Kernels struggle again offensively in loss to Clinton

CEDAR RAPIDS – It's not really a threat when it's true.

Cedar Rapids Kernels Manager Jake Mauer watched his club continue its offensive futility Sunday afternoon in a 5-2 loss to the Clinton LumberKings at Veterans Memorial Stadium. That continued a pattern that has lasted over a week now, one that has caused the Kernels to drop seven of their last nine games and like a stone in team batting average and runs scored.

Seems like it's one poor at-bat after another. It's frustrating and something that must improve.

Or else, quite frankly.

'The effort has been there, I think they're trying,” Mauer said. 'It's just having the wherewithal to trust yourself, to be able to understand and execute when it comes down to it.

'Basically, when it comes down to it, they're in performance jobs. You don't perform, you don't have a job. It's pretty simple, black and white. There's a draft coming up in June. We're going to have 30 more boys coming in. You don't want to scare them, but that's the reality. If they are slow, as far as making adjustments, Minnesota isn't going to keep letting us get our heads kicked in, I'll tell you that.”

Cedar Rapids (13-11) had opportunities Sunday, which was an improvement. This was a team that was no-hit Friday night and had a .166 batting average for a full week going into Saturday night's 13-inning win.

The Kernels had at least one baserunner in every inning here, but the big hit, the clutch knock, was elusive. Mauer can feel his guys pressing.

'A lot of it isn't physical, it's mental,” he said. 'Yeah, some of it is physical. There are some big swings out there, there's no doubt about it. It's a delicate balance. You don't want to overload the guys too much to where they are (over) thinking. You see some of the guys have this slot-machine look going in the batter's box, and I've got to holler at them to get the sign. That tells me they're not quite comfortable, as far as what situation comes up (and) what to be able to do.”

This was an interesting conversation with the manager, one that turned to the advanced use of scouting reports in the lower minor leagues. He pointed to Clinton putting a shift on Kernels first baseman Tyler Kuresa (a lefty hitter who pulls a lot), even though the teams hadn't played before this weekend.

In that regard, the Midwest League has become a lot like the major leagues.

'There's a lot of information out there,” he said. 'We're swinging at the first pitch, trying to ambush. They're not going to let you do it. You don't start closing out your holes and having a game plan … they're going to get you some of the time, but we're getting ourselves out a lot of the time.

'You know, a lot of our guys saw their guys last year in the (Rookie) Appalachian League. They remember. You see a lot of the same guys as you move up.”

The Kernels have led the MWL in pitching most of the first month, which has kept them over .500. Starter Felix Jorge (1-2) threw six innings, allowing a three-run home run in the second inning to Kristian Brito.

The way things are going, you kind of figured that would be enough support, which it was for Clinton starter Patrick Peterson (4-1). The Kernels embark on a week-long road trip that begins Monday night at Wisconsin.

Their next home game is April 11 against Peoria.

'It'd be nice to get some of these guys to buy in a little bit and trust what we've been doing and working on,” Mauer said. 'The definition of insanity is doing the same thing and expecting a different result. There's no truer case than this.”

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