GRAND CHUTE, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers are moving on up in the Milwaukee Brewers’ farm system. The T-Rats will move to high Class A next year.
“We’re one of two now, so it’s great to know it’s going to be staying here,” Timber Rattlers president, Rob Zerjav said.
Zerjav tells FOX 11 the Timber Rattlers officially received their invitation to remain a Brewers affiliate, for at least the next 10 years.
“It’s longevity to the contract but just continues that great relationship that we have with the Brewers; that we’ve had for the past 12 years. Now, we’re just excited that we’ll be able to continue that 10 years, and hopefully longer.”
The news isn’t just great for the team, but for the entire area.
“It not only gives us a great minor league baseball program, but also that attachment with the Brewers just two hours down the road, when they’ve had rehab players coming up to play games, it adds that extra level of attraction,” said Pam Siedl, executive director for the Fox Cities Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Last year, Siedl tells FOX 11 tourists spent over $74 million in recreation in the Fox Cities.
“The Timber Rattlers are a big part of our recreational tourism, and so having this partnership live on with the Brewers, I think will be very important for this community, as we recover our tourism economy.”
The new arrangement between Major League Baseball and Minor League clubs require teams in the minors to upgrade their facilities to improve player amenities, such as larger clubhouses for both the home and visiting teams, as well as work with MLB to address additional player health and wellness initiatives.
“Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium is a beautiful ballpark, and it has served us extremely well since it opened in 1995,” said Zerjav.
“Baseball, like everything, evolves and the needs of players and coaches have changed over the past 25 years. We have already begun to discuss stadium upgrades and the organization hopes to be able to make additional announcements in the very near future.”
The Timber Rattlers are just one of 119 teams chosen by Major League Baseball.
“As good as the news is for us today, there’s a lot of teams experiencing the dread of not getting that invitation,” Zerjav said.
Now, the Midwest League will also be going from 16 teams down to just 12.
“Three teams, as of now, have not been given an invitation, and one of the teams in our league is going to be moving to a different league,” said Zerjav. “We’ll be playing 12 teams, instead of 16 but, otherwise, it will all look the same from a fan’s perspective.”
Affiliations aren’t official yet, and won’t be until the Minor League teams sign Professional Development Licenses.
