Whitecaps Winter Baseball Banquet Tickets Available through Tuesday

American League Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer headlines the West Michigan Whitecaps' winter fan event next week.

The Detroit Tigers ace is part of the 20-member Detroit Tigers Winter Caravan for the 20th annual Whitecaps Winter Baseball Banquet, which is Jan. 23 at DeVos Place in Grand Rapids, Whitecaps Director of Marketing and Media Relations Mickey Graham said.

Besides Scherzer, also expected to attend are David Dombrowski, Tigers president, CEO and general manager, and new Tigers players Joba Chamberlain and Steve Lombardozzi.

The banquet begins at 5:45 p.m. with a silent auction of sports memorabilia and other items. The auction is followed by dinner, a live auction, the Whitecaps Hall of Fame induction ceremony and guest speakers. Whitecaps general partners Lew Chamberlin and Dennis Baxter are also to discuss the fire at Fifth Third Ballpark and the organization's plans to rebuild, Graham said.

Proceeds go to the Whitecaps Community Foundation, which plans to donate all funds from the event to the YMCA Inner-City Youth Baseball/Softball Program and the Detroit Tigers Foundation, an affiliate of Ilitch Charities. More than $565,000 has been raised through the banquet for the charities.

Tickets are on sale through Tuesday (Jan. 14). They are available at $80 per person or as part of a 10-ticket corporate package that costs $900. Tickets may be purchased by calling the Whitecaps at (616) 784-4131.

Source: West Michigan Whitecaps