Joel Dinda's photos with the keyword: grand rapids

Dick tells me that Sharon , a longtime family friend, passed away on Friday. Photo taken at Battle Creek's C.O. Brown Stadium. Original photograph here . Somewhere I've got a photograph of Bielby at a bluegrass festival; we'll have to see if I can find it.

Camera: Nikon D70 Photo by Joel Dinda

Camera: Nikon D70 Photo by Joel Dinda

West Michigan Whiecaps center fielder Gorkys Hernandez. Handsome gent, no? Original photo (not much different) here . More game photos here . ============= Edit 9/3/07: Gorkys is the Midwest League's Most Valuable Player for 2007. At least according to the managers.

Fort Wayne Tincaps (Padres farm) hitter Lee Orr at bat, with West Michigan Whitecaps (Tigers) catcher Patrick Leyland (yup, Jim's son) behind the plate and about to glove the ball. I had a great seat at Fort Wayne's Parkview Field; my pix didn't do the seat, the ballpark, or the game justice. Original photo (not much different) here . 636 (generally lousy) game photos here .

West Michigan's Santo De Leon, a Tigers farmhand, ready to nail that ball at Fifth Third Ballpark in April of 2007. The catcher's Lansing's Jon Jaspe (Blue Jays); Russ Kunkel's on deck for the 'Caps. Original, unprocessed, photo here . 187 game photographs here .

West Michigan shortstop Audy Ciriaco. Likely my best baseball picture of the summer. Original here . More game photos here . The Whitecaps begin the Midwest League Championship Round against Beloit tomorrow night.

The West Michigan Whitecaps gave away this bobblehead of Tigers pitcher Kenny Rogers to the first 1,000 folks who showed up at last Thursday's playoff game against Lansing. (Can't really recommend my photo set for that game, by the way; both the camera and the long lens are acting old old old. The long lens at least has the excuse that it is old.) Kenny pitched a rehab game at West Michigan in June see Em Smith 's pictures) (especially this one ), so the Whitecaps uniform has some authenticity. This photo's in both of my flickr streams....

Peoria Chiefs third basemen Ryne Malone (hmm: a guy named after his manager , I expect) unleashes a throw which will get hitter Jordan Newton at first base. That's Peoria's Nate Samson covering second, and West Michigan's Ryan Strieby hustling back to the base. Another version of this photo here . More game photos here .

Lansing Lugnuts third baseman Josh Bell--not to be mistaken for Great Lakes Loons 3B JB--follows through at West Michigan's Fifth Third Ballpark. The catcher's Louis Ott (normally an infielder); the ump is Takeshi Hirabayashi. Original photo here . More game photos here .

Pitcher Zach Piccola of the West Michigan Whitecaps. Zach was signing autographs, bantering with the crowd, and watching Duane Below, the starting pitcher, warm up pretty much simultaneously. Looked to be enjoying himself. He'd eventually relieve Below in mid-game. That's Whitecaps pitching coach Ray Burris behind him. Original photo here . More game pictures here .

Tom Brookens, infielder for the 1984 World Champion Detroit Tigers , is now managing the West Michigan Whitecaps. The 'Caps played their home opener last night, losing to Lansing. It was cold . More photos from the game here . A few more photographs of Brookens here . My website's Brookens page here .

West Michigan infielders Nick McIntyre and Brent Dlugach, plus an unknown Quad Cities baserunner, waiting for action to begin at Fifth Third Ballpark in Comstock Park, Michigan. I've been working hard on mwlguide.com/ for the past month, trying to catch up a couple years' neglect. Yesterday I rebuilt the site's front page, and used a version of this photograph. About 9 weeks to minor league Opening Day....

The West Michigan Whitecaps get the Rockford hitter at first base in brand-spanking-new Old Kent Park in April of 1994 (probably the 17th). To all appearances the Royals have pulled off a successful sacrifice, but the 'Caps executed well on defense. I do like the way the runner kicked up the dust.... The players: #7 (third?) is Jose Guillen, #18 (catching) is Randy Ortega, and the pitcher appears to be Bob Bennett (that would be #32--Bob completed the game, lefty Tim Kubinski [#34] started). Willie Morales played first in this game (he'd be the guy ducking the throw), and the second baseman covering at first is probably Vinny Francisco. The batter/baserunner (#3) is O.J. Rhone, and the Rockford coach is likely Cliff Pastornicky. This was the third Whitecaps game I attended. South Bend's home opening day was quite crowded--there was a significant group from Grand Rapids--and Kubinski and Bennett pitched that game as well. In a far emptier ballyard the next day, these two were charting pitches in the stands; since our package seats were behind home plate, they sat in front of us for the game, and talked with the fans between pitches. One of those conversations was particularly memorable. A youngster stopped by and asked what they were doing, so they patiently explained about scoring baseball games and charting pitches. Somewhere in mid-conversation the kid realized he was talking to ballplayers, and that they were players for the Other Team. He visibly stopped to consider the situation, decided it was all right to consort with the enemy, and continued to ask questions. A neat moment at the ballpark.... Scanned from a negative. Camera: Minolta Freedom 100 Also on my other flickr .

Lansing @ West Michigan, 061405

Quad Cities @ West Michigan, 6/6/2005.

Swing of the Quad Cities @ West Michigan Whitecaps, 6/6/05. I was sorely tempted to add this one to the Orange Cats pool , but I resisted. At least so far.

Rick Ankiel hitting for the Swing of the Quad Cities (Cardinals farm) at Fifth Third Ballpark in Comstock Park, Michigan. 6/6/2005.