Great Lakes Loons

Great Lakes Loons
Founded in 1982
Springfield, Illinois
Based in Midland since 2007
Team logoCap insignia
Class-level
Current Class A[1]
Minor league affiliations
League Midwest League
Division Eastern Division
Major league affiliations
Current Los Angeles Dodgers (2007–present)
Previous
Minor league titles
League titles (2) 2000, 2016
Team data
Nickname
Ballpark Dow Diamond (2007–present)
Previous parks
Owner(s)/
Operator(s)
 Michigan Baseball Foundation
Manager Jeremy Rodriguez
General Manager Paul Barbeau

The Great Lakes Loons, based in Midland, Michigan, is a Low Class A minor league baseball team, affiliated with the Los Angeles Dodgers. The team plays in the Midwest League and their home park is Dow Diamond, which opened in April 2007.

History

The Midwest League came to Battle Creek, in 1995 after the franchise was formerly known as the Madison Hatters moved. The team was first known as the Battle Creek Golden Kazoos. Due to a trademark dispute and general fan dissatisfaction with the name (which is a nickname for the nearby city of Kalamazoo), the name was changed to the Michigan Battle Cats on March 9, 1995.

Home of the Great Lakes Loons, Dow Diamond is located in Midland, Michigan.

The team was affiliated with the Boston Red Sox (1995–98) and Houston Astros (1999–2002). The team changed its name to the Battle Creek Yankees after becoming an affiliate of the New York Yankees in 2003. The Tampa Bay Devil Rays took over affiliation of the team in September 2004, changing the team name to Southwest Michigan Devil Rays. In September 2006, the team announced its affiliation with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

In January 2006, it was confirmed that the Devil Rays would be sold to the non-profit Michigan Baseball Foundation and relocated to Midland, Michigan. The team has been renamed the Great Lakes Loons. The main reason the team relocated was that of the lack of interest from the Battle Creek community. Reduced ticket prices (even a night when fans were actually offered a dollar to come to that night's game) also failed to pique the interest of local residents.

Naming rights for the Loons' stadium were purchased by Dow Chemical, which is headquartered in Midland. The company named the stadium "Dow Diamond." The name is a play on the company's logo, a red diamond.

In November 2006, The Loons named former Detroit Tiger Lance Parrish as the team's first manager since the move to Michigan's Tri-City Area. The first home game was played on April 13, 2007, which resulted in a loss to the Lansing Lugnuts.

The Loons hosted the 2008 Midwest League All-Star Game, in just their second season.

On August 10, 2013, the Loons hosted their biggest crowd ever at 6,189 people.[2]

Dow Diamond will host the All-Star Game again in 2017.[3]

Mascot

Lou E. Loon is the team mascot and Ambassador of Fun for the team. He's an energetic bird who loves to dance at home games and make public appearances. The kids' play area at the diamond is named Lou E.'s Lookout in his honor. He often leads fans in his signature cheer, the "Funky Feather", which won "Best In-Game Promotion of the Year" in 2009 for Minor League Baseball.

"Rall E. Camel" was introduced as the team's second mascot in April 2012. He is an honorary deputy ambassador of mischief and is an ostensibly goofy addition to the staff of the Great Lakes Loons.

Current roster

Great Lakes Loons roster
Players Coaches/Other

Pitchers

  •  9 Jasiel Alvino
  •  3 Gerardo Carrillo
  • 28 Jeronimo Castro
  • 52 Jose Chacin
  • 32 Austin Drury
  • -- Victor Gonzalez
  • 51 Devin Hemmerich
  • 46 Andre Jackson
  • 11 Melvin Jimenez
  • 50 Stephen Kolek
  • 45 Darien Nunez
  • -- Riley Richert
  • 33 John Rooney
  • 35 Alfredo Tavarez
  • 31 Bryan Warzek
  • 37 Mark Washington
  • 43 Zach Willeman

Catchers

  • 30 Hunter Feduccia
  • -- Garrett Hope

Infielders

  •  5 Jacob Amaya
  • 22 Brock Carpenter
  • 36 Luke Heyer
  • 10 Deacon Liput
  • 13 Devin Mann
  •  7 Moises Perez
  • 38 Gersel Pitre
  • 44 Miguel Vargas

Outfielders

  • -- Tyler Adkison §
  •  1 Drew Avans
  •  6 Matt Cogen
  • 25 Romer Cuadrado
  • -- Starling Heredia
  • 23 Josh McLain
  • -- Brayan Morales
  • 40 Chris Roller

Manager

Coaches

  • 16 Seth Conner
  • 19 Bobby Cuellar (pitching)
  • 24 Jair Fernandez (hitting)


7-day disabled list
* On Los Angeles Dodgers 40-man roster
# Rehab assignment
∞ Reserve list
‡ Restricted list
§ Suspended list
† Temporary inactive list
Roster updated September 12, 2018
 Transactions
→ More rosters: MiLB • Midwest League
 → Los Angeles Dodgers minor league players

Year-by-year record

Michigan Battle Cats (1995–2002)
YearRecordFinishManagerPlayoffs
199575–624thDeMarlo HaleLost League Finals
199660–7811thTom Barrett
199770–674thBilly Gardner, Jr.Lost in 1st round
199879–612nd (t)Billy Gardner, Jr.Lost in 1st round
199976–623rdAl PedriqueLost in 1st round
200082–562ndAl PedriqueLeague Champs
200182–553rdJohn MassarelliLost in 1st round
200279–614thJohn MassarelliLost in 1st round
Battle Creek Yankees (2003–2004)
YearRecordFinishManagerPlayoffs
200373–643rdMitch SeoaneLost in 2nd round
200471–689thMitch Seoane (13–18) / Bill Mosiello (58–50)
Southwest Michigan Devil Rays (2005–2006)
YearRecordFinishManagerPlayoffs
200572–674th (t)Joe SzekelyLost in 1st round to SB
200662–7712thSkeeter Barnes
Great Lakes Loons (2007 – present)
YearRecordFinishManagerPlayoffs
200757–8212thLance Parrish
200854–85LastJuan Bustabad
200981–592nd (t)Juan BustabadLost in 2nd round to FW
201090–491stJuan BustabadLost in 2nd round to LC
201172-674thJohn Shoemaker
201267-736thJohn Shoemaker
201367-725thRazor ShinesLost in 1st round to SB
201466-734thBill Haselman
201568-697thLuis MatosLost in 1st round to LAN
201665-756thGil VelazquezLeague Champions
201769-705thJeremy Rodriguez

Notable alumni

  • Dee Gordon (2009) 2 x MLB All-Star; 2015 NL Batting Title
  • Clayton Kershaw (2007-8 x MLB All-Star; 5 x NL ERA Title (2011-2014, 2016); 3 x NL Cy Young Award (2011, 2013-2014)
  • Roy Oswalt (1999) 3 x MLB All-Star; 2006 NL ERA Title
  • Johan Santana 4 x MLB All-Star; 3 x AL ERA Title(2004, 2006, 2008); 2 X AL Cy Young Award (2004, 2006)
  • Corey Seager (2014) 2 x MLB All-Star; 2016 NL Rookie of the Year

.[4]

Sources

  • Dinda, J. (2003). "Battle Creek, Michigan, in the Midwest League".

See also

  • WLUN (sports radio station owned by the Loons)

References

  1. ↑ http://www.milb.com/milb/info/classifications.jsp
  2. ↑ Great Lakes Loons [@greatlakesloons] (11 August 2013). "Tonight's attendance is 6,189, which is the largest crowd in Dow Diamond history. Thanks #Loons fans!" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  3. ↑ MiLB.com: Loons to Host 2017 All-Star Game
  4. ↑

https://www.review-mag.com/article/loons-top-south-bend-5-2-on-the-back-of-josmar-cordero

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