The West Michigan Whitecaps have had tremendous success moving baseball players through their system. The Whitecaps are the Class A minor league team for the Detroit Tigers. They were the champions of the Midwest League in 2006 and 2007.

Many major league players began their baseball careers with the Whitecaps. Brandon Inge was one of the most successful players to go through the Whitecaps’ system. Inge is currently leading the Detroit Tigers in homeruns, runs batted in, runs scored and OPS. He played for the Whitecaps in 1999, where he was voted the best defensive catcher in the Tigers’ farm system. He is a dynamic player who has played catcher and outfield, as well as his current position, third base. Inge was apart of the inaugural class of the Whitecaps Hall of Fame in 2009.

Center fielder Cameron Maybin had tremendous success with the team during the 2006 season, under the management of Matt Walbeck. He made is major league debut with the Tigers on August 17, 2007, at Yankee Stadium. Maybin has started 14 games for the Marlins this season and already has more at-bats than any other season during his career. He was sent to Florida in the trade for Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis.

The Whitecaps are managed by Philadelphia native Joe DePastino, who was a catcher for a short time for the New York Mets in 2003. They have had six different managers since 1997. Much of the Whitecaps’ success can be traced through its history of coaches, who have all played major league baseball at some point in their careers. Experience playing professional baseball gives the coaches the knowledge necessary to pass on to the players.

The Tigers’ 25-man active roster, however, contains former Whitecaps such as Ryan Raburn, Brandon Inge, Ramon Santiago, and Fernando Rodney. The 40-man roster has former Whitecaps like Dusty Ryan, Clete Thomas, Wilkin Ramirez (All play for AAA Toledo), and Joel Zumaya. Brent Clevlen (AAA Toledo) also has appeared in 55 games for the Tigers between 2006 and 2008.

In Major League Baseball, each team is allowed to have 25 active players at any one time. The active players are the only ones that can appear in an official MLB game for the given team. When the manager wants to call up a player from the minor leagues, he has to send a player down to the minors. Each team has a 40-man roster as well, which includes the 25 active players and 15 additional players, who are on the 15-day disabled list or in the minor league system.

There are currently no Whitecap players on the Tigers 40-man MLB roster. Detroit’s farm system includes the West Michigan Whitecaps (A), the Lakeland Tigers (A), the Erie SeaWolves, (AA), and the Toledo Mud Hens (AAA). Players traditionally move from single A to double A and then to triple A, before getting called up to the major leagues.

The Whitecaps play home games at Fifth Third Ballpark in Grand Rapids. The park frequently offers events and promotions to draw fans. On June 6, there will be a free concert featuring the rock band Kansas and Thursday nights are college night at the ballpark.

The Ferris State softball team wasn’t so lucky last weekend as Mother Nature kept them out of first place potential. Due to the rain and horrible field conditions, the double headers against Saginaw Valley State and Wayne State were washed out leaving the Bulldogs sitting tied for second in the GLIAC.

“It was unfortunate last weekend that the weather became the determining factor for our regular season finish, however that is the nature of our business while playing in the spring,” Ferris State head coach Keri Becker said. “Despite not being able to determine our own destiny, we are still in a very good position to win the GLIAC title which ultimately is our goal that we have set out site on now.”

The Bulldogs, currently sixth in the nation, are looking to continue their winning ways as they head into the GLIAC Tournament as the third seed. The GLIAC Tournament bracket tree is a double elimination first verse eight, second verse seventh, third verse sixth and fourth verse fifth. Sitting a head of Ferris State are Ashland University and Saginaw Valley State.

Ferris State, 32-6 overall and 18-4 in the GLIAC will but heads with sixth seed Northwood University. The Bulldogs defeated the Timberwolves three times in their four meetings this spring. Pitchers Holly Bruntjens, Kayle Stevenson and Shannon Roney all earned a win during those four games.

“The GLIAC Tournament is what we’ve worked so hard for all season, we are excited to play and know we can come out on top” Stevenson said. “Our catchers call great games and they make me feel comfortable and consistent in the pitching circle to go along with our incredible defense,” Stevenson said contributing to helping her with a .62 GLIAC leading ERA.

The Bulldogs will battle with the Timberwolves on Friday, May 1 at 10 a.m. The winner of the contest will take on the winner between Saginaw Valley State and Tiffin University. “Everyone is contributing to the runs we are scoring,” utility player Rhea Flores said as she leads the Bulldogs in batting average entering the tournament. “We feel very confident entering the GLIAC Tournament because of the way our team is hitting, pitching and playing good defense.”

I sit here in the Torch office on Monday morning. Every story in Sports has been placed, but this one. I have run the several sprints to the other side of the office to make last minute changes, just like any other Monday. Only this time, it’s my last time.

Back in June 2005, I took the elevator to the second floor to find a job. I was going to apply to work in food services, but my mother quickly shared her stories of pizza in the dorms back in the late 70s. I applied to work for the Torch.

From strangers to friends to family, the Torch office has turned into a place where I can go and hang out in between classes to work on homework or talk to people who are now friends.

Never again will I walk into the Torch office on Monday mornings and be welcomed with markers being thrown at me and recapping the weekend’s sporting events.

Like all things, it must come to the end. It’s time. I have shared my opinions, thank you for all those Facebook groups, notes and letters calling for my head. I also appreciated the spam messages, about 4,000 in a couple hour period.

It’s pretty cool knowing I am a true Torchie because of all of you. Only when you receive a letter to the editor do you know you are an effective writer. Thanks!

Now, in all seriousness, I’d like to thank volleyball coach Tia Brandel-Wilhelm, women’s basketball coach Tracey Dorow and softball coach Keri Becker for your patience during the learning curve, and thank you for not making me run sprints when I messed up. Also, thank you for the quotes and answering emails and phone calls.

Now, to answer the most common question I have heard the last four years, and other random facts.

Why did you choose Ferris?

Well, eventually they make you stop attending high school, so I had to choose a university. I am not one of the students that researched their program before sending in their application. I wanted a school where I could go skiing after class and chill on the beach. Ferris did not require me to cross the Mackinac Bridge, so I applied.

I also saw the campus during the winter of 2003, and there was about four feet of snow on the ground. I fell in love with it. Seriously, that I why I chose Ferris.

Greatest College Memory
Ferris defeating Michigan and Michigan State in hockey. Along with knocking off number one in the nation University Miami (OH.) last season.

Being proposed to with 1,000 yellow daisies.

There are many more, but these stand out the most.

32,145

In two weeks I will be a Ferris State alum, entering a new class, a new status. In two weeks, the training wheels are coming off and I will be on my own, kind of.

I will be in Seattle trying to break into the public relations industry. I know I make it sound like I’m a band or something trying to be discovered, but that’s really how it is.

So before the training wheels come off, I’d like to thank those that have supported me.

22
The number of years my parents have been my biggest fan. Supporting me and cheering me, even if it was only making the bed.

8
The number of years my fiancé and I have known each other. He has rallied around my every decision, no matter how silly and no matter if I fell through with it or not.

To everyone else that has touched my life and made me who I am today. From pizza and movie nights to road trips, to shopping trips.

In the words of Elphaba and Glinda from my favorite musical “Wicked.”

“So much of me Is made of what I learned from you You’ll be with me Like a handprint on my heart And now whatever way our stories end I know you have re-written mine By being my friend...”

So in my last article here at the Torch I wish everyone in the class of 2009 and everyone in PR, good luck and the last couple years have been a blast. I’ll miss you all, and I hope we stay in touch. Good Luck!

The thoughts of experiencing everything I have been through with the Torch never came to my mind four years ago when I bought my Nikon camera.

Just wanting a digital camera to take pictures of architecture turned completely around on me for the better as it landed me a job three years ago.

From a position behind the scenes as a photographer to moving up the ladder into a photo editor and sports writer position has really benefited my future in skills I would have never dreamed of.

I’d like to start by thanking the entire Torch staff, past and present for putting up with my grumpy Mondays, sarcastic remarks and sharing the fun times and laughs.

I’d also like to thank all of the organizations that have allowed myself and my staff to photograph the highest prestige of events brought onto campus.

Over the last three years, I have covered the football team, men’s basketball and hockey for one season and softball for two as a sports writer. I’d like to thank coach Pierce, coach Sall, coach Daniels and coach Becker for all of their quotes, consideration and player cooperation in supporting Bulldog athletics. I’d also like to thank Joe Gorby and the Ferris State athletics department for their cooperation in media coverage. If I have forgotten anyone, I’d like to thank you as well for making my journey an enjoyable and successful one.

Here are the top five events I’ve attended that I will remember as I leave Ferris State University:

5. Ferris State football defeats Northwood University on Nov. 3, 2007, 48-41 in overtime on a fourth down goal line stand. I will remember this because I was behind the endzone taking pictures as the Timberwolve running backs’ attempted jump into the endzone was denied.

4. Ferris State football defeats Hillsdale College on Sept. 22, 2007, 44-41 as kicker James Yates hits a 41 yard field goal with three ticks remaining in regulation to give the Bulldogs the victory. I’ll remember this kick because I was one of many anticipating this kick under the lights from a long way out.

3. Ferris State softball defeats Wayne State in 10 innings on April 25, 2008 behind the arm of pitcher Holly Bruntjens and the RBI single from former third baseman Katie Kraai to become Co-GLIAC Champions. Both games of the double header ended 1-0 and the Bulldogs were able to pull through off of Wayne State’s ace pitcher.

2. Phil Vassar entertains Ferris State University for Autumn Alive this past fall. As a country fan, I was very pleased to find out he was performing at Ferris and was given the chance to write the Arts and Entertainment article about the event.

1. Ferris State hockey sweeps Miami on Feb. 15-16, 2008 and defeats the University of Michigan in overtime on March 1, 2008, 4-3 behind Adam Miller's game winning goal. I remember the players, Dawg Pound and the rest of the crowd going wild in excitement in the Bulldogs regular season home contest.