Whitecaps Update 6/10
First Half Report: The Whitecaps finished last in the Midewest League East Division with a record of 26-43, the worst in the team’s history. The club is on pace to score it’s fewest runs in a season (currantly 570 in 2003) and to have the highest ERA (4.04 in 1999). Offensively, the only standout is third baseman Wade Gaynor (pictured) who hit .269 with 20 extra-base hits. On the mound, Giovanni Soto led the way with a 5-4 record and 2.05 ERA. Pitching prospect Jacob Turner and first baseman Jordan Lennerton have been promoted to the Lakeland Flying Tigers of the Florida State League, and made room for some 2010 draft picks on the ‘Caps rosters. Coming to West Michigan are infielder Tony Plagman from Georgia Tech (where he hit 21 homers), catcher Robert Brantly from Univ. of Cal-Riverside (hit .373 with 20 doubles and 11 homers), and first baseman Clay Jones from Alabamba (hit .313 with 17 homers and 66 RBI’s for the Crimson Tide). Hopefully these guys an contribute and help to aviod the Whitecaps falling on their face again in the second half.
2010 Midwest League All-Star Game: Representing the Whitecaps in this seasons All-Star game were 19 year old pitchers Jacob Turner and Giovonni Soto. Turner pit
ched the third inning, giving up one double and retiring the other three hitters. “Whenever you make an all-strar team, it means you’re doing something right,” Turner told the Grand Rapids Press. “It felt all right. It was one inning. Nothing spectacular and it wasn’t terrible. I just went out there and did my thing. That’s what you have to try adn do.” The lefty Soto came in to pitch a shutout inning in the sixth. He gave up one infield single and struck out one. “I felt proud because I’ve never been on an all-star team”, stated Soto. “And I feel I pitched well.” Their efforts help lead the East Division to a 6-2 victory over the West for the second year in a row, and fifth time in the last six years.
Whitecaps Hall of Fame: Voting has now started for the 2011 class of the Whitecaps Hall of Fame. This years ballot features current Detroit Tigers Joel Zumaya and Ramon Santiago, as well as Detroit’s head groundskeeper Heather Nabozny. Heather is the first female head groundskeeper in Major League history, and used to run things at Fifth-Third Ballpark in Grand Rapids. You can cast your vote HERE.
Photo courtesy of the Grand Rapids Press
Minoring In Baseball 
Well, they may have finished the first half in last, but first in the cool name department!
–Jeff
http://redstatebluestate.mlblogs.com/
http://mtrredstatebluestate.com
Yikes! I hope they do better for your sake. Tough when the only team in town is doing badly. Here I can escape a given team and bury myself in someone else’s park for a while. (Newark, Brooklyn, Long Island etc.)
mike
http://thebrooklyntrolleyblogger.mlblogs.com/
Well, to us Whitecaps supporters, seeing them and cheering them is truly worth of our cash advances. Evem they lose or win, we will be happier to know that we are part of their every game. As to Whitecaps Hall of Fame, my vote truly goes for Heather Nabozny. Good luck to other players! You all do your best!
Jeff-they have a cool name and uniforms.
Mike-no worries, games are still fun win or lose.
thonyc-I’ll definately be voting for Nabozny, she’s a trail blazer.
–Mike
Mike, I feel your pain. My team finished 2.5 games out of first place. They have yet to win a game in the second half. They have currently lost eight games in the second half. Their losing streak stands at nine. It’s not just one person…we have quite a few players whose bats have nearly gone silent. Koby Clemens hasn’t hit a HR in nearly three weeks.
http://thehooks.mlblogs.com/