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West Michigan Whitecaps
Team logo Cap insignia
Minor league affiliations
ClassHigh-A (2021–present)
Previous classesClass A (1994–2020)
LeagueMidwest League (1994–present)
DivisionEast Division
Major league affiliations
TeamDetroit Tigers (1997–present)
Previous teamsOakland Athletics (1994–1996)
Minor league titles
League titles (6)
  • 1996
  • 1998
  • 2004
  • 2006
  • 2007
  • 2015
Division titles (6)
  • 1996
  • 1998
  • 2004
  • 2006
  • 2007
  • 2015
Team data
NameWest Michigan Whitecaps (1994–present)
ColorsNavy, medium blue, light blue, white
       
BallparkLMCU Ballpark (1994–present)
Owner(s)/
Operator(s)
Lew Chamberlin and Denny Baxter
General managerJim Jarecki
ManagerBrayan Peña
Websitemilb.com/west-michigan

The West Michigan Whitecaps are a Minor League Baseball team of the Midwest League and the High-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers. They are located in Comstock Park, Michigan, a suburb of Grand Rapids, and play their home games at LMCU Ballpark.

Franchise history

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The Midwest League came to the Grand Rapids area in 1994 upon the arrival of the former Madison Muskies. The Whitecaps were brought to West Michigan by local businessmen Lew Chamberlin and Dennis Baxter. The Whitecaps were affiliated with the Oakland Athletics before they joined the Tigers' farm system in 1997.

Their home ballpark is LMCU Ballpark in Comstock Park. Before the 2002 season it was known as Old Kent Park; the name was changed when the park's title sponsor, Old Kent Bank, was purchased by Fifth Third Bank. Before the 2021 season, the Lake Michigan Credit Union renamed the venue "LMCU Ballpark". The team's official mascots are Crash the River Rascal, Roxy the River Rascal and Franky the Swimming Pig.

The franchise's attendance record of 547,401 was set in 1996.

Several league and team records were set during the 2006 season. The team posted the second best record in franchise history, going 89–48, including going 23–6 in July. Michael Hollimon hit 3 home runs in one game. Cameron Maybin hit 2 grand slams in the season. Michael Hernandez became the first person ever in the history of the Midwest League to hit for the cycle twice. The Whitecaps went on to defeat the Kane County Cougars in four games to win their fourth Midwest League Championship.

In 2009, the team drew the attention of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine after a 4-pound (1.8 kg), 4,800-calorie hamburger called the Fifth Third Burger was placed on the menu of the team's concession stand. It was so named in part for the ballpark sponsor and part for its 1.6666 (or 5/3) pounds of meat. The Committee requested that the team put a label on the burger indicating that it was a "dietary disaster".[1] To date, more than 100 fans, or about a half of the people who have attempted the challenge, have conquered the burger and earned a commemorative T-shirt. On July 15, 2009, Travel Channel's "Man v. Food" and its host Adam Richman came to Fifth Third Ballpark to attempt to conquer the burger in an episode of the popular show. The episode aired on September 30, 2009, wherein he successfully met the challenge. In 2012, The Whitecaps installed a new scoreboard and high resolution video display screen which was installed by TS Sports out of Dallas, Texas.

On January 3, 2014, a fire started in one of the suites. It spread and caused extensive damage, close to one half of the suites and 1st base concourse were destroyed.[2] Thanks to extensive work, the park was restored and up and running by opening day.[3]

Whitecaps at home in Fifth Third Ballpark

In conjunction with Major League Baseball's restructuring of Minor League Baseball in 2021, the Whitecaps were organized into the High-A Central.[4] In 2022, the High-A Central became known as the Midwest League, the name historically used by the regional circuit prior to the 2021 reorganization.[5]

Regular season

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Season W L Pct.
1994 74 65 .532
1995 67 69 .492
1996 77 61 .557 MWL Champions
1997 92 39 .702
1998 83 57 .593 MWL Champions
1999 68 72 .485
2000 88 52 .629
2001 65 72 .474
2002 83 57 .593
2003 67 73 .478
2004 69 70 .496 MWL Champions
2005 73 70 .510
2006 89 48 .649 MWL Champions
2007 83 57 .593 MWL Champions
2008 73 76 .532
2009 83 57 .593
2010 62 77 .446
2011 70 69 .504
2012 72 68 .514
2013 69 70 .496
2014 82 58 .586
2015 75 64 .540 MWL Champions
2016 71 65 .522
2017 91 45 .669
2018 69 70 .496
2019 49 90 .353
2021 58 62 .483
2022 72 59 .550
2023 68 62 .523

Postseason

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The Whitecaps won the best-of-five Midwest League championship six times in six opportunities. They defeated the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers in 1996, the Rockford Cubbies in 1998, the Kane County Cougars twice (2004 and 2006), the Beloit Snappers in 2007, and the Cedar Rapids Kernels in 2015. West Michigan is 55–32 all-time in playoff games.

Oakland Athletics affiliation

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Year Record Results Opponents
1994 0–2 Lost in First Round Rockford (0–2)
1995 3–3 Lost in Second Round Kane County (2–1), Michigan (1–2)
1996 7–2 Won Championship Lansing (2–1), Rockford (2–0), Wisconsin (3–1)

Detroit Tigers affiliation

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Year Record Results Opponents
1997 0–2 Lost in First Round Fort Wayne (0–2)
1998 7–2 Won Championship Michigan (2–1), Clinton (2–0), Rockford (3–1)
2000 1–2 Lost in First Round Dayton (1–2)
2002 3–2 Lost in Second Round Dayton (2–0), Lansing (1–2)
2004 7–3 Won Championship Lansing (2–1), South Bend (2–0), Kane County (3–2)
2005 2–2 Lost in Second Round Fort Wayne (2–0), South Bend (0–2)
2006 7–2 Won Championship Fort Wayne (2–1), Lansing (2–0), Kane County (3–1)
2007 7–2 Won Championship Lansing (2–0), South Bend (2–0), Beloit (3–2)
2014 1–2 Lost in First Round Fort Wayne (1–2)
2015 7–3 Won Championship Fort Wayne (2–0), Lansing (2–1), Cedar Rapids (3–2)
2016 3–3 Lost in Second Round South Bend (2–1), Great Lakes (1–2)
2017 1-2 Lost in First Round Dayton (1-2)
2018 2-2 Lost in Second Round Great Lakes (2-0), Bowling Green (0-2)

Managers

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Since 1994, the Whitecaps have had nine managers. In 2007, former Tigers' third baseman Tom Brookens became the fifth manager in the history of the Whitecaps.

Listed here is each manager and their won/loss record:

Detroit Tigers affiliation

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Roster

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West Michigan Whitecaps roster
Players Coaches/Other

Pitchers

  • 33 Joe Adametz
  • 20 Max Alba
  • 18 Colin Fields
  • 17 Jaden Hamm
  • 39 Connor Holden
  • 12 Eiker Huizi
  • 28 Marco Jimenez
  • 16 Tanner Kohlhepp
  • 29 Carlos Marcano
  • 31 Matt Merrill
  • 14 Joe Miller
  • 25 Joseph Montalvo
  • 26 Erick Pinales
  • 24 Yosber Sanchez
  • 37 Bryce Tassin #

Catchers

Infielders

Outfielders

  • 27 Brett Callahan
  • 11 Roberto Campos
  • 13 Max Clark
  •  3 Dom Johnson
  •  2 Seth Stephenson
  • -- Cole Turney


Manager

  • 46 Tony Cappuccilli

Coaches

  • 15 Francisco Contreras (hitting)
  • 13 Collin Murray (assistant pitching)
  • 43 Daniel Ricabal (pitching)

60-day injured list

  • 81 Colin Burgess
  • 84 Aaron Haase
  • -- Jordan Marks (full season)
  • 25 Dylan Smith

7-day injured list
* On Detroit Tigers 40-man roster
~ Development list
# Rehab assignment
∞ Reserve list
‡ Restricted list
§ Suspended list
† Temporarily inactive list
Roster updated September 18, 2024
 Transactions
→ More rosters: MiLB • Midwest League
 → Detroit Tigers minor league players

Former Whitecaps in the majors

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Below is a list of West Michigan Whitecaps who have played in the major leagues.

Oakland Athletics affiliation (1994–1996)

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Detroit Tigers affiliation (1997–present)

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Broadcasting

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In February 2019, the Whitecaps extended their broadcasting contract with Cumulus Media, but switched radio frequencies to air games on the newly-launched "The Ticket" for the 2019 season with radio simulcast on four stations: 106.1-FM and 1340-AM in Grand Rapids, and 99.1-FM and 1490-AM in Muskegon.[6] Select games are aired in Holland, Michigan, on WHTC on 1450-AM and 99.7-FM. Dan Hasty is the Voice of the Whitecaps and also serves as the Host of the Detroit Tigers' Road to Detroit podcast,[7] as well as serving as radio voice of Men's Basketball for the University of Detroit Mercy.[8]

[edit]

B-Roll footage of a game between the Whitecaps and South Bend Silver Hawks at Fifth Third Ballpark, was aired in Champ's Whammy! home runs scene in Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues. Officials with the West Michigan Whitecaps were unaware they would be featured in the movie and only found out after the movie was released in December 2013.[9]

See also

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References

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Notes

  1. ^ Doctors Have Beef With Burger ESPN, March 31, 2009
  2. ^ MiLB Whitecaps' ballpark damaged in fire: http://www.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20140103&content_id=66298102&fext=.jsp&vkey=news_milb&sid=milb
  3. ^ WZZM Whitecaps: We will play baseball April 8: http://www.wzzm13.com/news/article/277494/2/Whitecaps-We-will-place-baseball-April-8
  4. ^ Mayo, Jonathan (February 12, 2021). "MLB Announces New Minors Teams, Leagues". Major League Baseball. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
  5. ^ "Historical League Names to Return in 2022". Minor League Baseball. March 16, 2022. Retrieved March 16, 2022.
  6. ^ Wallner, Peter J. (2019-02-08). "West Michigan Whitecaps find new radio stations for 2019 season". mlive.com. Retrieved 2019-06-20.
  7. ^ "New podcast gives Tigers' farm system a voice". MLB.com. Retrieved 2019-06-20.
  8. ^ "Dan Hasty - Voice Of Detroit Mercy MBB On 910 AM Superstation - Staff Directory". University of Detroit Mercy Athletics. Retrieved 2019-06-20.
  9. ^ "Whammy! 'Anchorman 2' features unexpected footage of West Michigan Whitecaps". M Live. Retrieved 2021-03-07.

Sources

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to West Michigan Whitecaps.
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