WEST MICHIGAN WHITECAPS BASEBALL

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Courtesy Photo/Karsie familyFrancisco Cordero stands with his former West Michigan host family at Tiger Stadium in 1999, his first year in the major leagues. With Cordero are Kelli, left, Jordon, front right, and Ron Karsies.

CHICAGO -- Francisco Cordero began his pitching career in the Detroit Tigers organization a decade ago, trying to find his niche in the major leagues.

He found it, just not with the Tigers. Now, the Cincinnati Reds closer is just the type of reliever Detroit covets this offseason after finishing last in the AL Central Division.

In 1997, Cordero was pitching for the West Michigan Whitecaps, living with host family Ron and Brenda Karsies and their two children, Kelli and Jordon. Cordero set a single-season record with 35 saves, a record that still stands.

The West Michigan Whitecaps will open 2009 Midwest League baseball season at home with three games against the team that knocked them out of the playoffs this year: the South Bend Silver Hawks.

The Whitecaps then will hit the road, playing 11 games in 12 days, which will mark their longest road trip of the season.

COMSTOCK PARK -- Just like an aspiring Class A professional baseball player hoping to move up in the minor league system and eventually to the major leagues, West Michigan Whitecaps play-by-play radio announcer Dave Skoczen inspires to do the same.

That's why after eight seasons announcing at the Single-A level, the past four with the Whitecaps, Skoczen, 30, has decided to leave the organization to pursue his dreams.

Friday will be Skoczen's last day as a member of the Whitecaps' organization. He plans to pack-up his family (wife and two boys, 3 and 1) and head to California in the coming days.

COMSTOCK PARK -- The West Michigan Whitecaps' season came to a close earlier this month after a 3-2 loss to the South Bend Silver Hawks in the first round of the Midwest League playoffs.

And while many of the Whitecaps will return home for the offseason, some are attending an instructional camp in Lakeland, Fla., that began Tuesday.

West Michigan manager Joe DePastino announced that seven players --four pitchers and three field players -- will be back on the field for nearly a month.

Press File PhotoJon Kibler led the Midwest League in wins and ERA and helped anchor a strong West Michigan rotation.

COMSTOCK PARK -- The 2008 Midwest League season officially came to an end last week when league president George Spelius declared the Burlington Bees champions after two games of their best-of-five series with the South Bend Silver Hawks.

The Bees won Games 1 and 2 by scores of 6-0 and 12-0, respectively. Game 3 was rained out two days straight, and, with various instructional and fall leagues approaching and no foreseeable end to the rain, Spelius felt it was in the best interest to declare the Bees the champions.

The West Michigan Whitecaps fell short of a MWL threepeat, but it still was a successful season for a number of players and first-year manager Joe DePastino.

Casper Wells

Casper Wells likes his position within the Detroit Tigers' organization.

After jumping past high Class A Lakeland after playing the first three months of the year at West Michigan, Wells thinks he's in a position to play at Toledo next season.

There's little doubt that Wells' outstanding season caught the attention of the Tigers.

Jon Kibler

COMSTOCK PARK -- Jon Kibler started the season as a 6-foot-4, 215-pound pitching prospect for the West Michigan Whitecaps who was drafted in the 30th round by the Detroit Tigers in 2007.

He ended the season as the organization's best minor league pitcher.

The former Michigan State left-hander, in his second season of professional baseball, was named the Tigers' Minor League Pitcher of the Year on Thursday after leading the Midwest League in wins (14) and ERA (1.75).

Joe DePastino

COMSTOCK PARK -- Joe DePastino has been told by the Detroit Tigers he will manage in the club's minor league organization in 2009.

Where is yet to be determined, but it will probably be at West Michigan.

DePastino, who turned 35 last week, guided the West Michigan Whitecaps to a 72-65 record.

This season was his first as a professional manager.

Press Photo/Delbridge Langdon Jr.Whitecaps catcher Alex Avila hangs onto the ball for an out after South Bend's Ollie Linton crashes into him.

COMSTOCK PARK -- The playoff fate of the West Michigan Whitecaps was placed in the hands of 19-year-old pitcher Mauricio Robles, who carved up the South Bend Silver Hawks like an seasoned veteran -- for five innings.

But bullpen trouble in the sixth and seventh innings was enough to enable the Silver Hawks to end the Whitecaps' quest for a Midwest League threepeat Saturday night at Fifth Third Ballpark.

In a decisive Game 3 showdown, South Bend beat West Michigan 3-2 in front of 1,862 fans.

COMSTOCK PARK -- The West Michigan Whitecaps, two-time defending Midwest League champions, lost in three games to the South Bend Silver Hawks in the first round of the playoffs.

COMSTOCK PARK -- Empty cardboard boxes prepared to be filled were scattered around the clubhouse, uniforms were tossed together in a giant pile and lockers were being emptied out.

It's a common scene once a season ends, but not one that the West Michigan Whitecaps had hoped for just yet.

The Whitecaps were hoping to extend their postseason, but instead saw it come to a close with a 3-2 loss to South Bend on Saturday night in Game 3 of their first-round Midwest League playoff series.

Press Photo/Adam BirdWest Michigan's Kyle Peter is congratulated by his teammates after hitting a home run against South Bend on Friday.

COMSTOCK PARK -- Facing elimination from the Midwest League playoffs, the West Michigan Whitecaps came out swinging.

And swinging.

And swinging.

The Whitecaps hit and pitched their way to force a decisive Game 3 tonight against the South Bend Silver Hawks after a convincing 11-0 victory Friday night in front of 4,052 fans at Fifth Third Ballpark.