Great Lakes Loons

Last updated
Great Lakes Loons
GreatLakesLoons.PNG
Minor league affiliations
Class High-A (2021–present)
Previous classes Class A (1995–2020)
League Midwest League (2022–present)
DivisionEast Division
Previous leagues
Major league affiliations
Team Los Angeles Dodgers (2007–present)
Previous teams
Minor league titles
League titles (2)
  • 2000
  • 2016
Division titles (1)
  • 2023
First-half titles (2)
  • 2022
  • 2023
Team data
Name
MascotLou E. Loon (2007–present)
Rall E. Camel (2012–present)
Doodle the Eagle (2003–2006)
Rally Cat (1995–2002)
Ballpark Dow Diamond (2007–present)
Previous parks
Owner(s)/
Operator(s)
Michigan Baseball Foundation
General managerChris Mundhenk [1]
ManagerJair Fernandez

The Great Lakes Loons are a Minor League Baseball team of the Midwest League and the High-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers. [2] They are located in Midland, Michigan, and play their home games at Dow Diamond, which opened in April 2007.

Contents

History

The Loons play at Dow Diamond in Midland, Michigan. Dow Diamond.jpg
The Loons play at Dow Diamond in Midland, Michigan.

The Midwest League came to Battle Creek, in 1995 after the franchise 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.

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 after the 2004 season, and the team name was changed to the Southwest Michigan Devil Rays.

In January 2006, the Devil Rays were sold to the non-profit Michigan Baseball Foundation and relocated to Midland, Michigan, in 2007. The team was renamed the Great Lakes Loons. A lack of interest from the Battle Creek community was the main reason for the move. Reduced ticket prices (even a night when fans were actually offered a dollar to come to that night's game) 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." Ground was broken on the stadium on April 11, 2006, with construction taking 367 days to complete. In September 2006, the team announced its new affiliation with the Los Angeles Dodgers. In November 2006, the Loons named 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.

After nine seasons in Midland, the Loons went through an overhaul of their logos and brand to give the franchise a fresh, updated look heading into its 10th season in 2016. [3]

On September 18, 2016, the Loons clinched their first Midwest League championship following a 9–8 victory over the Seattle Mariners-affiliated Clinton LumberKings. [4] The Loons won the championship series 3–1, following three-game series victories over the Bowling Green Hot Rods (Tampa Bay Rays) and West Michigan Whitecaps (Detroit Tigers) in the previous rounds. The Loons were managed by Gil Velazquez.

The Loons have hosted the Midwest League All-Star Game on two occasions (2008 and 2017).

On August 23, 2019, the Loons hosted their largest crowd ever of 6,671 people. [5]

In conjunction with Major League Baseball's restructuring of Minor League Baseball in 2021, the Loons were organized into the High-A Central. [6] 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. [7]

Season-by-season records

Michigan Battle Cats (1995–2002)
SeasonRecordFinishManagerPlayoffs
199575–624th DeMarlo Hale Lost League Finals
199660–7811th Tom Barrett
199770–674th Billy Gardner, Jr. Lost in 1st round
199879–612nd (t) Billy Gardner, Jr. Lost in 1st round
199976–623rd Al Pedrique Lost in 1st round
200082–562nd Al Pedrique League Champs
200182–553rd John Massarelli Lost in 1st round
200279–614th John Massarelli Lost in 1st round
Battle Creek Yankees (2003–2004)
YearRecordFinishManagerPlayoffs
200373–643rd Mitch Seoane Lost in 2nd round
200471–689th Mitch Seoane (13–18) / Bill Mosiello (58–50)
Southwest Michigan Devil Rays (2005–2006)
YearRecordFinishManagerPlayoffs
200572–674th (t) Joe Szekely Lost in 1st round to SB
200662–7712th Skeeter Barnes
Great Lakes Loons (2007–present)
YearRecordFinishManagerPlayoffs
200757–825th Lance Parrish
200854–856th Juan Bustabad
200981–592nd Juan Bustabad Lost in 2nd round to FW
201090–491st Juan Bustabad Lost in 2nd round to LC
201172–674th John Shoemaker
201267–736th John Shoemaker
201367–725th Razor Shines Lost in 1st round to SB
201466–734th Bill Haselman
201568–697th Luis Matos Lost in 1st round to LAN
201665–756th Gil Velazquez League Champions
201769–705th Jeremy Rodriguez
201860–776th John Shoemaker Lost in 1st round to WM
201958–794th John Shoemaker Lost in 2nd Round to SB

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.

Roster

PlayersCoaches/Other

Pitchers

  • 11 Kelvin Bautista
  •  4 Chris Campos ~
  • 35 Franklin De La Paz
  • 21 Jonathan Edwards
  •  3 Jackson Ferris
  • 17 Peter Heubeck
  • 13 Joel Ibarra
  • 22 Madison Jeffrey
  • 12 Jared Karros
  • 14 Michael Martinez
  • 26 Jacob Meador
  •  5 Brandon Neeck
  • 51 Kelvin Ramirez
  • 45 Livan Reinoso
  • 40 Christian Romero
  • 36 Jerming Rosario
  • 34 Christian Suarez
  • 33 Lucas Wepf

Catchers

  • 24 Thayron Liranzo
  • 38 Nelson Quiroz

Infielders

Outfielders

  •  6 Nick Biddison
  •  8 Dylan Campbell
  • 29 Yunior Garcia
  •  9 Chris Newell
  • 16 Luis Rodriguez
  •  1 Jake Vogel


Manager

  • 18 Jair Fernandez

Coaches

  •  7 David Anderson (pitching)
  • 31 Richard De Los Santos (pitching)
  • 28 O'Koyea Dickson (hitting)
  • 37 Elián Herrera (bench)
  • -- Umar Male (bullpen catcher)
  • -- Jake Taylor (performance)


Injury icon 2.svg 7-day injured list
* On Los Angeles Dodgers 40-man roster
~ Development list
# Rehab assignment
∞ Reserve list
‡ Restricted list
§ Suspended list
† Temporarily inactive list
Roster updated April 11, 2024
Transactions
→ More rosters: MiLB    Midwest League
Los Angeles Dodgers minor league players

Notable Great Lakes Loons alumni

See also

Sources

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Midwest League</span> American Minor League baseball league

The Midwest League is a Minor League Baseball league established in 1947 and based in the Midwestern United States. A Class A league for most of its history, the league was promoted to High-A as part of Major League Baseball's 2021 reorganization of the minor leagues.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Quad Cities River Bandits</span> American Minor League baseball team

The Quad Cities River Bandits are a Minor League Baseball team of the Midwest League and the High-A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals. Their home games are played at Modern Woodmen Park in Davenport, Iowa, one of the Quad Cities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clinton LumberKings</span> American Minor League baseball team

The Clinton LumberKings are a collegiate summer baseball team of the Prospect League. They are located in Clinton, Iowa, and play their home games at NelsonCorp Field. From 1956 to 2020, they were members of Minor League Baseball's Midwest League. With Major League Baseball's reorganization of the minor leagues after the 2020 season, Clinton was not selected to continue in affiliated baseball.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peoria Chiefs</span> American Minor League baseball team

The Peoria Chiefs are a Minor League Baseball team of the Midwest League and the High-A affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals. The team was established in 1983 as the Peoria Suns. They are located in Peoria, Illinois, and are named for the Peoria Indian tribe for which the city was named. In 2005, the team replaced the indigenous imagery associated with the Chiefs name and moved to a logo of a dalmatian depicted as a fire chief. The Chiefs play their home games at Dozer Park, which opened in 2002. They previously played at Vonachen Stadium near Bradley University from 1983 through 2001. The Chiefs have made the playoffs a total of 13 times, through eight wild-card berths, three first-half titles, and two second-half titles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Bend Cubs</span> American Minor League baseball team

The South Bend Cubs are a Minor League Baseball team of the Midwest League and the High-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs. They are located in South Bend, Indiana, and play their home games at Four Winds Field at Coveleski Stadium.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michigan Battle Cats</span> Minor league baseball team

The Michigan Battle Cats were a Minor League Baseball team which began playing in the Midwest League in 1995 and called C.O. Brown Stadium in Battle Creek, Michigan, home. The franchise had previously been located in Madison, Wisconsin, in 1994 where they were called the Madison Hatters. Prior to that the team was located in Springfield, Illinois, and was known as the Springfield Cardinals. Upon moving to Battle Creek the team initially sought the name Battle Creek Golden Kazoos to help create a regional tie-in with the city of Kalamazoo, Michigan, but legal disputes led to the adoption of the Battle Cats moniker. The team became known as the Battle Creek Yankees beginning with their affiliation with the New York Yankees in 2003, and again changed names and affiliations in 2005 and became the Southwest Michigan Devil Rays. In 2007, citing declining attendance, the team moved to Midland, Michigan and became the Great Lakes Loons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lake County Captains</span> American Minor League baseball team

The Lake County Captains are a Minor League Baseball team in Eastlake, Ohio, a suburb of Cleveland, that plays in the Midwest League as the High-A affiliate of the Cleveland Guardians.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clearwater Threshers</span> Minor league baseball team

The Clearwater Threshers are a Minor League Baseball team of the Florida State League and the Single-A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies. They are located in Clearwater, Florida, and have played their home games at BayCare Ballpark since 2004. They previously played at Jack Russell Memorial Stadium from 1985 to 2003.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Augusta GreenJackets</span> Minor League Baseball team

The Augusta GreenJackets are a Minor League Baseball team of the Carolina League and the Single-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves. They play their home games at SRP Park in North Augusta, South Carolina.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aberdeen IronBirds</span> Minor league baseball team

The Aberdeen IronBirds are a Minor League Baseball team based in the city of Aberdeen in Harford County, Maryland. They are the High-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles and compete in the South Atlantic League. They were previously members of the New York–Penn League from 1977 to 2020, and of the High-A East in 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Madison Hatters</span> Minor league baseball team

The Madison Hatters were a minor-league baseball team based in Madison, Wisconsin, in 1994. A Class A minor league baseball affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals, they were a member of the Midwest League. The team played its home games at Warner Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dow Diamond</span> Minor League baseball stadium in Midland, Michigan

Dow Diamond is a Minor League baseball stadium located in Midland, Michigan. It is the home of the Great Lakes Loons of the Midwest League. The Loons are affiliated with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southwest Michigan Devil Rays</span> Minor league baseball team

The Southwest Michigan Devil Rays were an affiliate of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in the Midwest League in 2005 and 2006. The club began play in 1995 and was previously known as the Michigan Battle Cats and the Battle Creek Yankees. They played their home games at C.O. Brown Stadium in Battle Creek, Michigan. Following the 2006 season, the team moved to Midland, Michigan and became known as the Great Lakes Loons.

The 2007 Los Angeles Dodgers season was the 119th for the franchise in Major League Baseball, and their 50th season in Los Angeles, California. It started off promisingly with the Dodgers holding the National League West lead for most of the first half of the season. However, the team faded down the stretch and finished the season in fourth place. Two of the teams big free agent signings, pitchers Jason Schmidt and Randy Wolf were injured and missed most of the season. A promising development was the play of several rookies including James Loney and Matt Kemp and the further development of second year catcher Russell Martin, who was named to his first All-Star Game.

The Kokomo Dodgers were a Minor League Baseball team based in Kokomo, Indiana, between 1955 and 1961. After playing the 1955 season as the Kokomo Giants, a New York Giants, the 1956 "Dodgers" became charter members of the Midwest League, as the Mississippi–Ohio Valley League, as the changed Mississippi–Ohio Valley League names following the 1955 season. The Dodgers were an affiliate of the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers from 1956 to 1961. The Kokomo teams hosted minor league home games at Highland Park Stadium.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Springfield Cardinals (Illinois)</span> Minor league baseball team

The Springfield Cardinals were a minor league baseball team located in Springfield, Illinois. The Springfield Cardinals played in the Midwest League from 1982 to 1993 and were an affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals. The team played at Lanphier Park on the northside of Springfield.

Below is a partial list of Minor League Baseball players in the Los Angeles Dodgers system.

Timothy James Smith is a Canadian former professional baseball outfielder. Prior to beginning his professional career, he played college baseball at Arizona State University. Smith has also competed for the Canadian national baseball team.

The Michigan Baseball Foundation (MBF) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization in Midland, Michigan, that refers to itself as a social enterprise. MBF is the current owner and operator of the Dow Diamond – a baseball stadium located in downtown Midland. Profits from the operation of the Dow Diamond are donated to youth groups and to initiatives that seek to improve life in Midland and its surrounding areas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William S. Stavropoulos</span> Greek-American businessman and philanthropist

William Spyros Stavropoulos is a Greek-American businessman and philanthropist. He is the past CEO and Chairman of The Dow Chemical Company, and the current CEO and Chairman of the Michigan Baseball Foundation.

References

  1. "Chris Mundhenk Named Great Lakes Loons President & General Manager". milb. April 6, 2021. Retrieved March 7, 2022.
  2. "Club Information". Great Lakes Loons. Minor League Baseball. Retrieved February 12, 2019.
  3. "New Great Lake Loons logo evokes summertime in Michigan". Chris Creamer's SportsLogos.Net News and Blog : New Logos and New Uniforms news, photos, and rumours. Retrieved 2018-12-05.
  4. Stephen, Eric (2016-09-18). "Loons win 2016 Midwest League title". True Blue LA. Retrieved 2018-12-05.
  5. "Great Lakes Loons Set Single-Game Attendance Record". 26 August 2019.
  6. Mayo, Jonathan (February 12, 2021). "MLB Announces New Minors Teams, Leagues". Major League Baseball. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
  7. "Historical League Names to Return in 2022". Minor League Baseball. March 16, 2022. Retrieved March 16, 2022.
  8. "Loons in the Majors".