Cutlerville resident Ben Klooster, 4, laughs as West Michigan Whitecaps' pitchers Sandy Baez (35) and Gerson Moreno (39) visit him during treatment at Spectrum Health Helen DeVos Children's Hospital. Klooster is being treated for rhabdomyosarcoma, a cancer of muscle tissue. (Taylor Ballek | Spectrum Health Beat)
Ludington resident Kassidi Duell, 8, laughs as West Michigan Whitecaps' players visit with her. (Taylor Ballek | Spectrum Health Beat)
Wayland resident Jeremiah Winter, 7, poses for a photo with West Michigan Whitecaps' pitchers Moreno and Baez, who visited him before an appointment. Winter is being treated for lymphoma. (Taylor Ballek | Spectrum Health Beat)
Grand Rapids resident Emma Joyce, 6, waits for West Michigan Whitecaps' left-fielder Rashad Brown (25) to make the next move during a game of Candy Land at Spectrum Health DeVos Children's Hospital. Joyce is being treated for Wilms tumor, a cancer of the kidneys. "She beat me fair and square," Brown said. (Taylor Ballek | Spectrum Health Beat)
Rockford resident Joey Whitmore, 13, and West Michigan's Whitecaps' second baseman David Gonzalez (10) react to a video game during the Whitecaps visit. Whitmore is being treated for a ruptured appendix. (Taylor Ballek | Spectrum Health Beat)
Tustin resident Savannah Webster, 5, asks West Michigan Whitecaps' left-fielder Brown if he knows how to play basketball while Grand Rapids resident Emma Joyce, 6, right, listens during a game of Candy Land with Brown. Webster is being treated for kidney failure while Joyce is being treated for Wilms tumor. (Taylor Ballek | Spectrum Health Beat)
Jenison resident Austin Dejong, 7, holds his cat stuffed animal wearing a Detroit Tigers jersey, after West Michigan's Whitecaps' pitchers Baez and Moreno signed it while visiting him during a treatment. (Taylor Ballek | Spectrum Health Beat)
Tustin resident Savannah Webster, 5, talks with West Michigan's Whitecaps' players Brown and Gonzalez in the elevator at the hospital. (Taylor Ballek | Spectrum Health Beat)
Kentwood resident Drew VanderHill, 13, holds his hat over West Michigan Whitecaps' pitcher Baez's head during a visit before an appointment. VanderHill is being treated for AML acute myeloid leukemia. (Taylor Ballek | Spectrum Health Beat)
Ludington resident Kassidi Duell, 8, poses for a photo with West Michigan Whitecaps' players Gonzalez (10), Moreno (39), Baez (35) and Brown (25). (Taylor Ballek | Spectrum Health Beat)
The West Michigan Whitecaps players took some time to visit, play games, and sign autographs for children at the hospital. (Taylor Ballek | Spectrum Health Beat)
West Michigan Whitecaps players may have a knack for winning on the field, but not so much when it comes to playing video games or the board game Candy Land.
“She beat me fair and square,” said Whitecaps’ left-fielder, Rashad Brown after playing 6-year-old Grand Rapids native Emma Joyce in a game of Candy Land.
Emma, who is being treated for Wilms tumor, a cancer of the kidneys, taught the rookie board game player the ins and outs to the game, but Brown still fell short in the end.
The other players that came to visit included two pitchers from the Dominican Republic, Sandy Baez and Gerson Moreno, and second-baseman David Gonzalez from Venezuela.