Michigan Braves
| Michigan Braves | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Information | |||||
| League | Great Lakes Bay Baseball Association | ||||
| Location | Saginaw, Michigan | ||||
| Ballpark | Chargers Field | ||||
| Year founded | 2009 | ||||
| Nickname(s) | WeChop, TomahawkChop, Baby Blues | ||||
| League championships | (7)' 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2018, 2019 | ||||
| Former name(s) | Michigan Area Braves | ||||
| Former league(s) | Great Lakes UBL | ||||
| Colors | Red, Navy, Baby Blue, Royal Blue, Dark Steel | ||||
| Ownership | Michigan Braves LLC | ||||
| General Manager | Jim Kosmerick | ||||
| Website | michiganbraves | ||||
The Michigan Braves are a baseball organization affiliated with the NABF, Perfect Game, Pony, USSSA, PBR organizations. The team is based in Saginaw, Michigan, Grand Blanc, Michigan and Grand Rapids, Michigan. The Michigan Braves organization offers baseball development training to members via ProChop Training. The team is a member of the Great Lakes Bay Baseball Association.
The Michigan Braves collegiate team plays their home games at Charger Field in Saginaw, Michigan.
History[edit]
Early Roots[edit]
The inception of the Michigan Area Braves baseball team began in the fall of 2009, with a conversation between Jim Kosmerick and John Gresehover. The two began a discussion about summer collegiate baseball in the Great Lakes Bay Region and the need for affordable, development focused instruction.
Inaugural Season[edit]
Under the leadership of Jim Kosmerick, the newly formed team first took the field on May 29, 2010 against the Manistee Saints at Rietz Park in Manistee, MI. The Braves team won the first game by a score of 11-0 as pitcher Eric Kinley threw a one hitter, striking out nine batters over seven innings. The Braves played their first home game at Charger Field in Saginaw on June 17, 2010 in a single game against the Saginaw Means Stampers, The Braves won that game 10-0. The Braves ultimately ended with an 18-16-1 record, finishing with a MABA State Title, winning the Great Lakes UBL title and finishing up with an appearance in the AABC Regional tournament.[1]
Future professional player Jeff Kinley suited up for the 2010 Michigan Area Braves.
2011-2013: Building The Foundation[edit]
From 2011 to 2013, the Michigan Braves team laid the foundation for player development and overall team dominance compiling an overall record of 97 wins, 37 losses and 3 ties in the three year period.
Offensively the team was led by Eric Burt (Saginaw Valley State), David Laskowski (Jackson Community College), Eric Cummings (Davenport University), Alex Kravat (Alma), Tim Ryan (Oakland) and Jason Hockemeyer (Evansville) during the three year time frame.[2]
On the mound, Josh Tabit (Saginaw Valley State), Jordan Schwellenbach (Northwood), Skyler Skrzypczak (Michigan), Keith Ciupak (Michigan), Mike Schaaf (Saginaw Valley State), Justin Drzweicki (Saginaw Valley State), Andrew Geese (Saginaw Valley State), and Kyle Nolen (Indiana Tech) helped the team dominate it’s appointments.
For the team’s efforts they acquired the following hardware:
- 2013 Great Lakes UBL Champion[3]
- 2013 NABF Regional Runner-Up
- 2012 Great Lakes UBL Champion
- 2012 NABF Regional Runner-Up
- 2011 Great Lakes UBL Champion
- 2011 Saginaw Mens League Champion
- 2011 NABF Regional Semi-Finalist
- 2011 MABA State Champion[4]
2014-2015: Near Misses[edit]
In 2014 and 2015, the Michigan Braves team continued the path for player development and overall team dominance compiling an overall record of 65 wins, 35 losses and 4 ties in the two year period.
Offensively the team was led by Eric Burt (Saginaw Valley State), Blake Leddy (Alma), Kyle Kaufmann (Saginaw Valley State), Kenny Davis (Wayne State), Larry Herron (Western Michigan), Seth Holton (Aquinas) Bubba Harrison (Saginaw Valley State) and Adam Fitzgibbon (Saginaw Valley State) during the two year time frame.
On the mound, Scott Sency (Saginaw Valley State), Jordan Schwellenbach (Northwood), Skyler Skrzypczak (Michigan), Alex Valasek (Alma), AJ McInnis (Saginaw Valley State), Matt Theiss (Northwood), Nick Sarmiento (Eastern New Mexico), and Joe Buchalski (Oakland) helped the team dominate it’s opponents.
For the team’s efforts they acquired the following hardware:
- 2015 Great Lakes UBL Champion
- 2015 London Lakeside Tournament Runner-Up
- 2015 WBC Tournament Runner-Up
- 2014 NABF World Series Quarter-Finalist
- 2014 NABF Regional Champion
- 2014 Port Lambton Tournament Champion
- 2014 London Lakeside Tournament Semi-Finalist
2016-2018: Adding More Teams[edit]
From 2016 to 2018, the Michigan Braves added two collegiate summer teams, one named Michigan Braves Collegiate and the other named Michigan Braves Seniors. The Michigan Braves Senior team played in the inaugural NABF National Qualifier in Battle Creek and finished in third place.[5]
The Michigan Braves Collegiate team was coached by Zach Mark.
For the organization's efforts, they acquired the following hardware:
- 2018 Great Lakes Bay Baseball Association Champions
- 2018 NABF College World Series[6]
- 2017 NABF World Series Semi-Finalist (3rd Place)[7]
- 2017 Great Lakes Bay Baseball Association Champions
- 2017 London Lakeside Tournament Quarter-Finalist
- 2016 London Lakeside Tournament Runner-Up
2019: Hello Youth Program[edit]
In 2019, the organization formed a youth team called the Mid-Michigan Braves and they played at the 11U level. This addition furthered the path for the organization with a stronger focus on player development and with the addition of ProChop Training, onsite and virtual training became an option for players within the program.
For the organization's efforts, they acquired the following hardware:
- 2019 Great Lakes Bay Baseball Association Champions
- 2019 NABF College World Series[8]
- 2019 FAAST End of Summer Championships (Oakland U) Champions
- 2019 Saginaw Sugar Beets Tournament Champion
2020: The Future Looks Bright[edit]
In 2020, the Michigan Braves secured the following teams:
- Michigan Braves 12U
- Michigan Braves 14U
- Michigan Braves 18U (Fall of 2020)
- Michigan Braves 22U (Collegiate)
Further expansion is in the works in regards to locations and levels of play.
Season Records[edit]
(Place listed is finish in Great Lakes UBL/Great Lakes Bay Baseball Association)
- 2010: 18-16-1 (1st), manager Jim Kosmerick/coach John Gresehover
- 2011: 31-11-1 (1st), manager Jim Kosmerick/coach Keith Ciupak
- 2012: 41-11-1 (1st), manager Jim Kosmerick/coach Keith Ciupak
- 2013: 25-15-1 (1st), manager Jim Kosmerick/coach Keith Ciupak
- 2014: 34-23-1 (2nd), manager Jim Kosmerick/coach Jordan Schwellenbach
- 2015: 31-12-3 (1st), manager Jim Kosmerick
- 2016: 33-26-3 (2nd), manager Jim Kosmerick/coach Zach Mark
- 2017: 43-30-2 (1st), manager Jim Kosmerick/coach Zach Mark
- 2018: 27-31-1 (1st), manager Jim Kosmerick/coach Zach Mark
- 2019: 42-34 (1st), manager Jim Kosmerick/coach Greg Barrons
Totals: 325-209-14 (.593)
Postseason Playoff Appearances[edit]
- 2010 - MABA State Champion, AABC Regional
- 2011 - MABA State Champion, AABC Regional Semi-Finalist
- 2012 - MABA State Champion, NABF Regional Runner-Up
- 2013 - NABF Regional Runner-Up
- 2014 - NABF Regional Champion, NABF World Series Quarter-Finalist, Port Lambton Tournament Champion
- 2015 - NABF Regional Semi-Finalist, Lakeside Invitational Tournament Runner-Up
- 2016 - NABF Regional Quarter-Finalist
- 2017 - NABF World Series Semi-Finalist
- 2018 - NABF World Series Quarter-Finalist
- 2019 - NABF Regional, NABF World Series, FAAST End of Summer Champion (Oakland), Sugar Beets Tournament Champion
Professional Players[edit]
- Tyler Higgins
- Mike Allen
- Blake Higgins
- Cole Martin
- Joel Pierce
- Rob Cooper
- Jeff Kinley
- Bobby St. Pierre
- Seth Freed
- Jordan Swiss
- Lennon Gwizdala
- Austin Steinfort
- Jacob Crum
References[edit]
- ↑ "Berryhill splits with men's team from Saginaw". Our Midland. 14 July 2010.
- ↑ "Michigan Area Braves Plate 12". Mlive-Bay City. 9 July 2011.
- ↑ "Michigan Area Braves open regional tournament against Kalamazoo Maroons". Mlive-Sagianw. 9 August 2012.
- ↑ "Michigan Area Braves capture American Amateur Baseball Congress district title with two weekend wins". Mlive-Bay City. 2 August 2011.
- ↑ "National qualifier for NABF World Series at Bailey Park". Battle Creek Enquirer.
- ↑ "NABF Tournament News 2018" (PDF). NABF.
- ↑ "NABF Tournament News 2017" (PDF). NABF.
- ↑ "NABF Tournament News 2019" (PDF). NABF.
External links[edit]
- Michigan Braves - official team site
- Great Lakes Bay Baseball Association - official league site
- USSSA - official USSSA team page
- Perfect Game official Perfect Game team page
- ProChop Training - official training site
Sports teams based in Michigan | ||
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| Hockey |
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| Roller derby | ||
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| Ultimate | ||
| NCAA Division I | ||
| NCAA Division II | ||
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