View source for Lansing Lugnuts

{{short description|American Minor League baseball team}}
{{Redirect|Lugnuts|other uses|Lugnut (disambiguation)}}
{{use mdy dates|date=November 2015}}
{{Infobox Minor League Baseball
| name             = Lansing Lugnuts
| founded          = 1955
| founding city    = Lafayette, Indiana
| city             = Lansing, Michigan
| based            = 1996
| misc             = 
| logo             = LansingLugnuts_PrimaryLogo.png
| uniformlogo      = LansingLugnuts_PrimaryCapLogo.png
| class level      = [[High-A]] (2021–present)
| past class level = [[Class A (baseball)|Class A]] (1955–2020) 
| current league   = [[Midwest League]] (1955–present)
| conference       = 
| division         = East Division
| past league      = 
| majorleague      = [[Oakland Athletics]] / [[Athletics (baseball)|Athletics]] (2021–present)
| pastmajorleague  = {{plainlist|
* [[Toronto Blue Jays]] (2005–2020)
* [[Chicago Cubs]] (1999–2004)
* [[Kansas City Royals]] (1995–1998, 1969–1976)
* [[San Diego Padres]] (1990–1994)
* Co-op (1989)
* [[Cleveland Indians]] (1977–1988, 1955)
* [[Boston Red Sox]] (1956–1968)
}}
| nickname  = Lansing Lugnuts (1996–present)
| pastnames = {{plainlist|
* [[Springfield Sultans]] (1994–1995)
* [[Waterloo Diamonds]] (1989–1993)
* [[Waterloo Indians]] (1977–1988)
* [[Waterloo Royals]] (1970–1976)
* [[Waterloo Hawks (baseball)|Waterloo Hawks]] (1958–1969)
* [[Lafayette Red Sox]] (1956–1957)
* [[Lafayette Chiefs]] (1955)
}}
| colors    = Red and silver<br>{{Color box|#e51937}} {{Color box|#c6cfd4}}
| ballpark  = [[Jackson Field (Lansing)|Jackson Field]] (1996–present)
| pastparks = {{plainlist|
* [[Lanphier Park]] (1994–1995)
* [[Riverfront Stadium (Waterloo)|Riverfront Stadium]] (1958–1993)
* [[Loeb Stadium (1940)|Loeb Stadium]] (1955–1957)
}}
| mascot         = Big Lug
| leaguenum      = 9
| leaguechamps   = {{hlist|1958|1959|1960|1975|1976|1980|1986|1997|2003}}
| divnum         = 
| divisionchamps = 
| firsthalfnum   = 4
| firsthalfchamps= {{hlist|1999|2008|2012|2015}}
| secondhalfnum  = 1
| secondhalfchamps= {{hlist|1996}}
| owner          = [[Diamond Baseball Holdings]]
| gm             = Zac Clark<ref>{{cite news |url=https://ballparkdigest.com/2022/12/19/tyler-parsons-new-durham-bulls-gm-zac-clark-promoted-in-lansing-as-replacement/ |title=Tyler Parsons New Durham Bulls GM; Zac Clark Promoted in Lansing as Replacement |work=Ballpark Digest |publisher=August Publications |date=December 19, 2022 |access-date=December 20, 2022}}</ref>
| manager        = Darryl Kennedy
| website        = {{URL|https://www.milb.com/lansing|milb.com/lansing}}
}}
[[File:lugnuts01.jpg|thumb|right|The Lansing Lugnuts at Oldsmobile Park in 2009]]
The '''Lansing Lugnuts''' are a [[Minor League Baseball]] team of the [[Midwest League]] and the [[High-A]] affiliate of the [[Athletics (baseball)|Athletics]]. They are located in [[Lansing, Michigan]], and play their home games at [[Jackson Field (Lansing)|Jackson Field]].

The Midwest League came to Lansing after owners Tom Dickson and Sherrie Myers moved the team to work with the city for a public-private lease to build a new stadium. Mayor David Hollister, and the City Council worked to attract the owners and build the stadium for downtown economic development. The team began playing in downtown Lansing in 1996. The franchise began as the [[Lafayette Red Sox]] in [[Lafayette, Indiana]], in 1955; after two seasons it became the [[Waterloo Hawks (baseball)|Waterloo Hawks]], moving to [[Waterloo, Iowa]], where it stayed for 36 seasons. Before the 1994 season it moved to [[Springfield, Illinois]], but only spent two seasons there before moving to Lansing. The franchise was an affiliate of the [[Kansas City Royals]] on two occasions in three cities: as the Waterloo Royals<ref>{{cite web |last1=Weiss |first1=Bill |last2=Wright |first2=Marshall |url=https://origin.milb.com/milb/history/top100.jsp?idx=60 |title=Top 100 Teams {{!}} MiLB.com History {{!}} The Official Site of Minor League Baseball |website=MiLB.com |access-date=January 26, 2023 |language=en}}</ref> from 1969 through 1976, as the Sultans of Springfield in 1995, and then, upon the team's move to Lansing, from 1996 through 1998. The Lugnuts were then an affiliate of the [[Chicago Cubs]] from 1999 through 2004 before joining the Jays' farm system for the 2005 season. In September 2014, the Jays extended their agreement with the Lugnuts through the 2016 season.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/mlb/gibbons-jays-like-what-pompey-offers/ |title=Gibbons: Jays like what Pompey offers |last=Nicholson-Smith |first=Ben |work=[[Sportsnet]] |date=September 23, 2014 |access-date=September 23, 2014}}</ref> In October 2016, their player development contract was extended through the 2018 season.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://usatodayhss.com/2016/lugnuts-to-remain-affiliated-with-toronto-blue-jays |title=Lugnuts to remain affiliated with Toronto Blue Jays |last=Calloway |first=Brian |work=USA Today High School Sports |date=October 4, 2016 |access-date=December 14, 2016}}</ref> Since 2021, they have been the High-A affiliate of the Oakland Athletics.

The Lugnuts' ballpark, Jackson Field, opened in 1996. The stadium seats over 10,000 fans and is one of the most handicapped accessible stadiums in the country. The franchise attendance record of 538,326 was set during its inaugural year. They won the [[Midwest League]] Championship in 1997 and 2003. The Lugnuts have their own original song which plays immediately after the national anthem for every home game accompanied by their mascot, Big Lug.

In conjunction with [[Major League Baseball]]'s restructuring of Minor League Baseball in 2021, the Lugnuts were organized into the High-A Central.<ref>{{cite web|last=Mayo|first=Jonathan|title=MLB Announces New Minors Teams, Leagues|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/new-minor-league-baseball-structure|website=Major League Baseball|date=February 12, 2021|access-date=June 22, 2024}}</ref> In 2022, the High-A Central became known as the Midwest League, the name historically used by the regional circuit prior to the 2021 reorganization.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.milb.com/news/minor-league-baseball-historical-league-names-to-return-in-2022|title=Historical League Names to Return in 2022|website=Minor League Baseball|date=March 16, 2022|access-date=June 22, 2024}}</ref>

==Crosstown Showdown==
Since 2007, the Lansing Lugnuts have participated in an annual exhibition game with nearby [[Michigan State University]] which draws a large crowd of students to the event. The overall record and attendance for each game is as follows:

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; "
!Date&nbsp;
!&nbsp;Winning team&nbsp;
!Score&nbsp;
!&nbsp;Losing team&nbsp;
!&nbsp;Attendance&nbsp;
!&nbsp;Ref&nbsp;
|-align=center
| April 3, 2007 || Lansing Lugnuts || 4–3 || Michigan State || 6,223 ||
|-
| April 24, 2008 || Lansing Lugnuts || 4–2 || Michigan State || 12,862 ||
|-
| April 16, 2009 || Michigan State || 12–2 || Lansing Lugnuts || 12,992 ||
|-
| April 26, 2010 || Lansing Lugnuts || 5–4 || Michigan State || 6,778 ||
|-
| April 5, 2011 || Michigan State || 4–3 || Lansing Lugnuts || 7,212 ||
|-
| April 5, 2012 || Lansing Lugnuts || 7–0 || Michigan State || 12,997 ||
|-
| May 1, 2013 || Lansing Lugnuts || 10–2 || Michigan State || 11,619 ||
|-
| April 3, 2014 || Lansing Lugnuts || 3–2 || Michigan State || 4,455 ||
|-
| April 9, 2015 || Lansing Lugnuts || 9–4 || Michigan State || 9,318 || <ref>{{Cite news |first=Chris |last=Solari |url=https://www.lansingstatejournal.com/story/sports/2015/04/09/solari-lugnuts-column/25560349/ |title=Solari: Crosstown Showdown a flashback to Lugnuts debut |newspaper=[[Lansing State Journal]] |date=April 9, 2015}}</ref>
|-
| September 6, 2016 || Lansing Lugnuts || 4–1 || Michigan State || 8,432 ||
|-
| September 5, 2017 || Lansing Lugnuts || 5–1 || Michigan State || 6,804 || <ref>{{Cite news |url=https://msuspartans.com/news/2017/9/5/Spartans_Fall_To_Lugnuts_Tuesday_In_11th_Annual_Crosstown_Showdown |title=Spartans Fall to Lugnuts Tuesday in 11th Annual Crosstown Showdown |work=[[Michigan State Spartans]] |date=September 5, 2017}}</ref>
|-
| September 4, 2018 || Lansing Lugnuts || 6–4 || Michigan State || 6,338 || <ref>{{Cite news |first=Jesse |last=Goldberg-Strassler |url=https://www.milb.com/lansing/news/pearson-impresses-in-return-lugnuts-win-7th-straight-showdown-293380698 |title=Pearson impresses in return, Lugnuts win 7th straight Showdown |date=September 4, 2018 |work=[[MiLB.com]]}}</ref>
|-
| September 3, 2019 || Lansing Lugnuts || 5–1 || Michigan State || 5,933 || <ref>{{Cite news |first=Jesse |last=Goldberg-Strassler |url=https://www.milb.com/lansing/news/hiraldo-perez-hrs-power-lugs-to-8th-straight-win-over-michigan-state-310522782 |title=Hiraldo, Perez HRs power Lugs to 8th straight win over Michigan State |date=September 3, 2019 |work=[[MiLB.com]]}}</ref>
|-
| April 6, 2022 || Lansing Lugnuts || 3–2 || Michigan State || 3,117 || <ref>{{Cite news |url=https://msuspartans.com/news/2022/4/6/baseball-spartans-edged-by-lugnuts-3-2-in-crosstown-showdown-wednesday.aspx |title=Spartans Edged By Lugnuts, 3-2, In Crosstown Showdown Wednesday |work=Michigan State Spartans |date=April 6, 2022}}</ref>
|-
| April 4, 2023 || Lansing Lugnuts || 12-3 || Michigan State || 4,412 || <ref>{{Cite news |url=https://msuspartans.com/news/2023/4/4/baseball-spartans-topped-by-lugnuts-in-2023-crosstown-showdown.aspx |title=Spartans Topped By Lugnuts In 2023 Crosstown Showdown |work=Michigan State Spartans |date=April 4, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Soverinsky |first1=Melanie |title=MSU baseball falls to Lansing Lugnuts in 15th annual Crosstown Showdown Tuesday |url=https://statenews.com/article/2023/04/msu-baseball-falls-to-lansing-lugnuts-in-15th-annual-crosstown-showdown-on-tuesday-night |access-date=April 22, 2023 |work=[[The State News]] |date=April 4, 2023 |location=[[East Lansing, Michigan]] |language=en-us}}</ref>
|}

==Playoffs==

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
!Season!!Quarterfinals!!Semifinals!!Finals
|-
|1996 ||- ||- ||-
|-
|1997 ||W, 2–1, [[Michigan Battle Cats|Michigan]] ||W, 2–0, [[Fort Wayne Wizards|Fort Wayne]] ||W, 3–2, [[Kane County Cougars|Kane County]]
|-
|1998 ||- ||- ||-
|-
|1999 ||W, 2–0, [[Michigan Battle Cats|Michigan]] ||L, 2–0, [[Wisconsin Timber Rattlers|Wisconsin]] ||-
|-
|2000 ||- ||- ||-
|-
|2001 ||L, 2–0, [[Dayton Dragons|Dayton]] ||- ||-
|-
|2002 ||W, 2–1, [[Michigan Battle Cats|Michigan]] ||W, 2–1, [[West Michigan Whitecaps|West Michigan]] ||L, 3–1, [[Peoria Chiefs|Peoria]]
|-
|2003 ||W, 2–0, [[South Bend Silver Hawks|South Bend]] ||W, 2–0, [[Battle Creek Yankees|Battle Creek]] ||W, 3–0, [[Beloit Snappers|Beloit]]
|-
|2004 ||L, 2–1, [[West Michigan Whitecaps|West Michigan]] ||- ||-
|-
|2005 ||- ||- ||-
|-
|2006 ||W, 2–0, [[South Bend Silver Hawks|South Bend]] ||L, 2–0, [[West Michigan Whitecaps|West Michigan]] ||-
|-
|2007 ||L, 2–0, [[West Michigan Whitecaps|West Michigan]] ||- ||-
|-
|2008 ||L, 2–0, [[Dayton Dragons|Dayton]] ||- ||-
|-
|2009 ||- ||- ||-
|-
|2010 ||- ||- ||-
|-
|2011 ||W, 2–1, [[Dayton Dragons|Dayton]] ||W, 2–0, [[Fort Wayne Wizards|Fort Wayne]] ||L, 3–0, [[Quad Cities River Bandits|Quad Cities]]
|-
|2012 ||L, 2–0, [[Fort Wayne Wizards|Fort Wayne]] ||- ||-
|-
|2013 ||- ||- ||-
|-
|2014 ||- ||- ||-
|-
|2015 ||W, 2–0, [[Great Lakes Loons|Great Lakes]] ||L, 2–1, [[West Michigan Whitecaps|West Michigan]] ||-
|-
|2016 ||- ||- ||-
|-
|2017 ||- ||- ||-
|-
|2018 ||L, 2–0, [[Bowling Green Hot Rods|Bowling Green]] ||- ||-
|-
|2019 ||- ||- ||-
|}

==Media coverage==
Jesse Goldberg-Strassler broadcasts Lugnuts home and away games on [[WVFN|WVFN-AM]].  WVFN previously aired Lugnuts games from 2001 to 2003.

Lugnuts games also aired on [[WJIM (AM)|WJIM-AM]] from 1996 to 2000 and [[WQTX|WQTX-FM]] from 2004 to 2016. Several games per season aired on [[WLNS-TV]] from 1996 through 2001. From 2002 to 2009, one game aired each season on [[WILX-TV]].

==Alumni==
The following are players in [[Major League Baseball]] who played, at one time, for the Lugnuts. This partial list includes players making injury-comeback starts as well as those that developed in Lansing.

===Kansas City Royals===
{{div col|colwidth=15em}}
* [[Jeremy Affeldt]]
* [[Kevin Appier]]
* [[Carlos Beltrán]]
* [[Juan Brito (catcher)|Juan Brito]]
* [[Lance Carter (baseball)|Lance Carter]]
* [[Tim Collins (baseball)|Tim Collins]]
* [[Chad Durbin]]
* [[Carlos Febles]]
* [[Jeremy Giambi]]
* [[Mark Quinn]]
* [[José Santiago (2000s pitcher)|José Santiago]]
* [[Andy Sisco]]
{{div col end}}
* [[Orber Moreno]]

===Chicago Cubs===
{{div col|colwidth=15em}}
* [[Francis Beltrán]]
* [[Ronny Cedeño]]
* [[Rocky Cherry]]
* [[Robinson Chirinos]]
* [[Hee-seop Choi]]
* [[Juan Cruz (baseball)|Juan Cruz]]
* [[Ryan Dempster]]
* [[Jake Fox]]
* [[Adam Greenberg (baseball)|Adam Greenberg]]
* [[Ángel Guzmán]]
* [[Rich Hill (pitcher)|Rich Hill]]
* [[Jon Leicester]]
* [[Carlos Mármol]]
* [[Sean Marshall (baseball)|Sean Marshall]]
* [[Juan Mateo]]
* [[Adalberto Méndez]]
* [[Sergio Mitre]]
* [[Orber Moreno]]
* [[Corey Patterson]]
* [[Billy Petrick]]
* [[Félix Pie]]
* [[Andy Pratt (baseball)|Andy Pratt]]
* [[Mark Prior]]
* [[Clay Rapada]]
* [[Ryan Theriot]]
* [[Jermaine Van Buren]]
* [[Todd Wellemeyer]]
* [[Randy Wells]]
* [[Carlos Zambrano]]
{{div col end}}

===Toronto Blue Jays===
{{div col|colwidth=15em}}
* [[Anthony Alford]]
* [[Henderson Álvarez]]
* [[Danny Barnes (baseball)|Danny Barnes]]
* [[Chad Beck]]
* [[Jon Berti]]
* [[Bo Bichette]]
* [[Cavan Biggio]]
* [[Ryan Borucki]]
* [[Joel Carreño]]
* [[Miguel Castro]]
* [[Taylor Cole (baseball)|Taylor Cole]]
* [[David Cooper (baseball)|David Cooper]]
* [[Evan Crawford (baseball)|Evan Crawford]]
* [[Jonathan Davis (baseball)|Jonathan Davis]]
* [[Matt Dermody]]
* [[Danny Farquhar]]
* [[José Fernández (pitcher, born 1993)|José Fernández]]
* [[Graham Godfrey]]
* [[Ryan Goins]]
* [[Yan Gomes]]
* [[Kendall Graveman]]
* [[Vladimir Guerrero Jr.]]
* [[Adeiny Hechavarria]]
* [[Drew Hutchison (baseball)|Drew Hutchison]]
* [[Casey Janssen]]
* [[Danny Jansen]]
* [[Brett Lawrie]]
* [[Jesse Litsch]]
* [[Aaron Loup]]
* [[Trystan Magnuson]]
* [[Darin Mastroianni]]
* [[Tim Mayza]]
* [[Deck McGuire]]
* [[Brad Mills (pitcher)|Brad Mills]]
* [[Daniel Norris (baseball)|Daniel Norris]]
* [[Roberto Osuna]]
* [[Tyler Pastornicky]]
* [[Luis Pérez (pitcher)|Luis Perez]]
* [[Kevin Pillar]]
* [[Dalton Pompey]]
* [[Carlos Ramírez (baseball)|Carlos Ramírez]]
* [[Sean Reid-Foley]]
* [[Jordan Romano]]
* [[Marc Rzepczynski]]
* [[Aaron Sanchez (baseball)|Aaron Sanchez]]
* [[Anthony Sanders]]
* [[Justin Shafer]]
* [[Dwight Smith Jr.]]
* [[Travis Snider]]
* [[Marcus Stroman]]
* [[Noah Syndergaard]]
* [[Rowdy Tellez]]
* [[Ryan Tepera]]
* [[Curtis Thigpen]]
* [[Richard Ureña]]

{{div col end}}

===Miami Marlins===
{{div col|colwidth=15em}}
* [[Anthony DeSclafani]]
* [[Jake Fishman]]
* [[Adam Greenberg (baseball)|Adam Greenberg]]
* [[Jake Marisnick]]
* [[Justin Nicolino]]
* [[Renyel Pinto]]
* [[Matt Treanor]]
{{div col end}}

===St. Louis Cardinals===
* [[Kiko Calero]]

===San Francisco Giants===
* [[Eugenio Vélez]]

==Roster==
[[File:LansingLugnuts2010July.jpg|thumb|right|2010 Lugnuts wearing their away jerseys]]
{{Lansing Lugnuts roster}}

==References==
;Notes
{{reflist}}
;Sources
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite web |last1=Dinda |first1=Joel |title=Lansing, Michigan in the Midwest League |url=http://www.mwlguide.com/cities/lansing/index.html |website=A Fan's Guide to the Midwest League (MWLguide.com) |publisher=Joel Dinda |access-date=January 26, 2023 |orig-date=September 24, 1996 |date=November 21, 2009 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130129081626/http://www.mwlguide.com/cities/lansing/index.html |archive-date=January 29, 2013}}
* Roth, Bob. ''Our Lugnuts, Year One''. 1996. {{ISBN|0-9655603-0-9}}
* Lansing Lugnuts Official Website
{{refend}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* [http://www.lansinglugnuts.com Official website]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20051210133854/http://www.lsj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?category=sports03 Lugnuts page] at the [[Lansing State Journal]]
* [http://www.lansinglugnuts.com/press_box/blog.html Broadcaster's Blog] of Jesse Goldberg-Strassler

{{Athletics (baseball)}}
{{Midwest League}}
{{Diamond Baseball Holdings}}
{{Michigan Sports}}
{{Lansing-East Lansing}}

[[Category:Baseball teams established in 1996]]
[[Category:Midwest League teams]]
[[Category:Sports in Lansing, Michigan]]
[[Category:Professional baseball teams in Michigan]]
[[Category:Chicago Cubs minor league affiliates]]
[[Category:Kansas City Royals minor league affiliates]]
[[Category:Oakland Athletics minor league affiliates]]
[[Category:Toronto Blue Jays minor league affiliates]]
[[Category:1996 establishments in Michigan]]
[[Category:High-A Central teams]]