Monday Game Thread: Cedar Rapids Kernels on FSN!

[Seth Stohs]

The Kernels are on FSN, pregame started already... Let's discuss the game here. Please feel free to discuss, ask questions, etc.

[Seth Stohs]

Lineup:

Byron Buxton 8 (Enjoy!)

JD Williams 7 (affable, great athlete, tons of walks)

Jorge Polanco 6 (surprised me with how good he is. Plays 2B when Goodrum healthy)

DJ Hicks 3 (power, think Dunn when you look at him - just dont' get your hopes up quite that hi!)

Adam BrettWalker 9 (tons of power, good athlete)

Travis Harrison 5 (tons of power and more potential. Solid all-around hitter Glove much better this year!)

Tyler Grimes 2 (first year of catching, earlier in the year, he told me that he was just adjusting to the various movements behind the plate, stretching, etc. He can hit)

Michael Quesada DH (another catching option, he can hit)

Candido Pimentel 4 (Appy League Player of the Year last year, middle infield backup, great speed, little guy)

LHP Mason Melotakis (2nd rounder last year, moved to starter after relieving mostly in college)

[InfraRen]

Also, if you're at work (like me) you can listen here: Listen Live | 1450 KMRY Radio Station - Cedar Rapids, Iowa

[InfraRen]

I honestly would buy a Buxton jersey right now if he wasn't wearing Mauer's number.

[mikecgrimes]

If you like a constant buzzing sound this game will be fun to watch, at least it's in low def. Of course they decided to shrink the screen to show the foxsports net crew so thats good. I guess if you're a Cubs fan you'll have no clue when the top prospects are batting.

[stringer bell]

Look luck Kernels! I am DVRing the game, since I am at work. Just watched their last two games in person. I'm sure the guys will be a little nervous being on TV! Kane County (I believe they are playing them again) has six of the top 20 or 21 prospects in the MWL according to Jim Krikket.

[CairoCrown]

Seth, can Polanco stick at SS?

[mikecgrimes]

There even shrinking the screen for Buxton? I couldn't imagine watching this on even a 36 inch screen.

[mikecgrimes]

Glad I get to watch this game on 15 to 20% of my screen.

[Seth Stohs]

Seth, can Polanco stick at SS?

 

He'll continue to play there all the way up, but a lot will depend on Niko Goodrum who has a very strong arm. The question about Polanco is his arm.

[Otto von Ballpark]

I love the idea of this, and not just for Buxton hype -- it's cool to watch minor league baseball in general, and FSN's schedule is pretty bare most of the time anyway.

 

But yeah, the execution seems a little off. The studio hosts and split screen are a little much. Just show the game!

[Rick Niedermann]

Besides the obvious names of Duffy, Berrios and Melotakis. Who is the sleeper on the pitching staff that the fans should be following?

[mikecgrimes]

I can put up with the outer edge being blacked out and I can even put up with all the graphics, the large empty blue bar at the bottom of the non blacked out portion of the screen is going to make me turn this game off as soon as I see Tyler Grimes pop up.

[CairoCrown]

Oh, I forgot that the guy with the best name in baseball is playing in this game. 1B Rock Shoulders for Kane County.

[CairoCrown]

Byron Buxton flashing some leather!

[Seth Stohs]

Besides the obvious names of Duffy, Berrios and Melotakis. Who is the sleeper on the pitching staff that the fans should be following?

 

Don't give up on Hudson Boyd. He has some velocity, and when they're on, his Curveball and Changeup are quite good... but he isn't very consistent even from inning to inning yet. But, he's worth following.

[Seth Stohs]

Byron Buxton flashing some leather!

 

That was as good of a catch as we're going to see. That was incredible!

[JB_Iowa]

Could they just not engineer it so that the talking heads were just a little square in the corner and the game was more like 3/4 of the screen?

 

Just bizarre the way they are doing this. And way too annoying on all the yammering.

[mikecgrimes]

Thats a triple saving catch. You can't hit the ball to a better part of the field without putting it over the fence.

[JB_Iowa]

I missed Buxton's AB but very impressed with that catch.

 

But I wish tehy would just let us see the game and play these interviews, etc. afterward or during commercial breaks.

[mikecgrimes]

Hey I think Tyler Grimes got a hit, but why mention the name of the player who just got a hit.

[CairoCrown]

That was as good of a catch as we're going to see. That was incredible!

Twitter just exploded after that catch.

[mikecgrimes]

Now they aren't even showing the game at all, why are they taking breaks in between innings if they aren't paying attention to the game.

[jokin]

That was as good of a catch as we're going to see. That was incredible!

 

It would have been even more incredible if we could have watched it on the full screen live.

 

Who is in charge of signing off on this television overproduction boondoggle? Dave St Peter? Why can't the "talking heads" just be disembodied full-time?

[mikecgrimes]

Full screen and with play by play for Buxton!!!! Heck of a concept.

[jokin]

Hey I think Tyler Grimes got a hit, but why mention the name of the player who just got a hit.

 

mike....probably even more frustrating when a relative or namesake is ignored for even more studio blather....?

[mikecgrimes]

Wait did I say full screen? How do they get graphics on the screen for Twins games? Whoever is producing this broadcast should be fired.

[jokin]

Wait did I say full screen? How do they get graphics on the screen for Twins games? Whoever is producing this broadcast should be fired.

 

I'm guessing this goes straight to the top of the organization.

[mikecgrimes]

Not a relative, but a rare white guy with my last name so maybe a distant cousin.

[CairoCrown]

Screen grab of the Byron Buxton catch.

https://twitter.com/Seth_Kaplan/status/344149609930711040/photo/1