APPLETON — The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers have turned to the second half of their schedule and they are off to a scorching 9-1 start heading into Tuesday night..
They’re in first place in their division and are confident they can make a push to make the playoffs.
“We’re going to win a lot of games whether we’re in first or however we end up,” said second baseman Tyler Black. “We’re just a really good team. It’s really no surprise that we’ve gotten off to the start that we have.”
Manager Joe Ayrault is having a lot of success in his first year with the ball club with a 45-30 record.
“Our scouts did a great job of bringing in these guys and the guys that were here last year and year’s past,” Ayrault said. “We’re definitely heading in the right direction and you see the guys in the big leagues as well, we got guys moving through the system.”
The players love what Ayrault brings to the team.
“He keeps it loose, but at the same time, everything is about development and winning,” Black said. “The biggest thing with him is he just keeps it loose and all the guys love playing for him.”
The brewers sent four major leaguers to rehab with Timber Rattlers last week and besides eating real good on their dime, the inor leaguers in Appleton picked their brains on how to improve their game.
“I was talking to Kolten Wong when he was here, he was basically telling me, ‘the first year, as much as you want to do great and everything and put up numbers, the biggest thing is just kind of being in every moment and learning. you’re going to have failure in this game and the quicker I can learn from those failures and just continue to grow is going to help my career.’”
Black, the seventh ranked prospect in the Brewers system according to MLB.com is having a great year with the T-Rats at the plate with a .408 on-base percentage and he’s learning multiple new positions in the infield and outfield.
“It just gives me more possibilities to keep my bat in the lineup," said Black. "I think that’s the biggest thing. The bottom line is it's going to help the team win wherever I'm at. It just gives the manager options.”
“He's a gamer,” said Ayrault. “Hard-nosed guy. Hockey mentality. He just goes out there, plays to win, grinder type guy. He just goes out there and battles. no matter where he is in the lineup he just goes out there and plays to win.”
For Ayrault, winning is pretty important, but developing players is what matters most.
“Development side of things, their career number one and moving them up through the system and then of course the winning part. I don’t like losing the cards in cards to my son, he’s up here with me right now and it doesn’t matter. I'm a competitor. We’re going out there to win ball games but development is first,” he saidl.
