Kernels say rain, rain, go away

A goofy little question was posed Friday to Cedar Rapids Kernels General Manager Jack Roeder and broadcaster John Rogers. It kind of stumped them.

How many times do you figure the tarp has been placed on the Veterans Memorial Stadium infield this season, boys?

“I'll let you answer that first, Jack, and then I'll give you my guess,” Rogers said.

Roeder thought and thought. “I'd say 30 times at least,” he answered.

“I think it's been more than that,” Rogers said.

Maybe the fairest and simplest answer would be “a lot.” It has rained so much, especially in June and July, it seems the tarp has been on the field more than it's been off. Rain has definitely been a four-letter word around the ballpark.

“We've lost three games (on rainouts) and had two suspended,” Roeder said. “So I guess you could say five have been affected.”

Then he immediately caught himself.

“Actually, it's been way more than five,” he said with a laugh.

The GM figures his club has lost at least 12,000 off season attendance because of the rain. Hopes were high the Kernels would set a franchise record this season because of a favorable schedule, but that's not going to happen.

The Kernels went into last night's game having drawn 107,801 fans for an average of 2,507. The attendance mark of 196,066 was set in 2002, the first year this stadium opened. The club has 20 more regular-season home games.

“When you get 15 or 20 inches of rain in June and July, that's not a good formula,” Roeder said. “Everybody is affected by the rain. There is nothing good that comes from rain in regards to baseball.” Roeder said rainouts or rain-suspended games take a toll on employees, and not just physically from having to take the tarp on and off the field so much. When the call goes out to pull tarp, you get ushers, concession-stand workers, interns and any other able-bodied employee helping out. That included Kernels players during a downpour last week.

“It becomes pure chaos, because you've got a lot of people out there who don't know much about pulling tarp,” said Jesse Roeder, Kernels sports turf manager. “I do a lot of screaming, yelling at them to pull this direction or that direction.”

“I get way more tired when a game gets rained out,” Rogers said. “It just takes it out of you. You are looking forward to a game and it doesn't happen … It's kind of like being at the alter and wondering if the bride is going to show up.”