June 4, 2025 • 5 mins
West Michigan Whitecaps VP and GM Jim Jarecki joins us to discuss the incredible start to the 2025 season!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is West Michigan's morning News. Steve, Kelly, Brett, Pikid,
Laurence Smith. Let me ask you this question, Laurence Smith,
because you do a lot with traffic when you're on
a certain highway you're passing by Lake Michigan Credit Union Ballpark. Yes,
what highway is it?
Speaker 2 (00:15):
That would be one thirty one.
Speaker 1 (00:16):
Steve, follow me? Follow me? Wow, Steve, follow me on
this one in studio with us. Jim Jureki, the vice
president and general manager of your West Michigan White Casts.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Good morning everybody, So there's a good one.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
Just threw some fascinating information at me. You have outscored
your opponents so far this season by one hundred and
thirty one runs. That's run differential, run differential, So coincidence,
I say, right, Jim, what's up with this team?
Speaker 2 (00:44):
I'll tell you what. Winning is contagious and it goes
all the way from the Detroit Tigers all the way down.
The farm system for the Tigers is incredible. The white Caps,
we are an incredible run. I've never seen this in
thirty two years of the run that the white Caps
have been on and the talent that we have on
the field with the white Caps. You look at that
and you look at the stats, and it's just so
fun right now that they're just tearing up nine game
(01:06):
winning streak. It's all about baseball right now.
Speaker 3 (01:09):
Well, and because the dynamic and the way it's worked
for the minor league system being condensed, you know we're
gonna even better talent here. Plus Jim can talk about
the Tigers love having their young stars play here because
the crowds they play in front of the fact that
they are so close to Detroit, so scouts can come
and see them. But you look at it, people remember
watching Riley Green, I remember watching from other teams, Alex
(01:30):
Rodriguez play there when he was just a teenager, Prince
Fielder play there, who ended up with the Tigers later
with the Brewers at the time. You're gonna remember Kevin McGonagall,
You're gonna remember Max Clark. You're gonna and these guys
are all current on your roster right now.
Speaker 2 (01:43):
They are, and you know you're also gonna remember Spencer Torkelsen,
Cole Keith Ye, Terrek Schouobl. I mean, these are guys
and this is what we really tie in with the
white Caps is that they're so close to Detroit. Really,
I mean the guys that are on the Tigers right
now that are winning and winning well. I mean there
are two three years removed from here in ellen See
you Ballpark. So the Tires have really developed their system.
They went from twenty fifth ranked minor league system to
(02:06):
number one right now. And you look at the white Caps,
Eerie Talio, we're all in first place.
Speaker 3 (02:10):
Yeah. Yeah, and that's the reason that they're staying here.
I mean, Jim and I talked about this off the year,
is these guys will accelerate up because that's what they
want to do, right They want to move up, but
right now because the log jam, we're benefiting from that.
But the message is get out to these home stands
because eventually they're gonna move up.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
Well, you know, we're we're close to clinching the first half.
Our magic numbers down to seven, which is insane.
Speaker 3 (02:33):
I mean it's like June.
Speaker 2 (02:34):
Fourth, right, and the first half is gonna end June nineteenth.
So you've got that. So the whole idea at this
level is obviously the ice progressed. They do good. They
put the stats up there and we're talking video game
numbers right now, right about the press is ridiculous.
Speaker 3 (02:47):
He's got thirteen home runs. It's not even mid June.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
I'm mean he hit three in Dayton last last week.
He hit one last night. And Kevin McGonagall, I mean,
this guy is going to be a superstar. I'm putting
bets on it right now. But the talent that they
have and what happens or is it pushes everybody to
do better. It's plug and play right now for the Tigers.
Speaker 3 (03:04):
This guy's six', four he's two hundred pounds lefty twenty. Years,
yeah it's exactly what The tigers. NEED i, Mean Riley
green is doing that for them right, now but this
guy could even take it to another level where AND
i just love seeing his name because it's Not jose
don't call Mose, no it's Host way.
Speaker 1 (03:20):
Saying you, KNOW i hate to bring this, up but
when my little girls would go to these, games they
had more fun than anything they did all. Week AND
i don't even know what they knew that a ballgame
was going. On there is something for the whole family
at these, things and you'll see the changes when you
first walk. In but talk to us ABOUT i, mean
there are theme nights every night this, week there's something
for everybody to.
Speaker 2 (03:40):
Enjoy we do. IT i, mean we're all about the,
food the funny, entertainment the. Promotion the renovations of the
ballpark have been really real well received and it's. Exciting
the crowds are coming out and you know.
Speaker 3 (03:50):
This year to renovate the, ballpark right this is the
week to get.
Speaker 2 (03:54):
OUT i, know schools getting, out but you, know right
now to see these guys that you just. Mentioned that's
that's the prime thing right now about the baseball players
and how well they are. Playing but you, know we got.
Promotion we've got fireworks On saturday, night we got lost
caravers On, sunday we got every home every home. Stand
we are full for those six. Days and there's an
full opportunity to get out to the, ballpark.
Speaker 1 (04:15):
Get online and get.
Speaker 3 (04:16):
TICKETS i want to see the guy was he last
night or? Not is he coming? Up the guy who
like balance his stuff on.
Speaker 2 (04:20):
His, uh he is coming up and that is going
to Be i'm talking like.
Speaker 3 (04:24):
A full ladder and. Everything, guys he balances everything you give.
Speaker 2 (04:27):
Him and the great thing About tyler is he goes
through the, crowd so he does stuff on the field between.
Ings but he'll go in the crowd and he'll entertain
throughout the course of the entire. Game and he will do.
It you give him, anything he will he will do.
It And i'll tell you what he's about ninety nine percent.
Successful wasn't That america's got.
Speaker 1 (04:43):
Talent, yes, YES i saw him with a giant pop
somebody who's just out in the. Crowd same. Thing he
was right by.
Speaker 3 (04:48):
Us will he Balanced Steve kelly for the right. Price let's,
Go let's Not steve you have he's lost.
Speaker 2 (04:55):
Weight Man tyler is not uh not afraid to try.
Speaker 1 (04:59):
Things are lawyers for that very. Reason Vice, president.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
You have safety. Nets.
Speaker 1 (05:04):
Welcome general manager of The West michigan White, Caps Jim.
Jirekis take a.
Speaker 3 (05:08):
Look at the first place dugout first base That Steve
kelly is up. There have a great da
This is West Michigan's morning News. Steve, Kelly, Brett, Pikid,
Laurence Smith. Let me ask you this question, Laurence Smith,
because you do a lot with traffic when you're on
a certain highway you're passing by Lake Michigan Credit Union Ballpark. Yes,
what highway is it?
Speaker 2 (00:15):
That would be one thirty one.
Speaker 1 (00:16):
Steve, follow me? Follow me? Wow, Steve, follow me on
this one in studio with us. Jim Jureki, the vice
president and general manager of your West Michigan White Casts.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Good morning everybody, So there's a good one.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
Just threw some fascinating information at me. You have outscored
your opponents so far this season by one hundred and
thirty one runs. That's run differential, run differential, So coincidence,
I say, right, Jim, what's up with this team?
Speaker 2 (00:44):
I'll tell you what. Winning is contagious and it goes
all the way from the Detroit Tigers all the way down.
The farm system for the Tigers is incredible. The white Caps,
we are an incredible run. I've never seen this in
thirty two years of the run that the white Caps
have been on and the talent that we have on
the field with the white Caps. You look at that
and you look at the stats, and it's just so
fun right now that they're just tearing up nine game
(01:06):
winning streak. It's all about baseball right now.
Speaker 3 (01:09):
Well, and because the dynamic and the way it's worked
for the minor league system being condensed, you know we're
gonna even better talent here. Plus Jim can talk about
the Tigers love having their young stars play here because
the crowds they play in front of the fact that
they are so close to Detroit, so scouts can come
and see them. But you look at it, people remember
watching Riley Green, I remember watching from other teams, Alex
(01:30):
Rodriguez play there when he was just a teenager, Prince
Fielder play there, who ended up with the Tigers later
with the Brewers at the time. You're gonna remember Kevin McGonagall,
You're gonna remember Max Clark. You're gonna and these guys
are all current on your roster right now.
Speaker 2 (01:43):
They are, and you know you're also gonna remember Spencer Torkelsen,
Cole Keith Ye, Terrek Schouobl. I mean, these are guys
and this is what we really tie in with the
white Caps is that they're so close to Detroit. Really,
I mean the guys that are on the Tigers right
now that are winning and winning well. I mean there
are two three years removed from here in ellen See
you Ballpark. So the Tires have really developed their system.
They went from twenty fifth ranked minor league system to
(02:06):
number one right now. And you look at the white Caps,
Eerie Talio, we're all in first place.
Speaker 3 (02:10):
Yeah. Yeah, and that's the reason that they're staying here.
I mean, Jim and I talked about this off the year,
is these guys will accelerate up because that's what they
want to do, right They want to move up, but
right now because the log jam, we're benefiting from that.
But the message is get out to these home stands
because eventually they're gonna move up.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
Well, you know, we're we're close to clinching the first half.
Our magic numbers down to seven, which is insane.
Speaker 3 (02:33):
I mean it's like June.
Speaker 2 (02:34):
Fourth, right, and the first half is gonna end June nineteenth.
So you've got that. So the whole idea at this
level is obviously the ice progressed. They do good. They
put the stats up there and we're talking video game
numbers right now, right about the press is ridiculous.
Speaker 3 (02:47):
He's got thirteen home runs. It's not even mid June.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
I'm mean he hit three in Dayton last last week.
He hit one last night. And Kevin McGonagall, I mean,
this guy is going to be a superstar. I'm putting
bets on it right now. But the talent that they
have and what happens or is it pushes everybody to
do better. It's plug and play right now for the Tigers.
Speaker 3 (03:04):
This guy's six', four he's two hundred pounds lefty twenty. Years,
yeah it's exactly what The tigers. NEED i, Mean Riley
green is doing that for them right, now but this
guy could even take it to another level where AND
i just love seeing his name because it's Not jose
don't call Mose, no it's Host way.
Speaker 1 (03:20):
Saying you, KNOW i hate to bring this, up but
when my little girls would go to these, games they
had more fun than anything they did all. Week AND
i don't even know what they knew that a ballgame
was going. On there is something for the whole family
at these, things and you'll see the changes when you
first walk. In but talk to us ABOUT i, mean
there are theme nights every night this, week there's something
for everybody to.
Speaker 2 (03:40):
Enjoy we do. IT i, mean we're all about the,
food the funny, entertainment the. Promotion the renovations of the
ballpark have been really real well received and it's. Exciting
the crowds are coming out and you know.
Speaker 3 (03:50):
This year to renovate the, ballpark right this is the
week to get.
Speaker 2 (03:54):
OUT i, know schools getting, out but you, know right
now to see these guys that you just. Mentioned that's
that's the prime thing right now about the baseball players
and how well they are. Playing but you, know we got.
Promotion we've got fireworks On saturday, night we got lost
caravers On, sunday we got every home every home. Stand
we are full for those six. Days and there's an
full opportunity to get out to the, ballpark.
Speaker 1 (04:15):
Get online and get.
Speaker 3 (04:16):
TICKETS i want to see the guy was he last
night or? Not is he coming? Up the guy who
like balance his stuff on.
Speaker 2 (04:20):
His, uh he is coming up and that is going
to Be i'm talking like.
Speaker 3 (04:24):
A full ladder and. Everything, guys he balances everything you give.
Speaker 2 (04:27):
Him and the great thing About tyler is he goes
through the, crowd so he does stuff on the field between.
Ings but he'll go in the crowd and he'll entertain
throughout the course of the entire. Game and he will do.
It you give him, anything he will he will do.
It And i'll tell you what he's about ninety nine percent.
Successful wasn't That america's got.
Speaker 1 (04:43):
Talent, yes, YES i saw him with a giant pop
somebody who's just out in the. Crowd same. Thing he
was right by.
Speaker 3 (04:48):
Us will he Balanced Steve kelly for the right. Price let's,
Go let's Not steve you have he's lost.
Speaker 2 (04:55):
Weight Man tyler is not uh not afraid to try.
Speaker 1 (04:59):
Things are lawyers for that very. Reason Vice, president.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
You have safety. Nets.
Speaker 1 (05:04):
Welcome general manager of The West michigan White, Caps Jim.
Jirekis take a.
Speaker 3 (05:08):
Look at the first place dugout first base That Steve
kelly is up. There have a great da
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