Baseball In the Mitten

The Tigers won 11-1 today over the Blue Jays. The Lansing Lugnuts will have their home opener tomorrow evening. The White Caps have been playing home games for over a week now. And that is just the tip of the Baseball going on in the State of Michigan.  I am very excited to check out as much baseball this summer as possible.  Let's run down a list of Michigan Baseball Adventures!

1) Detroit Tigers - Obviously the reigning American League Champions should start off any list of Michigan Baseball. There are few better ways to spend a Thursday afternoon in July than sitting in left field, behind the bullpen, in Comerica Park. Watch MVP Justin Verlander throw a shut-out and MVP Miguel Cabrera blast a couple home runs; all the while drinking a Michigan microbrew and eating a Detroit style Coney. Extra onions please! Tickets are more expensive than any other baseball options, but it is still the best deal in town for a Major League sporting event.

2) Lansing Lugnuts - In the heart of the Capitol City is a gem of a stadium in Cooley Law School Stadium: Home of the Lansing Lugnuts.  The single-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays, the Lugnuts are regularly one of the top teams in the Midwest League. It is great to see future Major Leaguers and even some current Big Players on rehab assignments. With planned double-headers, $1 beer nights, and  playground for children; the Lugnuts is a great time for everyone.

3) West Michigan Whitecaps - Just north of Grand Rapids is another Midwest League team that offers a great time. The West Michigan Whitecaps are the affiliate of the Detroit Tigers and have a great hometown feel to them. The Whitecaps are known for having family members of current and past Tigers; Pat Leyland (son of the skipper, Jim Leyland); Nick Avila (Son of assistant GM, Al Avila, and brother of catcher, Alex Avila), and Colin Kaline (Grandson of the Hall of Famer, Al Kaline). The Whitecaps also are know for their interesting food options, a bacon-shelled taco, 5 lb hamburger, and the HUGE beer, just to name a few.

4) Great Lakes Loons - The third Midwest League team in the state, the Great Lakes Loons, call Dow Diamond in Midland home. Dow Diamond is arguably one of the nicest minor league stadiums in the entire Midwest.  Plenty of outfield lawn with fireplaces for picnics, a wonderful selection of food and beverage, and baseball; what more could you ask for?  The single-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers are not the strongest team in their division, but they always are competitive at home.

5) Traverse City Beach Bums - Michigan's most popular resort town also offers a unique experience for many people by being the home of an independent league baseball team.  The Beach Bums are in the Frontier League which has no affiliation to Major League Baseball. Wuerfel Park is designed to look like a beach front resort and has an artificial turf field. Having five winning seasons in the past seven years, the Beach Bums are a great way to spend an evening while on an Up North vacation.

6) Michigan State University Spartans - Not all baseball in Michigan worth worth watching is professional ball.  The Spartans of MSU have been back-to-back Big Ten Champions for the past two years.  Playing in McLane Baseball Stadium at Kobs Field, the Spartans offer a great game of baseball at a very reasonable price.  Cam Gibson, son of ex-Tiger and current Manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks  Kirk Gibson, shows great potential along with the rest of his teammates. MSU Baseball players are regularly taken in the MLB draft.

In addition to the teams I have mentioned, there is plenty of more great baseball to watch in Michigan.  There are many more colleges, and even more high schools, that field good baseball teams well worth spending an afternoon taking in a game.  I hope this is a useful guide to Baseball in Michigan, and I wish you a wonderful Summer of Baseball 2013.