Whitecaps announce 2012 schedule
The 2012 Whitecaps game schedule and start times have now been finalized. The Whitecaps open their 19th season of Midwest League baseball on the road at Dayton on Thursday, April 5. The 'Caps return to Fifth Third Ballpark for the home opener on Monday, April 9 at 6 p.m. versus Bowling Green.
April will once again be a busy month at the ballpark, with a seven-game opening homestand followed by a six-game set beginning on Thursday, April 19. For the second straight season the Whitecaps will offer a noon start time for several of the April weekday games, designed for the comfort of fans to take advantage of warmer daytime temperatures as well as to offer suitable games for kids' reading club program groups. The noon games in April will be Tuesday, April 10, Wednesday, April 11 and Tuesday, April 24. Saturdays and Sundays in April will be 1 p.m. start times.
A total of 19 popular Farm Bureau Insurance Fireworks Nights kick off on Opening Day, April 9; fireworks are scheduled for every Saturday game from May through the end of the season, every Wednesday game starting in June, and three Friday home games (June 22, August 3 and August 24).
May is packed with the most games of any month next season, with 16. It will be a big month for area school groups, with three 11 a.m. games designated as School Days (Thursday, May 10, Monday, May 21 and Tuesday, May 29). Memorial Day (Monday, May 28) is slated for a 1 p.m. start; remaining game times in May are 6:35 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, 7 p.m. Saturdays and 1 p.m. Sundays.
June has the least amount of home games on the schedule, with just 12 games during the month due to the three-game Midwest League All-Star Break. July and August both have 13 home games scheduled. The season concludes with a three-game set at home against Dayton September 1 through 3, ending with a 1 p.m. game on Labor Day. Game times for June through September are 7 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and 1 p.m. Sundays, with the exception of noon games on Monday, July 9 and Monday, August 13, and the 1 p.m. season finale on Monday, September 3.
The Whitecaps front office staff is already working hard to fill the home dates with promotions. Weekly promotions:
SUNDAY: Helen DeVos Children's Hospital Family Days (kids eat free, pregame team autographs and play catch on the field) and Bob Evans Kids Run The Bases.
MONDAY: JQ99 All Faiths Night (Get half off a box or reserved seat when you show a church or community bulletin).
TUESDAY: Humana Silver Slugger Night (All Whitecaps fans 50 years or better get half-off box or reserved seats).
WEDNESDAY: Priority Health Wellness Wednesdays (Get $2 off reserved seats when you show your Priority Health card and come early for a pre-game lap around the field). Also Farm Bureau Fireworks every Wednesday post-game beginning in June.
THURSDAY: Altogas Thrifty Thursdays ($2 food and drink specials).
FRIDAY: Tiger Fridays (giveaway items of and appearances by former Tigers players) - beginning in June.
SATURDAY: Farm Bureau Insurance Fireworks (post-game fireworks every Saturday starting in May presented by Farm Bureau Insurance).
The Whitecaps play just one Tuesday at home in each of the summer months; those three games will be Dime Dog nights (ten cent hot dogs).
Many more promotions will be added throughout the off-season. Promotions will be added to the Whitecaps website as they are booked.
Fans can purchase season tickets and mini plans beginning Tuesday, October 25 by calling the Whitecaps front office at (616) 784-4131. Tickets for groups of 20 or more, including private party areas, will go on sale on Friday, November 18. Individual game tickets will go on sale in early 2012.
The full 2012 schedule is attached and is available on the Whitecaps website at whitecapsbaseball.com. Fans are also able to download the schedule to their iPhone and Android phones using the Whitecaps app that can be found at whitecapsbaseball.com.