson (1st Year)
First Half Record:  38-32 (T-3rd, West)
Second Half Record: 29-40 (T-6th, West)
Overall Record: 67-72

MLB Rehabs:
Pitcher Zach Braddock (0-0, 0.00) in 2 games – both starts – with 7K and 4.2IP
Outfielder Carlos Gomez hit .333 with no homers and no RBI in four games
Pitcher Manny Parra (1-0, 0.00) in one relief appearance with 4K in2IP

Category Leaders:
AVG: Cody Hawn – .294
HR: Mike Walker – 15
RBI: Mike Walker – 72
SB: Reggie Keen - 41
OPS: TJ Mittelstaedt – .853
WINS: Jimmy Nelson – 8
ERA: Jimmy Nelson – 4.38
IP: Jimmy Nelson – 146
SO: Jimmy Nelson – 120
SV: Greg Holle – 19*

*-Tied club record for saves in a season.

2011 MWL Season:

No Changes:

East: Bowling Green Hot Rods, Dayton Dragons, Fort Wayne TinCaps, Great Lakes Loons, Lake County Captains, 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

2011 MWL All-Star Game:
Quad Cities hosted the game on June 21.  The West won 8-3.  Chris Dennis (DH) started and hit a home run.  Mike Walker (3B) and pitchers Tyler Thornburg and Austin Ross were other Rattlers to contribute to the West’s victory.

The River Bandits provide some highlights:

2011 MWL Postseason:
First Round (Best-of-three):
West:
Kane County 2, Burlington 1
Quad Cities 2, Clinton 0

East:
Fort Wayne 2, Bowling Green 0
Lansing 2, Dayton 1

Division Finals (Best-of-three):
West:
Quad Cities 2, Kane County 0

East:
Lansing 2, Fort Wayne 0

Championship Series:
Quad Cities 3, Lansing 0

Opening Day, 2012 is tomorrow!