Category: Dailies
Back to reality in Michigan
Great Lakes Loons vs. Lansing Lugnuts (Midwest League)
Dow Diamond-Midland, MI: Flying home from Florida, I decided to take an extra day and spend it with my dad. We usually go to a game for his birthday the first of April, but my training pushed that back a couple of weeks. I flew in just south of Midland, so we had a nice lunch and took in a Loons game, which is always a good time. As you can see by some of the pics, also, I finally discovered the MiLB In The Park app, and took advantage of it with the photos I took with my phone. I wish I would have used it in Jacksonville, but will definitely use it for any of our upcoming games.
This game also featured Lou E. Loons birthday party, so he had some friends celebrate with him. Ral E. Camel led the crowd in a rendition of ‘Happy Birthday’ for his buddy, too.
I did get spoiled a little bit with the warmer weather down south, and it seemed that some of the rain followed by back up north here. It was a little cooler here in Michigan that it was in Florida and Georgia, but in reality not all that bad for the time of year. The rain didn’t last long and didn’t delay the game, either, so it’s all good on that front.
As far as the game goes, the Lugnuts jumped to a 2-0 lead after scoring a run in each of the first two innings. The Loons came back to score single runs in the fifth and seventh innings to tie things up, but then both offenses would come to a complete stand-still.
After nine, the score was still 2-2, so into extras we went. With a little extra time, I headed to the outfield to grab a few photos from that vantage point.
The game went to a whopping 16 innings, with the visitors finally plating a pair. For the Lugnuts, they were led by Rowdy Tellez, who went two for seven with three RBI’s in the game, and Dickie Joe Thon who went three for six at the plate. Andrew Case pitched the last four inning for Lansing, picking up the win while striking out two. For the home-town Loons, Josmar Cordero went three for seven, while Alex Verdugo and Mike Ahmed had two hits each. Kevin Guzman got the start on the hill for Great Lakes, going five strong innings while only giving up one earned run. Cordero, despite his three hits, would come in a take the loss, giving up both runs in the 16th. Also making an appearance for the Loons, was pitcher David Reid-Foley. Reid-Foley was born in Sault Ste. Marie (where I currently live), then moved down to Brunswick, Georgia (where I was training just the day before), and went to school and was drafted while in Jacksonville, Florida (where I caught a couple of Suns games). Baseball does unite the world, does it not? Final: Loons 2, Lugnuts 4.
I wish I could say that we stayed for the whole 16 inning marathon, but honestly can’t. After being up since four in the morning, travelling back to Michigan, and still being and hour and a half until I could lay my head down, we couldn’t do more than 12 innings. A long day, but a fun time as always at Dow Diamond. We don’t have any plans to come back as of yet this season, but once Little League starts and gets a schedule, I can start looking at the rest of the summer. We do have plans to hit a pair of Whitecaps games next month, though.
Photos property of Minoring In Baseball
SUNSday baseball in Jax
Jacksonville Suns vs. Jackson Generals (Southern League)
Bragan Field/Baseball Grounds-Jacksonville, FL: We had such a great time at Friday’s game, we just had hit at least one more! Sunday games are great, as they’re usually earlier in the day, so we didn’t have to be worried about being too tired for training the next morning. Again we got tickets that day, right behind the Suns dugout this time. I have no idea why tickets are so easy to get (not that I’m complaining), or why there wasn’t more fans in the stands for a Sunday game. We got to the this game on time, and by that I mean about an hour early. Lucky I was able to meet a couple of the Sunbeams coming through the gate, as they were pretty rare throughout the game.
Another plus about being at the ballpark early, as that we had a chance to explore some and get some good photos. I was able to get a couple panoramic from the concourse above our seats, and from the outfield.
It’s always fun relaxing and watching the teams warm up, also. And of course Southpaw came to ham it up for the camera, also!
It was a beautiful day as the game started, and I caught a game ball which is simply the best souvenir in history. One more for the kids and I to add to our collection.
Between innings, the SweetRight Brothers were on hand to entertain the kids. Since Brian wasn’t there, I really could have cared less, and would have preferred a performance from the Sunbeams. The kids in the crowd liked them, however, so I guess there are no complaints.
We started to get a little rain about the fourth inning, but not enough to stop the game, or stop us from enjoying ourselves. I really give the Jacksonville organization credit for just playing through a little rain. The grounds crew did come onto the field and put dry dirt on the mound and batters box, but that’s about it.
The game was another solid one for the home team. At the plate, the Suns had production from Austin Nola, who went two for three and drove in three of Jacksonville’s four RBI’s. Also going two for three on the day was Kenny Wilson and catcher Sharif Othman, who pushed across the Suns’ other run. On the hill, Kendry Flores earned the win, going five innings and allowing only one run. The Generals made a game of it late, but Sean Donatello earned the save. Final: Suns 4, Generals 2.
Another great day of baseball, and I really missed the games here in Jacksonville. This team was really a big part of me being down here ten years ago, and it was good to get back to the Baseball Grounds. I waned to get one more game fit in before flying home, but the rain spoiled that.
Here’s another video from today’s game:
All photos and video property of Minoring In Baseball
No SUNShine in Jax
Jacksonville Suns vs. Jackson Generals (Southern League)
My first visit to the Baseball Grounds in ten years!
Bragan Field/Baseball Grounds-Jacksonville, FL: While in southern Georgia for some training for work, I took the opportunity to take in a ballgame or two in Jacksonville. This was my first Suns game since I was in the area for training in 2005. The ballpark hasn’t changed in a decade, as the Baseball Grounds are still a fantastic venue to watch a game.
We missed the first half-inning, due to our facility being about an hour north and having to get a car rented. I was surprised that there weren’t more fans at the game, and that we were able to get such good seats right behind the Jackson dugout. We didn’t miss too much of the action, however, as the Suns plated a run in the second inning, and never looked back.
I was also introduced to the Sunbeams, something the organization definitely did not have ten years ago.
The Suns were really playing good ball until we had a slight rain delay.
I used the rain delay to get a selfie with the Suns mascot, Southpaw, too! This definitely made Brian jealous back in Michigan, but I bought him a Southpaw souvenir, and we’re good. I really give the Jacksonville organization and the grounds crew credit, as the field was ready to go in under an hour.
My selfie with Southpaw!
After the delay, the Suns kept playing well in victory. On the bump, Jake Esch earned the win with 5 1/3 innings of work. He only allowed three hits and struck out six, in a start they was cut off by the rain. The Suns bullpen pitched in after the rain, also with Blake Logan, Matt Tomshaw, and Sean Donatello helping secure the shutout. Offensively, Jax was led by Matt Juengel who went three for four with two RBI’s, and Austin Nola who went one for three with a home run and two RBI’s. Also pitching in: Kenny Wilson and Carlos Lopez, who each went two for four with an RBI respectively. Final: Suns 7, Generals 0.
A great game for the home team, and a little rain certainly couldn’t ruin our fun. So much fun, we came back for another game, so stay tuned.
Fireworks Friday, so we had even more entertainment after the game.
And some video of the Sunbeams and the game:
All Photos and Video property of Minoring In Baseball
March Madness
Central Michigan Chippewas vs. Ohio Bobcats
Theunissen Stadium-Mt. Pleasant, MI: Madness. Sheer Madness. Attending a baseball game in Michigan in March, one would have to be classified as mad, or crazy, or whatever. The weather actually wasn’t that bad, however, and dealing with a personal loss, my dad and I decided to use baseball as therapy. This was the Chips home opener, so there was a decent crowd on hand (until the sun disappeared, anyway).
The game itself was a rough one for the Chips. Sophomore Nick Deeg took the loss one the mound, but two unearned runs didn’t help his cause. CMU had a couple other defensive lapses that could have been errors, also, so a tough day for the left-hander. Five times during the game the Chippewas had at least two runners in scoring position, and stranded 13 total for the game. Nick Regnier and Alex Borglin had two hits and an RBI each to lead CMU offensively. Logan Regnier and Joe Houlihan each legged out doubles, and freshman Zach McKinstry added a hit and an RBI.
The Chippewas bounced back to beat Ohio the nest two games, but we were left with the lone loss in the series. Still a fun day, and getting to a ballgame really helped take our minds off things for a little while. We’ll try to see the Chips play again this season for sure. Final Score: Chippewas 4, Bobcats 6.
All photos property of Minoring In Baseball
Whitecaps SnOwPEN HOUSE 2015
Fifth Third Ballpark-Comstock Park, MI: This weekend the West Michigan Whitecaps officially kicked off the 2015 season, hosting a ‘SnOwPEN house’ at Fifth Third Ballpark. There were s’more stations and a pitching area out front for the kids and adults alike. The mascots Crash, Roxy, and Frankie were interacting with the fans, also.
Brian with our favorite mascot, Crash!
Brian with Roxy. Hope he didn’t make Crash jealous!
Brian’s favorite activity of the day was getting a ride by the sled dogs. This was a very popular activity for others, too, as we waited in line for an hour in the balmy 20 degree weather (at least it wasn’t -35, as it is today). The wait was worth it, as Brian had a blast getting pulled around in the snow. We were lucky to get him on, too, as he was in the second to last group, and so many people had given up that were ahead of us.
Up in the ballpark, the ‘Caps were serving up free hotdogs for fans. They even were playing the movie ‘Frozen’ on the giant video board for the kids to enjoy while they ate. The ticket office opened up, too, as single game tickets went on sale. A fun day, that got us excited for baseball season. It doesn’t look like the cold and snow is going anywhere soon, but we can certainly dream. We ended out day at the Van Andel Museum in downtown Grand Rapids. Brian enjoyed all of the artifacts, and especially the Real Pirate exhibit.
Promotion courtesy of the West Michigan Whitecaps
YouTube video of the dog sled:
Photos and video property of Minoring In Baseball
Valentine’s with the Lady Lakers
Saturday was Valentine’s Day, and who wants to spend that day alone? So Brian and I, being the wild and crazy guys that we are, bundled up to combat the sub-zero temps and spent the evening with the Lake Superior State Lakers softball team. The team was having their annual pasta dinner to raise funds for their road trips this season. We ate well, and Brian kept busy playing with some of the other kids in attendance. He even gave some of the players a Valentine, and got his picture taken with his favorite player (with spaghetti sauce on his shirt, no less).
The Lakers start their season in two weeks, travelling to Marquette, Michigan to face Marian (Wisc.), Finlandia, Edgewood, and Concordia (Wisc.) in the Superior Dome. They then will travel to the St. Louis area in March, to face some more non-conference teams, gearing up for their GLIAC schedule. The Lakers complete schedule can be found HERE. We wish the girls the best of luck this season in their GLIAC playoff bid, and are confident they’ll reach their goal. Trevor joined us for the hockey game after the dinner, but we missed him and Lily this year. I hope they’ll join us next year if we’re still living in the area.
Photos property of Minoring In Baseball
Michigan opening a Baseball Hall of Fame
This summer, the Great Lake State will be opening it’s very own Baseball Hall of Fame. The location will be at the Lansing Lugnuts’ Cooley Law School stadium, in left center field on the outfield wall. The idea came last year, when the Lugnuts started a $26.5 million renovation to their ballpark. Lugnuts owner Tom Dickson helped to conceive the idea, realizing there is no such place yet.
“We said, why don’t we do it,” Dickson told MLive.com. “Sometimes it’s amazing what you stumble upon with a little but of luck.”
The Michigan Baseball Hall of Fame will start with 10 members in its inaugural class. It will include plaques with images of the inductees, as well as the when and why they were inducted. The Hall will include players and coaches native to Michigan, as well as those who came to our state and ‘contributed significantly and positively within the national pastime.’ The Hall won’t be limited to just major league players, either, and could include a little league team, high school or college players, and coaches.
“We’re looking for people who have made an outstanding contribution to baseball in the state of Michigan across all levels”, stated Dickson.
There is a very impressive selection committee in place, looking to seek out the worthy candidates from our state. Along with some of the great players from the Detroit Tigers, I would love to see pitcher Jim Abbott selected, as he was one of my favorite players growing up. Michigan also has a great history of amateur baseball, as the very first College World Series was played in Kalamazoo, and the Stan Musial World Series being played in Battle Creek. C.O. Brown and Arch Flannery would be good bets, also, as they were responsible for bringing the series to BC back in 1937. I definitely can’t wait until June 27th, when the Michigan Baseball Hall of Fame opens its doors.
Logo courtesy of Michigan Hall of Fame/MLive.com
Buckeye Baseball
Nick Swisher Field at Bill Davis Stadium/OSU-Columbus, OH: Well, tonight’s the night, when the Ohio State Buckeyes take on the Oregon Ducks for the NCAA national football championship. Not having a horse in the race, I did think it was a good chance to show off a few photographs from my visit to Buckeye country this past summer. We had plenty of time to kill before our Columbus Clippers game, so we decided to check out the campus, and that included their baseball stadium. Bill Davis Stadium is really one of the nicest collegiate baseball stadiums that I’ve had a chance to see, though I haven’t been to too many. They have the artificial turf that many of the NCAA teams are going to now, also. I was lucky that they were doing some maintenance work and that the stadium was open for me to poke around and take some pictures. I almost got locked in, though, and I really wasn’t in the mood for climbing fences. It’s too bad I didn’t get to see a game here, as, again, it’s a really beautiful college ballpark, and I’m sure the atmosphere would have been great, especially if they were playing a rival. Our trip was in mid-June, however, and the only college ball being played at the time was in Omaha. I hope to make it back to Columbus for more baseball to catch a Buckeye game, and another Clippers game, as ours was shortened by some rain. Have fun watching the football game tonight.
Photos property of Minoring In Baseball
A Hockey Holiday
Grand Rapids Griffins vs. Iowa Wild (American Hockey League)
Van Andel Arena-Grand Rapids, MI: I hope this post finds that everyone had a safe and very Merry Christmas! To celebrate our holiday, we headed downstate to visit family, and to keep busy, took in a hockey game. There are really only two seasons in our eyes, baseball in summer, and hockey in winter, so we spend many nights at the rink when the ballparks are covered in snow. On this night, Brian and I went with Papa to see the Griffins host the Wild at the Van. Our first Griffs game of the season, and it was a good one. They wasted no time, as Andy Meile tickled the twine just 14 seconds into the game. The Wild tied the game shortly after, but not long after that Landon Ferraro re-established the lead for Grand Rapids. Teemu Pulkkinen scored with 43 seconds left in the period to give the Griffins at 3-1 lead going into the first intermission.
During a break, I tried to take a few pics of Brian and I with my iPhone, but they didn’t turn out too great (still posted on Twitter). This one of Bri didn’t turn out too bad, though.
Brian loves watching the Zamboni
The second period was a good one for the home team. Mitch Callahan scored a power-play goal just 2:35 into the period to put the Griffins up by three. Grand Rapids kept pouring it on, as Tomas Nosek scored a highlight-reel goal, and Marek Tvrdon scored his first AHL goal shortly after. The scoring didn’t stop there, as defenseman Nathan Paetch scored on a laser from the left circle, and Nosek tapped in his second of the night to put an end to the second period. Brian and I tried to catch up with the mascots Griff and Finn, but they didn’t get out with the fans during the game or intermissions.
Griffins mascots Griff and Finn
The third period wasn’t as excited, but still held some very good stories. First, with the Wild getting beat up, they decided to finally pull their starting goalie, and replace him with David DeSandler. With the other netminder called back up to Minnesota, the Wild needed a back-up, and signed the west Michigan native to a one-day tryout. DeSandler did a fine job, too, only giving up one goal and making six saves in his one period of work. The only goal he gave up was to former Lake Superior State Laker Colin Campbell at the 5:53 mark. In net for the Griffs, Thomas McCollum, who was sent down from the Detroit Red Wings earlier in the day. He was stellar on the night, stopping 32 out of 34 shots for Grand Rapids.
The Red Wings top prospect Anthony Mantha
Brian enjoying the game with his Papa
Fight! Fight! Dropping the gloves!!!
This was a fun night with family, and we hope to make it down to another game this season. As the last post of 2014, it was a great year and we really look forward to the challenges that 2015 will bring us. I’m still hoping to get transferred to a warmer, more baseball friendly environment, so keeping my fingers crossed, and see where the new year takes us! Final: Griffins 9, Wild 2.
Video from our YouTube channel:
All photos and video property of Minoring In Baseball
More Whitecaps Alumni dealt
The Detroit Tigers were a busy bunch at the Winter Meetings in San Diego. Tigers’ GM Dave Dombrowski traded away a few more West Michigan Whitecaps alumni, trying to build a team to win the World Series in 2015. The price was steep, and we fans had to say goodbye to some solid young ballplayers. Before the meetings even began, the Tigers traded away middle-infielder Domingo Leyba, along with pitcher Robbie Ray, to the Arizona Diamondbacks in three-way deal that brought starting pitcher Shane Greene from the New York Yankees. The 19-year-old prospect hit .397 in 30 games for the Whitecaps this season, after being promoted from Class-A SS Connecticut Tigers when short-stop Willy Adames was traded late last season to the Tampa Bay Rays.
The second trade involving some West Michigan alumni, had another middle-infielder in Eugenio Suarez and starting pitcher Jonathan Crawford shipped to the Cincinnati Reds for pitcher Alfredo Simon. As a rookie, Suarez hit .242 with four home runs, and 23 RBI’s last season in 85 games with Detroit. In 2012 with the Whitecaps, Suarez batted .288 with 34 doubles and 67 RBI’s. His .947 fielding percentage helped him win a Minor League Baseball Gold Glove at short-stop (.971 at short, and his fielding percentage was 1.000 at second base). Crawford was a first round draft pick by Detroit in 2013. He pitched for the ‘Caps this season, going 8-3 with a 2.85 ERA, and was the starting pitcher for the East at the Midwest League All-Star Classic played at Fifth Third Ballpark.
The Tigers also lost former Whitecaps pitcher Alex Burgos in the Triple-A/Double-A phase of the Rule 5 Draft. The 24-year-old hurler saw action in Lakeland, Erie, and Toledo, but mostly with the Flying Tigers earning a 4.26 ERA. He suited up for the ‘Caps in 2011, pitching to a 6-5 record and a 2.19 ERA. We were able to see him pitch on Star Wars night that season. Two other former ‘Cap pitchers, Edgar De La Rosa and Montreal Robertson were spared in the Major League portion of the draft. We wish the best of luck to all of the players we were lucky enough to watch in West Michigan.
Photos property of Minoring In Baseball
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