Tag Archives: west michigan whitecaps

Rookie Season by Branson Wright: a review

Branson Wright, who covered the then-new West Michigan Whitecaps for the Grand Rapids Press, summarizes the first year of the team’s existence. The book’s narrative covers the season’s high and low points, describes perhaps twenty games in some detail, and sketches many of the players and other folks involved with the team.

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Ballgame

West Michigan’s 5/3 BP is not what I’d call a charming yard–really it’s just a big bowl–but it’s a comfortable place.  Kinda like an old sofa.  The Caps don’t really do things differently from the other successful minor league organizations, but they work harder on the ballpark ambiance.  Lansing, in a more interesting ballyard and with a similarly excellent staff, produces a harder-edged experience that’s more exciting but less cozy.  In Battle Creek, the ballpark layout and the small crowds force a focus on the game, which works well for me but less well for the business.  That I think all three are worthwhile should be pretty obvious.

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Lugnuts Notes: Home and Away series against West Michigan Whitecaps

Saturday’s game looks like it was all right, but Sunday’s was a sorry affair. The Whitecaps played a poor game, but the Lugnuts let ’em win it anyway. WOOD Radio’s broadcast (1300 AM) of the game was on tape delay, so I got to hear the worst part of the game again from Whitecaps announcer Rick Berkey while I drove home. Can’t say I liked it any better the second time, but I like listening to Berkey.

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Lugnuts Notes: Home and Away Series Against the West Michigan Whitecaps

Mark Quinn and Carlos Beltran collided on the first play of the game last night, and the Journal believes they will be out for a few days. A strange series; the first game was well-played, the second was silly, the third was awful (9 errors), and the last started with an injury. Welcome to the low minors, Lansing.

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