It’s an ever-changing roster for Cedar Rapids Kernels

CEDAR RAPIDS — If you walked into the home clubhouse at Veterans Memorial Stadium opening day and again Tuesday night, you might wonder if the Cedar Rapids Kernels had changed major league affiliates midstream.

They haven't, of course. They're still proudly the low-Class A farm club of the Minnesota Twins.

It's just that there are so many different players. The exact number is eight newbies, and we're just a month into the Midwest League season.

That's a ton of movement. The Kernels split a double-header with Kane County, losing the opener, 2-0, and taking the nightcap, 3-2, thanks to a sixth-inning RBI double from Luis Arraez.

'It's been injuries (through the system),' Kernels Manager Jake Mauer said. 'And they shook up the big-league club. What are they, 8-22, something like that? They're going to try and find the right mix, get something going up there. So that affects everybody ... Here we are with a whole new roster, and we're not even through May, yet.'

The newest Kernels got their initiations Tuesday. Michael Cederoth, who actually pitched in C.R. last season, threw a shutout relief inning in the opener, while catcher Brian Olson got a start in Game 2 and doubled in his first at-bat.

They came to town Monday as part of a five-transaction flurry. Outfielder Daniel Kihle, activated from the disabled list Monday, played his second Kernels game in the opener.

Alex Perez, who has been a Kernel for about a week, had an RBI in the nightcap, as did Nelson Molina, who has been here a little over a week.

'Honestly, if you're down in extended spring training right now, you've come to the realization that most of the guys who are going to move have moved,' Mauer said. 'You're probably starting to think I'm going to (Rookie-level) Elizabethton, or I'm going home.'

Through it all, Cedar Rapids is 17-14 and tied with Kane County for second place in the Western Division. The pitching has been very solid (ranked fourth in the 16-team MWL in earned run average), the offense generally scattershot.

Mauer said he hopes some of the new additions can help with that.

'Our pitching has been pretty good,' he said. 'Three of our starters have been really good, three of our starters have been fair. The back end of our bullpen has been really good, and the middle guys have been doing pretty good. We've had some guys walk more people than we're used to, which we have to clean up a little bit. Also, too, we haven't really been hurt by it a lot, which is unusual. You're walking a tightrope, it's just a matter of time before those walks start scoring.

'We've got some things to clean up. Some guys are figuring it out. You hope by the middle of May, you start to get to know your team a little bit. We've got a pretty good feel for some of these guys. Some of the other guys, like Kihle, you hope can bring us a little bit of energy and kind of get us kickstarted, really, offensively.'

The teams conclude their three-game series Wednesday afternoon at 12:05.

l Comments: (319) 368-8857; jeff.johnson@thegazette.com