www.mybaycity.com July 29, 2012
Sports Article 7214


Great Lakes Loons pitcher Gustova Gomez delivering home. (Photo for MyBayCity by Tom Baird)

2012 GREAT LAKES LOONS SEASON RECAP/PLAYOFF PICTURE

July 29, 2012
By: Tom Baird


To say that the 2012 Great Lakes Loons season has been interesting is an understatement of the obvious.

The 6th year team based in Midland, Michigan plays in the Class A Midwest League in the Eastern Division. The Loons, who made the Midwest League playoffs in both 2009 and 2010, will have their work cut out for them to again make the playoffs in 2012. This has been a season of constant change for 2nd year manager John Shoemaker and has had him constantly putting together new line-ups for this campaign. In professional baseball, Class A is where the players are developed and the team will experience constant player movement.

At about the 3/4 point of the season, the Loons record stands at 50-53 overall and 16-17 in the second half of the season. In the Midwest League the season is divided into two halves with the top two teams in each half advancing to the Midwest League playoffs. So far this year, the Lansing Lugnuts have been the best team in the League by far winning the 1st half in runaway fashion and currently in 1st place in the 2nd half.

The Loons are currently 5 games out of 2nd place and a playoff spot. There are 37 games remaining in the season and they will have to make a strong run to garner that 2nd place spot.

The Los Angeles Dodgers affiliate opened the season with a 25 man roster on April 6 and currently have 10 new players on the roster as of this printing. This season has seen the most change since the arrival of the Loons in 2007 over at Dow Diamond in downtown Midland. It has been trying for even the die-hard fans to keep track of all the changes that have happened.

There have not been any real standout players on this season's roster like there have been during the past 5 seasons. There now have been 17 former Loons that have reached the Major Leagues either with the Los Angeles Dodgers or some other MLB team. The most famous former Loon to date would be 2011 National League Cy Young award winner and All-Star Clayton Kershaw who played for the Loons in 2007.

There are no Loons players among the Midwest League leaders in any of the major categories except for speedster James Baldwin who is currently in 2nd place in stolen bases with 38 steals.

The Loons, as a team, has a low batting average of .238 and have only hit 56 home runs on the season. Leading hitters for the Great Lakes Loons in 2012 are O'Koyea Dickson at .270 and Scott Schebler at .268 among the everyday players. The Loons only have two pitchers with 6 wins this season in Gustavo Gomez and Arismendy Ozoria.

The attendance and promotions remain strong at the Dow Diamond again in 2012. The hard working staff at the Dow makes it a truly fan-friendly experience for all. The real excitement in the past six years has been when the Loons have made the playoffs and played those extra games in mid-September when they really mean something.

The Dodgers did not stock this year's roster with high draft choices as they have done over the past three years and this will likely cause the Loon's to miss the Midwest League playoffs.

No one Loon has had a breakout season like we have grown accustomed to over the last 3 seasons. However, there are still many home dates in August and early September so get on over to the Dow Diamond for professional baseball and great promotions.


Great Lakes Loons player Darnell Sweeny
(Photo for MyBayCity by Tom Baird)
© MyBayCity.com



Great Lakes Loons player Greg Wilborn
(Photo for MyBayCity by Tom Baird)
© MyBayCity.com



Great Lakes Loons player James Baldwin
(Photo for MyBayCity by Tom Baird)
© MyBayCity.com




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