Mike Busch was introduced as the first manager of the expansion Calgary Vipers March 2, 2005. He had spent the previous two seasons tutoring under former Toronto Blue Jays skipper Tim Johnson with the Lincoln Saltdogs, then of the Northern League.

The Davenport, Iowa native was a two-sport All-American (football and baseball) at Iowa State University and was chosen by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the fourth round of the 1990 draft. However that was not the first time Busch had been drafted by a professional sports team.

Earlier that spring at the 1990 NFL Draft, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers made the former tight end their 10th round pick, 254th overall.

After signing with the Dodgers, Busch was assigned to the rookie-class Great Falls Dodgers of the Pioneer League where he made an instant impact, leading the league in home runs (13), extra-base hits (33), slugging percentage (.605) and total bases (133). He was subsequently named the Pioneer League's All-Star first baseman and went on to win the first of three league championships as he led the Dodgers to a three-game sweep of the Salt Lake City Trappers and the Pioneer League title.

Busch moved up to the Dodgers' Class-A California League affiliate in Bakersfield in 1991, but was limited to just 21 games by injury. He did manage to drive in 16 runs in his brief campaign.

He rose steadily through the Dodgers' chain, belting 18 home runs while with the San Antonio Missions of the Class-AA Texas League in 1992 before moving up to Class-AAA Albuquerque for the 1993, 1994, and 1995 seasons.  Busch made many visits to Foothills Stadium as a member of the Dukes during that time as they took on the Cannons. He won the Pacific Coast League championship with Albuquerque in 1994, but was not with the Dukes as they wrapped up the 1995 season.

Instead on August 30, 1995, legendary Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda called upon the then 27-year-old to bat for pitcher Mark Guthrie in the ninth inning of a game between the Dodgers and the New York Mets at Dodger Stadium. He had made it to "the show".  He remained with the Dodgers through the final month of the season and their NLDS loss to the Cincinnati Reds, appearing in 13 games during which he was used primarily at third base. Busch made the most of his limited playing time however, smacking three home runs in 17 at bats. His first four-bagger came off lefty Jason Christiansen - who ironically attended college in Busch's home state of Iowa - in a game versus the Pirates at Three Rivers Stadium on September 9. In addition to his late-season stint with the Dodgers, Busch was recognized as a Pacific Coast League All-Star.

Busch split the 1996 season between the big club and Albuquerque, hitting four home runs and driving in 17 in 38 games with the Dodgers.  He signed as a free agent with the Cleveland Indians during the off-season and was assigned to Class-AAA Buffalo of the American Association. While with the Bisons, Busch won his third championship ring in eight professional seasons.

After sitting out the 1998 season, Busch re-emerged in independent baseball in 1999 with the Northern League's Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks with whom he would crush a league-leading 21 home runs. He would close out his playing career with the Sioux Falls Canaries in 2000-2001, finishing with 171 career minor league home runs and 539 RBI.

Last season, in his first year as a manager, Busch piloted a tenacious Vipers club to a 51-and-44 record, just a half-game shy of a wildcard playoff berth.  The Snakes finished both halves of the Northern League season in second place in the North Division. He was also named manager of the North Division All-Star team, winning a 5-1 decision over the South Division.