After the 2008 season, the Brewers ended their contract with the single-A West Virginia Power and moved their low-A affiliate team to Appleton and the Wisconsin TimberRattlers.
The TimberRattlers had been Seattle's A team since 1993, but there's a history of minor league baseball in Appleton that dates back to 1958.
Prior to their four years in West Virginia, the Brewers A affiliate had been the Beloit Snappers. The facilities in Beloit are pretty below par, but the Brewers were looking to get an affiliate team back in Wisconsin. When the opportunity came up with the TRats, the Brewers were extatic.
When Wily Peralta made his major league debut on April 22, he became the first Brewers minor-leaguer who came up through Appleton to debut on the major league roster.
The Brewers and TRats are really hoping for Appleton to be a pipeline for young talent up to the big leagues, but some of the biggest, most major-league talent that has played for the TRats have been traded before they reached the majors.
Brett Lawrie would have been the biggest name for the Brewers through Appleton, but he was traded to Toronto in the Shaun Marcum deal.
When Peralta was a TRat, he wasn't considered a top prospect, so his ML debut becomes even more special.
The next TimberRattler that fans are likely to see in a Brewers uniform is Scooter Gennett. His name has already been bandied about as a possible replacement during this rash of injuires, but it's likely that the rewers would like to see him get more at-bats in the minors.
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