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Rob Zerjav, a Wisconsin native and lifelong Milwaukee Brewers fan, has been a key figure in the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers front office for three decades, serving as team president since 2002. The Timber Rattlers have been the Brewers' Midwest League affiliate since September 2008, and Zerjav has witnessed numerous prospects pass through Grand Chute on their path to Milwaukee. For him and the entire Timber Rattlers organization, the Brewers' trip to the World Series this year holds special significance.
"It means everything," Zerjav said. He recalled the Seattle Mariners' dominant teams that won 100 games annually but fell short of the World Series, noting that it would have been great to be part of that for the Mariners. However, growing up in Green Bay as a lifelong Brewers fan, Zerjav finds it truly special that over half of the current Brewers roster played for the Timber Rattlers in Appleton.
Zerjav recently discussed the Timber Rattlers' role in the Brewers' success, the contributions of Appleton native Matt Erickson, and the winning culture instilled throughout the organization. He described the excitement level at Neuroscience Group Field during the postseason as off the charts, with everyone being Brewers fans and thrilled to see so many former Timber Rattlers contributing. "You look at the starting lineup and it's just, 'Yep, he played here two years ago, he played here five years ago,'" Zerjav said. "It's exciting because you kind of know these guys and they're a part and we're a part of the Brewers organization."
Seeing players like Cooper Pratt and Luis Lara, who were on the Timber Rattlers' Midwest League championship team just a couple of years ago, now in the World Series is hard to comprehend, according to Zerjav. He also mentioned Jackson Chourio, Garrett Mitchell, Sal Frelick, Jacob Misiorowski, and pitching coach Jim Henderson, as well as Aaron Ashby and Brice Turang. The Timber Rattlers' social media team has been sharing old videos of these players, which has been fun for fans. "It's really neat that tie that we have to the Brewers and it again goes back to 2008, when we made this decision [to become a Brewers affiliate], how right it was," Zerjav said.
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Zerjav believes the shift toward a winning culture began when David Stearns and Matt Arnold joined the Brewers' front office, with Arnold later taking charge. Initially, the focus at the minor league level was purely on player development, with winning considered secondary. However, that mindset has evolved. "I think even the players back then thought that their goals were, 'I want to get to the big leagues and once I make it to The Show, that's it. I made it,'" Zerjav said. Now, players like Brice Turang and Cooper Pratt embrace winning at every level. Zerjav pointed to the Timber Rattlers' championship team a couple of years ago, which was fully committed to winning. "Our guys were just, 'No, we want to win. We're about winning,'" he said. This cultural shift, embraced by Matt Arnold, has led to competitiveness at every level of the Brewers' system, including Biloxi's near-championship at Double-A this year.
Zerjav also reflected on the relationships he saw forming among this group of players. He remembered Brice Turang, who was 19 when he played for the Timber Rattlers, as a leader whom teammates rallied around, even though he wasn't vocal. Similar sentiments were expressed about Cooper Pratt, Luis Lara, and Garrett Mitchell. Zerjav credited the Brewers for integrating minor leaguers into spring training games, allowing them to become familiar with major league players and coaches. "The culture that they've instilled at every level is really important and I think that's why they are doing what they're doing right now," he said.
Matt Erickson, who spent many years with the Timber Rattlers, is now in the third base coaching box for the Brewers. Zerjav expressed immense happiness for his friend of about 18 years, praising his near-perfect performance at third base and his work with infielders. "I'm so proud of him and so happy for him to see him succeeding being from Appleton and his Wisconsin roots," Zerjav said. He also noted that several other Brewers coaches, including pitching coach Chris Hook and Jim Henderson, got their start in Appleton.
As for attending World Series games, Zerjav said the organization is working on it. He mentioned that the Brewers have been very kind to the Timber Rattlers and that they will see what opportunities arise. "I'll be happy to support them and watch every single minute on television," he said. "But if there's a chance to get down there, it would be great for some of our staff to be able to take that in."
When asked about the possibility of World Series rings for the minor league affiliate, Zerjav said he is going off what other major league teams do, with a handful of rings typically distributed. Since the Brewers have never won the World Series, he is unsure of their plans. "But the thought has crossed my mind and I guess we'll cross that bridge when we get there," he said. "A World Series ring would just be icing on the cake."
Originally reported by yahoo.