Baseball notebook: Kernels expect safety netting at ballpark to be extended within next 2-3 years

CEDAR RAPIDS — CEDAR RAPIDS — It will be extended. It's just a matter of when.

Cedar Rapids Kernels General Manager Scott Wilson said the Midwest League club is budgeting for an extension of the netting around the seating area at Veterans Memorial Stadium. The Kernels meet minimum requirements set forth by Major League Baseball right now with five feet to spare.

Netting extends 75 feet on each side of home plate, with the minimum requirement being 70. Wilson expects specs to be changed sooner than later, and the Kernels will immediately adjust.

'We feel like since there is so much this, so much that (talk), maybe eventually they'll make us do a slant, maybe they'll make us extend it straight,' he said. 'We don't want to have to do it three times, we want to just do it one time. So when they tell us what the new rule is to extend, which I believe will be in the next couple of years, we'll change it.'

Fan security has been an increasingly hot topic in baseball, with modern-day stadiums at all levels generally being built closer to the field than ever. People simply do not have much of an opportunity to get out of the way of foul balls that are scalded into the seats.

That everyone's face today seems to be constantly stuck looking at their cellphone also is not helping. Wilson said he only can remember one fan being seriously injured at a Kernels game, and that was when they were struck by a wayward bat that flew into the stands.

'We haven't had a serious issue this year that has been related to a bat or a ball,' Wilson said. 'The hardest part for us is the Fourth of July, or days like that, where we have big crowds and there aren't as many seats (around them) for people to duck. There's a person right next to you. You hope that you are looking out for each other, that someone maybe puts their hand up to knock a ball down or something ... It is such a distracted world today. But we want to do everything we can to provide safety for our fans.'

Wilson said he expects a netting extension at Memorial Stadium to cost somewhere around $30,000.

'We don't care how much they want to go with it,' he said. 'We just always want to meet the demands.'

GRANITE CALLED UP

Outfielder Zack Granite is the latest former Cedar Rapids player to graduate to the major leagues. Granite was called up to the Minnesota Twins from Triple-A Rochester and went 0-for-1 in a pinch-hitting appearance in Saturday afternoon's home game against Baltimore.

Granite played a combined 40 games for the Kernels in 2014 and 2015 and was hitting .360 at Rochester in 59 games at the time of his promotion.

BRAVES IN MASON CITY

The Atlanta Braves are conducting a tryout camp July 31 at Mason City's Roosevelt Field. Players ages 16 to 23 are encouraged to attend the camp, which begins at 9 a.m.

Contact David Welter with the Braves for more information (319-404-5022/david.welter14@gmail.com).

HOW THEY'RE DOING

A look at how former local prep and University Iowa baseball players are doing in the major and minor leagues:

Jake Adams (University of Iowa) — Big first baseman hit his third home run of the season and his career Friday night against Brooklyn. Is batting .208 in 13 games for Tri-City (Astros), with eight RBIs.

Joel Booker (University of Iowa) — Outfielder hitting .204 in 13 games since being promotoed to high-Class A Winston-Salem (White Sox).

Matt Dermody (University of Iowa) — Relief pitcher is 5-1 in 28 games for Triple-A Buffalo (Blue Jays) with 3.16 ERA.

Ryan Erickson (University of Iowa) — Has pitched in three games for Arizona Rookie League White Sox and has a save and 3.60 ERA.

Blake Hickman (University of Iowa) — Right-handed pitcher has made seven starts for low-A Kannapolis (White Sox) and has a 1-3 record and 4.39 ERA.

Jon Keller (Cedar Rapids Xavier) — Has thrown in six games for Shortseason-A Aberdeen (Orioles) on an official rehab assigment. Has allowed five hits and a run in 9 2/3 innings, striking out 13.

Mitch Keller (Cedar Rapids Xavier) — Since returning from the disabled list, has allowed just four hits and a run in nine innings over two starts. Is 4-2 with a 2.57 ERA in 10 starts this season for high-A Bradenton (Pirates).

Derrick Loveless (Solon) — Outfielder hitting .259 in 43 games since getting promoted to Double-A New Hampshire (Blue Jays). Has .272 average in 63 games overall this season between New Hampshire and high-A Dunedin.

Mason McCoy (University of Iowa) — Infielder has a hit in his last four games for Shortseason-A Aberdeen (Orioles), with four RBIs. Also has walked three times in that span, and has a .250 average overall in seven games.

Tyler Peyton (University of Iowa) — Pitcher is 2-3 with a 4.89 ERA in 10 games, two starts, for low-A South Bend (Cubs).

A.J. Puk (Cedar Rapids Washington) — Pitcher's third start for Double-A Midland (Athletics) went well, as he allowed just four hits and two runs in six innings. Is 0-2 with 6.08 ERA overall. Has 110 strikeouts in 74 1/3 innings this season between Midland and high-A Stockton.

Scott Schebler (Cedar Rapids Prairie) — Cincinnati Reds outfielder hitting .259 in 75 games, with 20 home runs and 40 RBIs.

Jake Yacinich (University of Iowa) — Shortstop's average has been boosted to .279 in 58 games for high-A Inland Empire (Angels).

l Comments: (319) 398-8259; jeff.johnson@thegazette.com