Kernels continue struggles in loss to Clinton

CEDAR RAPIDS - Not what everyone had in mind so far.

This is one of the more hyped editions of the Cedar Rapids Kernels. You have high draft choices, several guys ranked by the experts among the top prospects in the Los Angeles Angels farm system.

Baseball America recently did a lengthy story on just how stacked this Kernels team is.

Let's stress that it's WAY early, and this is a young team with two 18-year-olds in the everyday lineup (outfielders Mike Trout and Randal Grichuk). But to this point in the Midwest League season, all that hype has meant bubkis.

Cedar Rapids dropped to 8-11 after a woeful 5-0 loss to Clinton last night before 825 fans at Veterans Memorial Stadium. The home club made three errors, had four singles, didn't walk and struck out 16 times.

“They did a great job,” Kernels Manager Bill Mosiello said of Clinton pitchers Jon Hesketh, Chris Kirkland and Brandon Josselyn. “But this was as bad an offensive performance as you could get. Absolutely horrible ... no walks and 16 strikeouts.”

Not even having Monday off could get the Kernels going last night. The team came in tied for eighth in batting average and 12th out of 16 MWL teams in earned run average.

That's pretty much how you get to 8-11. And, again, 10 of the Angels' top 30 prospects are Kernels.

“It's all media stuff,” Mosiello said. “It's not what anybody's done, it's all hype to what they're supposed to be. It's not some track record, you know what I mean? They're all hoping. All the hype comes from what round they're drafted in. You look at the round, and you think ‘Well, he must be this?'

“I know there's stuff to them, and that's good. But all the stuff that's been written about these guys, they've read their own stuff. They've read it. Obviously they've bought into it that they're that good.”

Matt Long had two of C.R.'s four hits. Pitcher Orangel Arenas dropped to 0-4 despite providing the Kernels their first quality start (at least six innings and allowing three earned runs or less) since April 15.

The teams play again here tonight at 6:35.