Baseball in Battle Creek, Michigan

known as Michigan
known as Battle Creek
known as Southwest Michigan

Overview

The record of the Midwest League franchise in Battle Creek, Michigan.

Battle Creek's team was in the league for twelve years, and won over 100 games more than they lost in that span. Perhaps because of that, two BC managers won Manager of the Year titles.

Jim Chamblee, Shea Hillenbrand, Aaron McNeal, and Jason Lane have all had exceptional seasons at Battle Creek, and two of the best pitchers in major league baseball were part of the 1999 rotation. Somehow, too, Battle Creek players walked off with four the All-Star Star of Stars awards during the franchise's term.

This team's first game lasted 18 innings.

Summary

• Midwest League seasons: 12
• Won/Lost overall: 881/779, .531
• Best season: 82/55, .599 (2001)
• Championship Playoffs Won: 1
• Best MWL Won/Lost Record: none (tied for 2nd, 1998; 2nd, 2000)

Battle Creek joined the MWL in 1995, when the franchise was transferred from Madison, Wisconsin. The franchise moved to Midland, Michigan after the 2006 season.

Historically, this is the Springfield, Illinois, franchise.

Seasonal Results
Other Leagues

Team Names

• Michigan Battle Cats (1995-2002)
• Battle Creek Yankees (2003-2004)
• Southwest Michigan Devil Rays (2005-2006)

This team's name was announced as the Battle Creek Golden Kazoos on November 28, 1994. That name was abandoned on March 9, 1995, as a result of a trademark dispute and the general unpopularity of the original name.

Affiliations

• Boston Red Sox (1995-98)
• Houston Astros (1999-2002)
• New York Yankees (2003-04)
• Tampa Bay Devil Rays (2005-06

Officers, Managers, & Coaches

Ballpark

• C.O. Brown Stadium in Bailey Park (built 1989)

Attendance record

• 171,794 (1995)

Ballparks & Attendance

Best Seasons

• Hitter: Aaron McNeal (1999) .310, 38 HR, 131 RBI
• Pitcher: Jeff Taglienti (1998) 1.89, 111 Ks in 76 IP, 30 Saves

Best Big League Career

• Johan Santana (1999)
  • Roy Oswalt, Santana's teammate with the 1999 Battle Cats, has a perhaps-better major league stat line, though he's collected fewer trophies.

Awards

• 1995 DeMarlo Hale (Manager of the Year)
• 1998 Billy Gardner Jr. (Manager of the Year)
• 1998 Jeff Taglienti (NAPBL/Rolaids Relief Man of the Year)
• 1999 Aaron McNeal (Most Valuable Player)

Battle Creek Highlights

Team Records

Hitters

• Batting: Shea Hillenbrand (1998) .349
• Home Runs: Aaron McNeal (1999) 38
• Runs Batted In: Aaron McNeal (1999) 131
• Stolen Bases: Jason Maule (2001) 56

Seasonal Hitting Leaders

Pitchers

• Wins: Chad Qualls (2001) 15
• Won/Lost (10 decisions): Roy Oswalt (1999) 13/4, .765
• Earned Run Average: Mike Burns (2002) 2.49
• Strikeouts: Jake McGee (2006) 171
• Saves: Jeff Taglienti (1998) 30

Seasonal Pitching Leaders

Note

This summary originated as the December 12, 1998, Midwest League Tidbit on the Midwest League Mailing List.

Sources

These pages draw heavily on several sources:

• Lloyd Johnson & Miles Wolff, eds, The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (Durham: Baseball America, 1997)
• Midwest League Media Guide and Record Book (Beloit: Midwest League, various years; title varies)
• Kevin Saldana, Today in Minor League Baseball History (???: SalFam Books, 1999)
• Baseball America's Almanac (Durham: Baseball America, various years)
• News sources.