Grand Rapids Press Articles

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Whitecaps' 2007 goals: more wins, more fans
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
By Brian Vanochten
The Grand Rapids Press

COMSTOCK PARK -- The West Michigan Whitecaps will raise a championship flag celebrating their 2006 Midwest League title in an on-field presentation before Monday night's home opener at Fifth Third Ballpark.

It will be the second banner raised in three years.

The team has established a winning tradition among professional minor-league sports franchises in West Michigan that is unparalleled. Four league trophies -- including titles in 1996, 1998 and 2004.

Yet, for all of their success on the field, it has not translated into booming attendance figures for the Whitecaps, who posted their lowest single-season attendance total in the 13-year history of the Class A franchise last summer.

"I think clearly we've sort of plateaued," Whitecaps CEO and managing partner Lew Chamberlin said of the gradual decline in attendance in recent seasons. "Of course, we're always looking to push our attendance -- and we'll continue to do that. Our challenge is try to keep it fresh every year.

"We have to continue to garner community support."

It's not a real simple chore.

The team attracted just 356,155 fans last season despite leading the league with an 89-48 (.650) mark and winning a franchise-record 96 games, including the playoffs. They drew 13,998 fewer fans than the previous year.

It had Detroit Tigers Minor League Player of the Year Cameron Maybin and Pitcher of the Year Burke Badenhop on the same championship roster.

It also spent $1.3 million in offseason improvements that included construction of the Pepsi Stadium Club and Miller Lite House Deck in place of the old bleachers in center field and adding outdoor seats to the suite level.

A sluggish economy, however, hasn't helped matters.

"It's a challenge," team president Scott Lane said. "I remember in 1994 when the Hoops and Whitecaps were the only games in town, but the landscape has changed a lot. Now, we've got the Griffins and the Rampage, and everyone's competing for those dollars families spend on entertainment.

"No excuses. It's our job to put butts in seats."

In an effort to remain fresh to its fan base, the Class A baseball franchise has made additional improvements to Fifth Third Ballpark this year.

The entire park has gone wireless with free Internet access, while electronic swipe machines that accept credit and debit cards have been installed at most points of sale to shorten the time spent in concession lines.

"We think it's going to speed things up," Chamberlin said.

It is hoped those changes will put more butts in seats this season.

The Whitecaps continue to be a profitable operation, according to both Chamberlin and Lane, but they've been forced to increase some prices to offset rising costs. For example, parking has been raised to $4 this year -- up $1 from last season.

It requires a creative approach to keep things fresh.

The marketing department has scheduled an unprecedented entertainment lineup, including a record 18 postgame fireworks shows, while the promotions staff has lined up everything from five bobblehead giveaways to presenting the first 1,000 fans through the gates April 19 with MWL replica championship rings.

And Tom Brookens represents a fresh face in the dugout.

The team is predicting Brookens, a valuable member of the 1984 World Series champion Tigers, will help stir fan interest as the new manager of the Whitecaps.

"He was such a fan favorite," team vice president Jim Jarecki said of the popular Brookens. "To be able to continue that '84 tradition, that's just a bonus."

The team's affiliation with the parent club Tigers also might boost attendance due to the euphoria surrounding the big-league franchise after it claimed the American League pennant and reached the World Series last fall.

"I truly hope we'll see a bounce in attendance from baseball being back. It'll have more momentum in this community -- in part because of the Tigers but also from our performance on the field last season," Chamberlin said.

He has a target number in mind.

"A range of 360,000 to 390,000 is where we'd expect to be," he added. "I'm not going to stop trying for 400,000, but I've got to be realistic about it."

To reach 350,000 is nothing to be ashamed about.

"You always want to be No. 1, but it's still a solid number after 13 years," Jarecki said of the team falling short of its attendance goal last year.

"We just don't want to become stale."

It's a reputation no minor-league professional sports franchise, including the Whitecaps or other teams in West Michigan, can hardly afford.

Send e-mail to the author: bvanochten@grpress.com



©2007 Grand Rapids Press
© 2007 Michigan Live. All Rights Reserved.

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'Tap on steroids' ready to pour at 'Caps games
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
By Brian Vanochten
The Grand Rapids Press

COMSTOCK PARK -- Several new mouth-watering menu offerings are on tap at Fifth Third Ballpark concession stands this season -- including cold beer poured from a special tapper that should make waiting in long lines a thing of the past.

The Turbo Tap is set to make its debut.

The tap, which uses nitrogen and carbon dioxide to speed the pouring process, is supposed to fill beer cups four times faster than previous equipment. It also provides just the right amount of foam, director of food and beverage Matt Timon said.

"It's a tap on steroids," he said of the product Time magazine named 2005 Invention of the Year. "The tap goes all the way down to the bottom of the cup. It fills the cup four times faster. It gives you a consistent pour, and it stays colder. The beer lines should go a lot faster."

Timon also added six menu items to appeal to fans of all ages.

# Pretzel bun: It'll cost just a quarter to upgrade the bun on your burger, pork chop sandwich or other premium sandwich selection.

# Deep-fried Pepsi: It's the ultimate kid food -- Pepsi-flavored batter shaped into spheres, fried and topped with Pepsi syrup, Pepsi frosting and whipped cream. It costs $3.75 and can be purchased at the Sweet Meats Smokehouse down the third-base line. Fear not: It's deep fried in non-trans fat soy oil.

# Robinette's Apple Cider Malt: The all-Michigan drink features Robinette's fresh-pressed apple cider blended with vanilla ice cream, cinnamon, spices and ice. It costs $5 and is served in a 30-ounce cup at the Tiki Hut.

# Cheddar munchers: The golden deep-fried bites of cheddar cheese and mashed potatoes are $3.50 for a

12-ounce portion at the Sweet Meats Smokehouse.

# Pepperoni Bosco sticks: The deep-fried breadsticks are stuffed with mozzarella cheese and pepperoni, served with a marinara or ranch dip. The cost is $4 for four breadsticks.

# Chicken salad cone/wrap: An old favorite is served in a waffle cone or a whole wheat tortilla wrap for $4.75.

Familiar favorites such as the "Swimmin' Pig" pork chop sandwich, hot dogs, pulled pork, chicken fries, loaded nachos, Melting Moments ice cream sandwiches and Dippin' Dots ice cream remain part of the ballpark menu.

Send e-mail to the author: bvanochten@grpress.com

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'Caps increase parking fee
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
By Brian Vanochten
The Grand Rapids Press

COMSTOCK PARK -- It will cost $1 more to pull into Fifth Third Ballpark this season.

Ticket prices remain unchanged, but the price of parking has been raised to $4 per car to fund improvements to the surface lots surrounding the 14-year-old facility.

"You can't get greedy," Whitecaps CEO and managing partner Lew Chamberlin said. "We just have to make sure we keep up with the cost of doing business."

The team plans to re-stripe the lots in time for the home opener.

It also is adding more handicapped parking spaces, conducting a seasonlong resealing and crack-filling maintenance project and planning to resurface the main road along the left-field wall at the end of the 2007 season.

"We're putting the money back into the park," Whitecaps vice president Jim Jarecki said. "We're in that period now after 14 years where we need to maintain the facility."

It remains $7 to park buses and motor homes at the ballpark.

Send e-mail to the author: sports@grpress.com

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Construction may impact 'Caps fans
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
By Brian Vanochten
The Grand Rapids Press

COMSTOCK PARK -- It's an annual rite of spring in Michigan.

Baseball? No.

Road construction will impact fans making the trip to Fifth Third Ballpark to see the West Michigan Whitecaps this season.

"It's a way of life throughout the state," team vice president Jim Jarecki said.

The Michigan Department of Transportation is preparing to reconstruct portions of U.S. 131 northbound from Ann Street to North Park Street and resurface 6 1/2 miles of roadway between West River Drive and 10 Mile Road.

The road project is scheduled to begin Monday.

It will also involve ramp closures for repairs and reconstruction.

The team has been informed by MDOT that work will be halted at 3 p.m. to allow for rush-hour traffic and ballpark traffic to flow as smoothly as possible.

Traffic shifts, however, might cause frequent slowdowns or delays.

Send e-mail to the author: bvanochten@grpress.com

[NATE]

Four articles and nothing about the players or the team. If they want to put "butts in the seats" they need to improve their PR. If I am a casual fan and I look in the GR Press for what the 2007 Whitecaps have to offer, I would reach the following conclusions:

1. Getting to the park is going to be harder.
2. Once I get there, it will cost me more money to park.
3. Once inside, my family will have more unhealthy food to choose from.
4. The beer consumption of my fellow fans is going to increase substantially.
5. I have no clue about this team but apparently they had a good team last year and not too many of my fellow baseball fans came out to watch them.
6. And if I am under age 30, who is Tommy Brookens and why does a grown man still go by Tommy?

Update: I sent this post to the Caps and to the author of the articles.

[potthole]

Mr.G and I got the first two beers sold to the public out of those new taps, when we were there for the Opening Day watch party. I must say, the do work really well!

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Whitecaps open '07 season on losing note

Friday, April 06, 2007
By Brian Vanochten
The Grand Rapids Press

DAYTON, Ohio -- One big hit.

One big inning.

One disappointing loss for the West Michigan Whitecaps in their Midwest League season opener against the Dayton Dragons in front of a sellout crowd of 8,176 on a bone-chilling Thursday night at Fifth Third Field.

The Whitecaps let a two-run lead slip through their frost-bitten fingers in the sixth inning and suffered a 3-2 loss as the Dragons scored all three runs on a single.

Dayton center fielder Drew Stubbs ripped a two-out liner off Whitecaps relief pitcher Josh Rainwater that scored Denis Phipps and Logan Parker on a close call at the plate.

The third run came home on Whitecaps catcher Jeff Kunkel's late throw to second baseman Scott Sizemore, attempting to keep Stubbs from advancing. Tony Esquer rounded third base and raced home just ahead of Sizemore's return throw.

It all added up to the third consecutive defeat for the Whitecaps (0-1) in season openers. The club has dropped four of its past five season debuts, but is 8-6 all-time.

"It's a tough loss," Whitecaps manager Tom Brookens said. "All in all, I was pretty happy with the way we played. It was fun getting out there. The guys were pumped up. It was good to get back to playing where it means something," he added. "It was just one big hit where they got all three runs."

Kunkel took the loss hard.

"It was a tough throw, but we could've been out of it right there," he said of trying to nail Stubbs for the third out. "One play. It sucks to lose on something like that."

The Whitecaps led 2-0 through 5 1/2 innings.

Designated hitter Deik Scram led off the contest with a walk and advanced to third on Sizemore's double off the wall in left. Right fielder Brennan Boesch followed with a sacrifice fly to center for a 1-0 advantage.

First baseman Ryan Strieby, a 2006 fourth-round draft pick of the Detroit Tigers and Southeastern Conference Player of the Year at Kentucky last season, homered leading off the sixth inning. It was a liner into the corner in right field.

"I told myself if I got a fastball to hit in my third at-bat, I'm going to be aggressive," Strieby said of the 2-0 offering from Dragons reliever Travis Webb. "I was concerned if it would be fair or foul, but I knew it had the distance."

Starter Chris Cody pitched five shutout innings for the Whitecaps.

In the bottom of the sixth, Rainwater issued walks to Parker and Esquer to load the bases with one out. He struck out Chris Heisey, who'd doubled and singled in his first two at-bats, but surrendered the deciding hit to Stubbs.

The Dragons (1-0) snapped a four-game losing streak in openers.

Send e-mail to the author: bvanochten@grpress.com

[AlaskanTigersFan]

I'm very impressed with what the Whitecaps are trying to do. I'm doing a final project on the Whitecaps for my final project.

My qustion to Nate and anyone else is what would you do to make the Whitecaps more marketable? What promotions would you like to see?

Jim Jarecki was a guest speaker for my class. It actually seems more reasonable when you lok at wat he has to work with. They get no funding from the parent club which surprised me. He has an interesting job, and in the economy situation we have here in West Michigan, it makes his job that much harder.....

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Whitecaps seeking first win
Sunday, April 08, 2007
The Associated Press

The West Michigan Whitecaps will look for their first win of the season in Monday's home opener.

The Whitecaps lost an 8-7 decision to Dayton on Saturday to fall to 0-2.

While there was no repeat of the snow that wiped out Friday's game between the teams, the Whitecaps' second loss, which had a game-time temperature of 28 degrees, was messy.


West Michigan took a 3-0 lead in a first inning that included an RBI double by Santo DeLeon, but the Whitecaps made three errors as Dayton scored four in the bottom of the inning.

West Michigan tied the contest 4-4 in the fourth on an RBI double by Gorkys Hernandez, but two more walks and a wild pitch helped Dayton take a 6-4 lead in the bottom of the fourth.

After the Dragons added a run in the fifth, West Michigan scored two in the sixth on another double by Hernandez, who finished 3-for-4 with three RBIs, and tied the game an inning later on a Ryan Strieby home run.

But Dayton won the game in the bottom of the eighth on a double, fly out and wild pitch.

The two teams combined for 21 hits and six errors while stranding 14 runners. Whitecaps pitchers walked five batters and threw three wild pitches, all of which resulted in Dayton runs.

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Play b-b-b-ball! Caps' home opener today
Monday, April 09, 2007
By Brian Vanochten
The Grand Rapids Press

COMSTOCK PARK -- Tom Brookens is glad to be home.

The former Detroit Tigers third baseman and member of the 1984 World Series champs makes his Fifth Third Ballpark debut tonight as the new manager of the West Michigan Whitecaps in the team's home opener.

The first pitch is set for 6:35 p.m.

"I'm looking forward to getting back up there and seeing our guys play in front of our fans," Brookens said after the Whitecaps dropped their Midwest League opener Thursday in Dayton, Ohio.

The Whitecaps suffered a pair of one-run losses to the Dayton Dragons while opening on the road, but it is the same group that finished with an 11-2 record in spring training in Florida.

"All in all, I'm pretty happy with the way we played," Brookens said.

He would be happier with a win in the home opener.

The Whitecaps (0-2) host the arch-rival Lansing Lugnuts. Michigan native Duane Below, of Britton, will start on the mound for West Michigan.

Below, a 19th-round draft pick out of Lake Michigan Junior College last summer, is one of three players with Michigan ties on the roster.

The others are right-handed relief pitcher Jeff Gerbe, a Shelby Township native and 16th-round pick out of Michigan State last year, and catcher Jeff Kunkel, an All-Big Ten selection at Michigan drafted in the 37th round in 2005.

Six players back

The team includes six former Whitecaps -- right-handed pitchers Randor Bierd, Phil Napolitan and Josh Rainwater, left-handed pitcher Ed Clelland, outfielder Jeramy Laster and Kunkel, who had a two-game stint here last season.

It should be Brookens who hears the loudest cheers.

He remains a popular figure in the state because of his participation on that unforgettable World Series team more than two decades ago.

"I'm excited because it seems everyone's a Tom Brookens fan," Whitecaps vice president Jim Jarecki said. "He was such a fan favorite when he played for the Tigers. To be able to continue that '84 tradition with him as our manager, that's just a bonus."

Lew Chamberlin, CEO and managing partner of the franchise, is thankful the Tigers promoted Brookens from their short-season Class A affiliate in Oneonta, N.Y., to guide the Whitecaps on the field this season.

"He's such a straight shooter," Chamberlin said of the affable Brookens, who led the Oneonta Tigers to an 88-61 (.591) record in his first two seasons as a minor-league manager.

Brookens replaces Matt Walbeck in the dugout.

The Tigers promoted Walbeck, who led the Whitecaps to league championships in 2004 and '06, to their Double-A affiliate in Erie, Pa., this season.

Brookens, 53, acknowledged it would be a tough act to follow.

"I've got some big shoes to fill with Wally winning those championships," he said after being named skipper of the Whitecaps in November.

Even so, it is a challenge he accepts with a smile.

"It's just a good all-around feeling coming to West Michigan," he added. "The facilities are just top-notch. Anytime where you can come into a situation where it's familiar, you're going to be more comfortable and more relaxed."

=================================================


Whitecaps home opener

What: West Michigan Whitecaps vs. Lansing Lugnuts

When: 6:35 tonight

Where: Fifth Third Ballpark

Weather forecast: Overcast with a chance of snow showers. Highs in the upper 30s, low of 24.

Gates open: 5 p.m.

Tickets: $10 box seats, $8.50 reserved, $5 lawn. Available at ballpark box office, online by visiting www.whitecapsbaseball.com, via fax at 784-4911, or by phone at 784-4131 or

(800) CAPS-WIN.

Discount: Fans receive half-priced box and reserved seats when presenting church or community bulletin at box office for Monday night home games.

Parking: $4 cars, $7 buses and motor homes

Free item: First 1,500 fans receive Fifth Third Bank championship caps.

First pitches: Super fan Ernie McKiever and local members of our Armed Forces. Premiere Skydiving of Hastings set to deliver the balls in a pregame landing on the field.

National anthem: Local singer/songwriter Drew Nelson

Trophy presentation: Franchise co-founders Lew Chamberlin and Denny Baxter will address the fans, and the 2006 Midwest League championship banner will be raised before the game. The league trophy will be displayed on the concourse.

Entertainment: Fireworks after the game.

Radio: WBBL-AM (1340), WHTC-AM (1450), WSCG-AM (1380), WDEE-FM (97.3), WODJ-AM (1490)

Send e-mail to the author: bvanochten@grpress.com

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Caps' home opener: frigid weather, 8-3 loss

Tuesday, April 10, 2007
By Brian Vanochten
The Grand Rapids Press

COMSTOCK PARK -- On a night when the West Michigan Whitecaps raised their fourth Midwest League championship banner, no one felt like celebrating after Monday's home opener at Fifth Third Ballpark.

The chill in the air made it miserable.

The result on the field wasn't much different with the Whitecaps suffering a disappointing 8-3 loss to the Lansing Lugnuts in front of 3,574 shivering fans and the smallest crowd in franchise history for a home opener.

"It's not an excuse for us," Whitecaps manager Tom Brookens said of the frigid weather. "You still have to get it done between the lines. We just got outplayed tonight."

Simple enough.

Except the Whitecaps, who went 11-2 in spring training games in Florida, are beginning to wonder if spring ever will follow them to Michigan and if there might be an expiration date on capturing their first regular-season win.

The club has dropped its first three games.

"It's coming," said catcher Jeff Kunkel, who had a pair of RBI singles to lead the Whitecaps. "It's pretty much the same team we had last year (at the short-season affiliate in Class A Oneonta, N.Y.), so we know what we're capable of doing."

He hopes it warms up sooner rather than later.

"I was calling home at the end of spring training and everybody was telling me it's as warm as it is in Florida," the Illinois native said of the blast of warmtemperatures in the Midwest two weeks ago. "We get here and it's snowing."

The cold spell has been toughest on the pitchers.

Duane Below, who started Monday's opener, struggled with his control right from the outset. He issued four walks alone in the opening inning and six overall as the Lugnuts (1-0) scored their first three runs on free passes.

In three games, the West Michigan pitching staff has walked 16 batters, with eight of them scoring. It all adds up to three straight defeats, including a pair of one-run losses to the Dayton Dragons over the weekend.

"I'm getting tired of it," first baseman Ryan Strieby said of the wintry conditions. "We just need to (forget) these three games. We know we have the personnel in this clubhouse. We know we're going to win a lot of games.

"You just have to block it out of your mind."

Third baseman Michael Bertram nodded in agreement.

He and Strieby, college teammates at Kentucky, are no strangers to cooler weather in the spring. Both collected a pair of hits against the Lugnuts.

"We won't make any excuses," he said. "We're a confident team. We just need to do a few things better and we'll be fine. We're not worried about it at all."

Neither is Brookens.

He watched his club battle back from a four-run deficit in the fourth inning on right fielder Brennan Boesch's leadoff double into the gap in right-center and RBI singles to right field from Strieby and Kunkel, making it 5-3.

The Lugnuts scored three times in the seventh inning.

"I think everybody presses a little bit until you get at least one win under your belt," Brookens said. "It's a good club. It's just a matter of it coming together."

Send e-mail to the author: bvanochten@grpress.com

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Chilly night no deterrent to loyal Caps fans

Tuesday, April 10, 2007
By Howie Beardsley
The Grand Rapids Press

COMSTOCK PARK -- The crack of the bat gave way to the clattering of teeth for many of the 3,574 who bundled up Monday night to witness the West Michigan Whitecaps' 14th home opener at Fifth Third Ballpark.

For others, the 37-degree temperature at the start of the Whitecaps' 8-3 loss to the Lansing Lugnuts was more than bearable.

"It's not cold if you have enough clothes on," said Colten Kropf, 12, of Comstock Park, who kept warm with a coat, gloves and a wool cap.

Wyoming's Steve DePas, 51, showed up with his nephew, John DePas, 42, of Hudsonville, while decked out in a heavy coat with a hooded sweatshirt and a sweatshirt under it.

For the DePases, it was their 13th appearance at a West Michigan home opener.

"The only home opener we missed here was because we were in Detroit for the last home opener at Tiger Stadium, in 1999," Steve DePas said.

"We had tickets for the game here, and we were hoping to go to Detroit and then get here around the fourth or fifth inning. But the opener in Detroit went extra innings.

"We got the Whitecaps game on the radio going through Lansing, and we heard the last inning coming into town."

So how did Monday's weather conditions compare to their 12 other openers at Fifth Third Ballpark?

"This isn't bad," John DePas said. "It's been worse."

Not according to Karilyn Bristol, 53, of Comstock Park, who had an orange blanket wrapped around her heavy coat and sweatshirts.

"I'm freezing," Bristol said in the top of the second inning. "I've lost track of how many home openers I've been to, but I know I've been to the last six of them. But I've never been to one this cold.

"I don't know if I can stick this one out."

Bristol was nowhere to be seen from the fifth inning on.

The Whitecaps lost their season opener and Saturday's game in Dayton, while having Friday's game with the Dragons snowed out.

Lansing had its three-game home series last Thursday, Friday and Saturday against Fort Wayne postponed because of wintry weather.

West Michigan never has had a home opener postponed, despite some crazy April weather.

"The very first game here, in 1994, was a lot worse than this," said Lew Chamberlin, the Whitecaps' chief executive officer.

"For one thing, it was raining, and wet, and it was really windy, which made it really cold. Truth be told, it's cold tonight, but I'll take snow over rain anytime. And the biggest factor for me about today is that there's no wind.

"No, it's not 72 degrees. But, in Michigan, you take your chances."

Regardless of the weather, Chamberlin said opening day at Fifth Third Ballpark is always an exhilarating experience.

"That feeling of being a kid in a candy shop never goes away for the home opener, and it probably never will," he said.

"Because you see the folks come out, you get to know the new team and see all the players come in here all excited. You see Brookie (Tom Brookens), the new manager, and everyone is excited about that.

"The baseball opener for me is all about hope and opportunity, and it always will be. I guess it's just one of the things that keeps me ticking."

Send e-mail to the author: hbeardsley@grpress.com

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Pitchers get it done for Caps
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
By Steve Vedder
The Grand Rapids Press

COMSTOCK PARK -- Jonah Nickerson's resume suggests dealing with pressure is not an issue with him.

So when the West Michigan Whitecaps right-hander was asked in his first start since last June to keep his team from tying the worst start in club history, the results were business as usual for him.

The circumstances of the Whitecaps' 2-1 win against the Lansing Lugnuts on Tuesday did not phase the former Oregon State star.

"I don't try to put pressure on myself," Nickerson said after bailing out his slow-starting bullpen by giving up just one run in four innings at Fifth Third Ballpark. "But baseball is all about pitching in situations like this."

Sluggish pitchers combined for 16 walks and a 6.12 ERA in the 1-3 Whitecaps' first three games.

Enter Nickerson, a U.S. national team pitcher who threw 323 pitches over eight days in last year's College World Series.

The All Pac-10 selection and second team USA Today Sports Weekly All-American allowed two runs in 6 2/3 innings of a championship game win over North Carolina after beating Rice with 7 2/3 shutout innings in the semifinals.

After pitching 137 innings for Oregon State and being drafted in the seventh round and signing with Detroit for $150,000 last June, the Tigers shut down Nickerson after 13 innings in relief late last season at Oneonta.

He resurfaced Tuesday against the Lugnuts by giving up two hits while pitching into the fifth inning. Nickerson was followed by four shutout innings by relievers Josh Rainwater, Ed Clellan and Brett Jensen.

"My goal every time out is to give us a chance to win," Nickerson said. "I wasn't really nervous -- I was more pumped up just to get out there. It's always an honor to pitch in a big game."

The Whitecaps gave the pitchers the support they needed with a pair of first-inning runs.

Scott Sizemore walked and scored on a triple by Brennan Boesch, who scored when second baseman Scott Campbell's relay throw to third was wild.

Whitecaps manager Tom Brookens said Nickerson, who throws in the mid-80s but uses command, a sinker and a changeup to retire hitters, was outstanding.

"It was a big game, a very big game to give us in his first start," Brookens said. "I don't want to say huge, because we're going to try and win tomorrow, but it was a big game under pressure.

"His history shows he comes up big. And he was big for us tonight."

Send e-mail to the author: sports@grpress.com

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Whitecaps face more postponements
Thursday, April 12, 2007
By Steve Vedder
The Grand Rapids Press

No matter who West Michigan Whitecap vice president Jim Jarecki talks to around the Midwest League, the topic of conversation is the same.

The unseasonably poor spring weather has left teams scrambling.

The Whitecaps were snowed out for the second time in six days Wednesday, and cold and windy weather are expected again today in Lansing.To make matters worse, the nearly fives inches of snow that fell at Fifth Third Ballpark on Wednesday leaves the Whitecaps' second homestand of the season this weekend in jeopardy.

"Hopefully Mother Nature can do something," Jarecki said.

Wednesday's game was rescheduled as part of a doubleheader May 31. If today's game is postponed, the teams may be forced to play another doubleheader June 1, the last time the Whitecaps play in Lansing in the season's first half.

Meanwhile, Jarecki said the Whitecaps have enough problems of their own to worry about at Fifth Third Ballpark. The plan to salvage the team's home games Friday and Saturday against South Bend was to begin this morning about 8:30 when the heavy, wet snow was to be removed from the infield tarp. The plan's second phase includes plowing snow from the outfield and then treating the turf with a melting agent that won't hurt the field. And then?

"Then we'll see how wet the field is," Jarecki said.

Send e-mail to the author: sports@grpress.com

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Lugnuts flatten Whitecaps in the ninth
Friday, April 13, 2007
By Steve Ungrey
The Grand Rapids Press

LANSING -- The West Michigan Whitecaps missed a golden opportunity to take the lead in the top of the ninth inning.

In the bottom of the ninth, the Lansing Lugnuts made them pay for it.

Lansing leftfielder Brian Pettway capped the Lugnuts' home opener with a two-run homer over the fence in right off reliever Randor Bierd to give the Lugnuts a 3-1 victory before an announced crowd of 1,409 at Oldsmobile Park.

"It was one of those nights where the weather was cold and it was a pitcher's night," Whitecaps manager Tom Brookens said. "We thought we'd get a couple of runs ourselves in the ninth and it didn't work out for us."

The victory, Lansing's second of the season, was secured after the Lugnut defense tightened up and denied the Whitecaps (1-4) a chance to put the game away in the top of the ninth.

Ryan Strieby walked to start the inning and was sacrificed to second by Michael Bertram. James Skelton then dropped a beauty of a bunt down the third-base line and beat it out, and Louis Ott's subsequent walk loaded the bases.

With a chance to take the lead tantalizingly close, Audy Ciriaco grounded into a 5-4-3 double play and Lansing snuffed the rally before any damage could be done.

"Skelton is a very good bunter and he laid it down. In that situation it isn't a bad play because you can get the runner to third and a sacrifice fly scores him," Brookens said. "It was a case where everything was going our way up until the double play."

It was the fourth game out of five for the Whitecaps where one or two runs decided the game. All but one, Wednesday's 2-1 victory over Lansing, went to the Whitecaps' opponent.

This time, it was Pettway's homer that did the damage. It also denied Chris Cody the chance to earn a win despite striking out 11 batters and walking one in 6 2/3 innings.

"It was the first time I'd seen Pinto before," Pettway said. "I knew if I swung at a pitch inside that it was going to be a ball, or I was going to hurt myself."

Strieby's base hit to left field scored one run in the third to give the Whitecaps a 1-0 lead, but Lansing's Jon Diaz answered the call in the bottom of the third with a long single of his own down the left-field line.

All that remained for the Whitecaps was to pack up their gear and head back to Fifth Third Park, where they begin a four-game series against the South Bend Silver Hawks. The first two games in the series are home and the final two are in South Bend.

"We've been playing well," Brookens said. "We're playing hard and we'll be back at it (today) to go get them. Normally you might not play too many games in this weather, but in this case you don't have much choice."

Send e-mail to the author: sports@grpress.com

[redshark63]

http://www.mlive.com/sports/grpress/index.ssf?/base/sports-1/11766187729910.xml&coll=6

Caps stay cold during doubleheader
Sunday, April 15, 2007
By Brian Vanochten
The Grand Rapids Press

COMSTOCK PARK -- The temperature at the start of a West Michigan Whitecaps game surpassed the 40-degree mark for the first time this month during Saturday afternoon's doubleheader at Fifth Third Ballpark.

The team's offense needed a little longer to warm up.

The Whitecaps split a pair of games against the South Bend Silver Hawks, falling 2-0 in the opener before rebounding to win the second game 2-1, in front of 1,833 fans.

"It felt pretty nice out there," Whitecaps manager Tom Brookens said with a laugh about the season high of 46 degrees at the start of the first game. "We haven't swung the bats well. I truly believe the cold weather has been a factor, but we're going to have to play in this for the next couple of weeks.

"We've got to step it up."

It has been a struggle for the Whitecaps (2-5) at the plate.

They were out-hit 12-8 in the doubleheader, finishing with three hits in the opener and five more -- including doubles from catcher James Skelton, left fielder Deik Scram and center fielder Gorkys Hernandez -- in the second game.

"It's hard to get going in the cold," Skelton said.

"It felt warmer," added right fielder Brennan Boesch, the only player for the Whitecaps to get hits in both games against the Silver Hawks (1-5). "It's still not fun playing in sub-50 degrees. It's a struggle. It's just not good hitting weather."

Angel Castro (1-0) picked up the win in the nightcap.

He escaped a bases-loaded jam in the second inning without being scored upon and allowed just one run on a double-play grounder in the third.

Brett Jensen pitched a scoreless seventh inning for his second save.

The offense stalled in the opener.

The Whitecaps produced just three singles -- Boesch, second baseman Scott Sizemore and third baseman Santo De Leon. Sizemore's hit through the right side of the infield in the first inning ended an 0-for-17 slump.

Lauren Gagnier (0-1) suffered the loss.

He surrendered a solo homer to South Bend's Steve Mena in the second inning and a two-out RBI single to Joey Side during the third.

In the opener, the Whitecaps did not have a runner reach third base. They struck out 10 times in the first game and three more times in the second game, raising their team total to 53 through the first seven games this season.

Send e-mail to the author: bvanochten@grpress.com

[redshark63]

http://www.mlive.com/sports/grpress/index.ssf?/base/sports-1/117672755347470.xml&coll=6

Whitecaps thump South Bend
Monday, April 16, 2007
The Grand Rapids Press

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- The West Michigan Whitecaps have their first winning streak of the season.

Their bats finally showed some life in Sunday's 5-4 win over South Bend that made it back-to-back wins for the team.

West Michigan entered the game hitting .167 in its past four games, but was helped by big games from Scott Sizemore and Jeramy Laster.

The Whitecaps (3-5) collected a season-high 11 hits. Sizemore went 4-for-5 to boost his average from .087 to .214 and Laster added three hits and two RBIs. The Whitecaps, who have averaged less than two runs per game in their past five games, left seven runners on base.

Down 2-0 in the second, the Whitecaps loaded the bases on two walks and a single. Laster singled in a run and Gorkys Hernandez's groundout tied the game.

They went up 3-2 in the fifth on singles by Sizemore and Brennan Boesch and a sacrifice fly by Ryan Strieby, and then added another run in the seventh inning on an RBI bounce out by Boesch.

West Michigan's final run made it 5-3 in the eighth on an RBI double by Laster, who is repeating the season with the Whitecaps after hitting .233 in 75 games here last year.

Josh Rainwater (2-1) pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings to pick up the win. Brett Jensen collected his third save.

Send e-mail to the author: sports@grpress.com

[DTroppens]

Back to the earlier subject about attendance.

It makes sense that attendance would be a bit lower since it's been there for awhile. It's not new any more. However, I can't believe they aren't doing a bit better. It's a nice place to watch a game. If I lived there I would go to games there for sure. Heck, I'm going to one this year and went to one last year.

[potthole]

One thing that the article about attendance fails to mention is that the figures we get here for the Whitecaps still ranks near the top of the league. Dayton leads the Midwest League most years, but West Michigan is almost always in the top 5.

[DTroppens]

I can't find one for last year but here's a site with attendance in 2005. It includes all sort of levels of minor league ball and West Michigan looks okay...

http://www.ballparkwatch.com/news/2005/sept/2005_total_attendance.html

[grandma g]

Who comes to a baseball game in the cold, (snowy) nasty conditions except the true baseball fans...when it warms up, the fans will come especially on fireworks nights...However, parking has increased this year, tickets & food so instead of going 5-6 times a season, families will only come to only 1-2 games...plus Spring sports are still going strong...but the Attendance will improve....we have faith....GO WHITECAPS....

[DTroppens]

GrandmaG,
This was about last year's attendance.

[potthole]

I really don't think an increase of $1 in parking will keep people from coming. Ticket prices are still the same, and if a family has to worry about food prices, they can just eat dinner before going to the game. Once school gets out for the summer, games don't start until 7:00, so most people wouldn't even have to bump up dinnertime before leaving for the ballpark.

[Mr.MelissaG915]

Find me something else for a family to do for the same price. Sure they could go to the beach or a picinic, but for the entire package, you can't beat the price.

[potthole]

The family offer, $24 for 4 lawn seats, 4 hotdogs and 4 drinks, is unbeatable. Try taking a family of four to a movie for $24, not gonna happen.

Throw in the offer on Mondays where you bring in a church bulliten and get half priced tickets, and there you go again, killer deals for taking your family out.

I'm sure the downturn in economy has had some sort of affect on the attendance, but as a whole, Whitecaps games are still an amazing value.