Steven Buhr

Well THAT explains it

Going in to this weekend’s series against the Milwaukee Brewers, our Minnesota Twins are 11 games over .500, sitting atop the American League Central Division (barely) with a 32-21 record. Naturally, after the four year run of futility Twins fans have endured coming in to the current season, the main topic of conversation in the Twins community revolves around, “is this for real or are they going to crash and burn?” http://knuckleballsblog.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/MayST15a-600x400.jpg Trevor May (photo: SD Buhr) Being more than ten games over the break-even point a couple of months in to the season is rarified air for the Twins this decade. In fact, it’s relatively rare for any team to work their way more than ten games above .500 by June 4 in any recent year. When you look at the results for other teams that have managed to win ten more games than they’ve lost as of this date, you can find some cause for optimism – but you can also find a cautionary tale or two, as well. (This article was originally posted at Knuckleballsblog.com.) A year ago, four teams found themselves on June 4 with records showing at least ten more wins than losses. Those teams were the Giants, Athletics, Brewers and Blue Jays. That’s not exactly encouraging news for Twins fans. Two of those teams, the Giants and A’s, hung on to claim wild card spots. The other two failed to make the postseason at all. In 2013, seven teams streaked out to early success in the first two months of the season. Boston, Texas, Oakland, Atlanta, St. Louis, Cincinnati and Pittsburgh all sat at least ten games over the .500 mark as of June 4. Four of those teams would ultimately claim Division championship banners, three scraped in to a wild card spot and one, the Rangers, failed to make the postseason (and even they did play a "game 163"). That’s obviously a more encouraging precedent for Twins fans to focus on than the 2014 season. Only the Dodgers had at least ten more wins than losses on June 4, 2012, and they fell short of postseason qualification. In 2011, Philadelphia, St. Louis and Cleveland were ten games over .500 on June 4. The Phillies won their division, the Cards were a wild card team and the Tribe were left on the outside looking in at playoff time. In 2010, the Rays, Yankees and Padres all were at least ten games above the .500 mark on this date. Tampa Bay won their division, the Evil Empire claimed the wild card and the Padres were left out. In fairness, however, if today’s two-wild card format had been in effect in 2010, San Diego would have qualified for the second National League wild card spot. (The Twins, in their final "good" season before the sucking years, were nine games over .500 on June 4, 2010.) Add all of that up and you get a pretty interesting – and even – mix of results for teams that were, on this date, in a situation similar to where the Twins find themselves today. Six of 18 teams won their division. Six of 18 claimed wild card spots. Six of 18 were left out in the cold. Of the six teams who failed to make the postseason after their early-season success, two of them did go on to win at least 90 games. The 2010 Padres won 90 and, as mentioned, would have claimed a second wild card spot had the format been the same as what’s in place today. The 2013 Rangers won 91 games and lost a “play-in” game to the Rays. The other four non-qualifiers ended up with 86 (2012 Dodgers), 83 (2014 Blue Jays), 82 (2014 Brewers) and 80 (2011 Indians) games. We all want to believe in the Twins success. We look at the potential to add a front line pitcher to the rotation in Ervin Santana and see possibilities of additional help from young players on the verge of making their big league debuts. We hope to see some guys improve to counter what’s likely to be some regression to the mean among other players. But, after four years of frustration, it’s hard for some of us to allow ourselves to become wholly emotionally invested in the Twins again, despite the surprisingly hot start. That said, coming in to the season most of us would have been more than pleased with an 81-81 Twins record at the end of 2015. Considering that only one of 18 teams in the past five years that accomplished what the Twins have accomplished so far failed to finish with at least 81 wins, it’s hard for me not to start getting pretty excited. Maybe – just maybe – that’s okay.

The money quote: "He just needs to cut down on his strikeouts." Simple, right? Hey, I wonder if any of his coaches have suggested that to him.

I'm not sure any of us know what kind of receiver Swim is. He certainly didn't catch enough in CR last year for me to see anything one way or the other. He was almost exclusively in RF (out of necessity). The Twins clearly see Turner and Garver as their most promising catching prospects, so any catcher such as Swim who finds himself on the same roster with one of those guys is going to get limited innings behind the plate. Limited innings means limited development of his defensive game. Just kind of how it is.

The Twins organization hitting was so bad that it as contagious. Eric caught it. He swung and missed at the date by a mile (or, in his case, a month). I realize you may want to relive May all over again, Eric, but we did make it to June.

By and large, I'm on the same page a Nick. That said, there's some information I'd like to see before I come firmly down on the, "don't trade future pieces for someone to help this year," side of the fence. I'd like to know if anyone has done any projecting of 40-man issues the Twins will face this coming postseason. The reason is simple. If, by chance, the organization will be facing a situation where they clearly will not be able to protect all of their most valuable assets, on top of the current MLBers they want to keep around, I would think you'd want to try to get something of value for them at the deadline, when demand is high, rather than waiting until everyone in the league knows you are having to deal out of desperation. Looking specifically at Chattanooga's roster, it would be interesting to know how many of those players are going to be at risk. If the answer to that is, "more of them than the Twins will have room for on their 40-man," then I'd be looking at either getting something for a couple of those guys this summer or for the players that are "blocking" them on the MLB roster already.

Hard telling. I didn't even notice that little guy until I started cropping the shot for use with the article, then I knew I had to make sure I included him in the picture I used! Think they were trying to get the kids to line up against the wall as they waited their turns on the bullpen mound. Guess he was following instructions!

One of the things the Minnesota Twins and Cedar Rapids Kernels organizations have in common is an emphasis on community service and that commonality was on display Saturday morning on Perfect Game Field at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Cedar Rapids. http://knuckleballsblog.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/WilsonTheofanopoulos2-600x400.jpgJared Wilson and Michael Theofanopoulos working in the bullpen with young pitchersAfter playing a night game on Friday night, Kernels hitting coach Tommy Watkins and several Kernels players were back at the ballpark by 8:30 the next morning to conduct a Youth Baseball Camp for well over a hundred boys and girls. There was a signup sheet in the Kernels' clubhouse with nine lines on it for volunteers to sign up to work the camp. Every line was filled and a couple of additional players wrote their names in between the lines, giving Watkins a group of 11 ballplayers pitching in for the two-hour long camp, topped off with an autograph session. http://knuckleballsblog.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/SchmitLeBlanc2.jpgBlake Schmit and Randy LeBlanc teaching campers proper fielding positionWandering around the field, it was really hard to tell who was having more fun, the kids or the players. Suffice to say there were a lot of smiles among the young players and the not-as-young.players. With kids as young as five years old, there was a bit of a "herding kittens" aspect to some of the groups, but each of the six stations that the campers rotated among worked on specific aspects of the game of baseball. http://knuckleballsblog.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Tillery1-600x400.jpgZach Tillery with instructions for campers on proper grip and formIn the indoor batting cage, pitcher Cameron Booser and first baseman/ outfielder Trey Vavra gave kids a chance to hit in the cage. Out on the field, Catcher Brett Doe and pitcher John Curtiss worked with kids on coming off the mound to field bunts and throw toward first base. Down in the Kernels' bullpen, Michael Theofanopoulos and Jared Wilson were working with pitching fundamentals. http://knuckleballsblog.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Booser-600x401.jpgCam Booser gets a "pinky promise" from a young camperOut in right field, pitcher Zach Tillery was giving lessons on proper throwing technique. In center field, infielder T.J. White and pitcher Trevor Hildenberger were teaching kids how to go back on fly balls hit over their heads. And over in left field, pitcher Randy LeBlanc and infielder Blake Schmit were teaching technique for fielding ground balls and making a throw. While the kids were learning the game from Kernels players, some of the Kernels staff gave parents an opportunity to take a tour of the stadium, from the suite and pressbox level down through the clubhouse and batting cage level. Many of those parents took the time afterward to thank Kernels staff and players for giving their kids this opportunity. Kernels General Manager Scott Wilson was also appreciative of the time put in by Watkins and the players. http://knuckleballsblog.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/WhiteHildenberger2-600x400.jpgTJ White and Trevor Hildenberger working with a group of outfielders"You've got to think about, these guys played last night and get out of bed and be here by 8:30 to do this camp," WIlson pointed out. "Then they're probably going to go in the locker room, take a nap on the couch and then at 2:00 get back up and report for baseball and then do their jobs." The Kernels have a long tradition of community outreach and the camps are just one example. They also sponsor a summer reading program that involves Kernels players going out in to the elementary schools to read to kids and encourage them to read on their own over the summer. http://knuckleballsblog.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/BooserVavra-600x450.jpgCam Booser and Trey Vavra talking baseball with campers in the indoor batting cageThe Youth Camp has long been a popular program "I would say we've probably been doing this camp for about ten or twelve years," Wilson said. "It's gone through a lot of changes. We used to do a two-day camp that was four hours at a time - much more kind of intense. But with 137 participants that we had today, that's hard to try to keep focus and attention spans. http://knuckleballsblog.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/DoeCurtiss-600x400.jpgBrett Doe and John Curtiss getting organized with some campers on the mound"The way that Tommy runs it now, I love it, because everybody rotates to little different things." Nobody is going to become a big league ballplayer just by attending the Kernel's two-hour camp, of course. But that's not really the point. The Kernels want to provide an enjoyable and affordable opportunity for some of the youngest fans in the local area to share a field with real professional ballplayers. Each camper also gets a Kernels cap and a voucher for a free ticket to a Kernels game, in addition to getting autographs from the players once the camp wraps up at the end of the morning. http://knuckleballsblog.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Watkins-2.jpgKernels hitting coach Tommy Watkins was directing things at the camp but pitched in with the workout stations, too"Although you might think that they're not getting a lot of individual instruction, it's an affordable $15 camp," Wilson pointed out. "You're getting a ball cap, you're getting a ticket and they get to spend some time with some guys and see the drills that they do on a daily basis. As Wilson went on to explain, it's very possible that some of the young ballplayers have already had a chance to meet a few of these players. http://knuckleballsblog.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/KernelsAuotgraphs-600x400.jpgKernels players signing autographs after the camp wrapped up"All of these (players) have been involved, too, in our schools program for us. These kids probably saw them at the reading program and now they get to shake their hand, get an autograph and play catch in their world with them, even if it's just throwing the ball to them one time." Click here to view the article

It is. From discussions I've had, my sense is that the Twins organization (and probably all organizations, really) are not all that disappointed when their top prospects struggle for a period. Difficulties expose character (and, sometimes, lack thereof). A lot of "top" players begin their pro careers having seldom, if ever, endured many difficulties between the lines. When they begin to struggle, you find out how open they really are to coaching and how hard they're willing to work to succeed. Perhaps better to find that out in Cedar Rapids, Fort Myers and Chattanooga than later on. Having to struggle a bit is not necessarily a bad thing (or at least that's what I keep telling myself).

This Tweet just came through from Gonsalves: Stephen Gonsalves ‏@TheSGonsalves 10 minutes ago I want to thank the @CRKernels fans for my time here and ending it with a standing ovation. I'm on my way to Florida to continue my year.

One of the things the Minnesota Twins and Cedar Rapids Kernels organizations have in common is an emphasis on community service and that commonality was on display Saturday morning on Perfect Game Field at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Cedar Rapids. http://knuckleballsblog.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/WilsonTheofanopoulos2-600x400.jpg Jared Wilson and Michael Theofanopoulos working in the bullpen with young pitchers After playing a night game on Friday night, Kernels hitting coach Tommy Watkins and several Kernels players were back at the ballpark by 8:30 the next morning to conduct a Youth Baseball Camp for well over a hundred boys and girls. (This article was originally posted at Knuckleballsblog.com) There was a signup sheet in the Kernels' clubhouse with nine lines on it for volunteers to sign up to work the camp. Every line was filled and a couple additional players wrote their names in between the lines, giving Watkins a group of 11 ballplayers pitching in for the two-hour long camp, topped off with an autograph session. http://knuckleballsblog.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/SchmitLeBlanc2.jpg Blake Schmit and Randy LeBlanc teaching campers proper fielding position Wandering around the field, it was really hard to tell who was having more fun, the kids or the players. Suffice to say there were a lot of smiles among the young players and the not-as-young.players. With kids as young as five years old, there was a bit of a "herding kittens" aspect to some of the groups, but each of the six stations that the campers rotated between worked on specific aspects of the game of baseball. http://knuckleballsblog.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Tillery1-600x400.jpg Zach Tillery with instructions for campers on proper grip and form In the indoor batting cage, pitcher Cameron Booser and first baseman/ outfielder Trey Vavra gave kids a chance to hit in the cage. Out on the field, Catcher Brett Doe and pitcher John Curtiss worked with kids on coming off the mound to field bunts and throw toward first base. Down in the Kernels' bullpen, Michael Theofanopoulos and Jared Wilson were working with pitching fundamentals. http://knuckleballsblog.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Booser-600x401.jpg Cam Booser gets a "pinky promise" from a young camper Out in right field, pitcher Zach Tillery was giving lessons on proper throwing technique. In center field, infielder TJ White and pitcher Trevor Hildenberger were teaching kids how to go back on fly balls hit over their heads. And over in left field, pitcher Randy LeBlanc and infielder Blake Schmit were teaching technique for fielding ground balls and making a throw. While the kids were learning the game from Kernels players, some of the Kernels staff gave parents an opportunity to take a tour of the stadium, from the suite and pressbox level down through the clubhouse and batting cage level. Many of those parents took the time afterward to thank Kernels staff and players for giving their kids this opportunity. Kernels General Manager Scott Wilson was also appreciative of the time put in by Watkins and the players. http://knuckleballsblog.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/WhiteHildenberger2-600x400.jpg TJ White and Trevor Hildenberger working with a group of outfielders "You've got to think about, these guys played last night and get out of bed and be here by 8:30 to do this camp," WIlson pointed out. "Then they're probably going to go in the locker room, take a nap on the couch and then at 2:00 get back up and report for baseball and then do their jobs." The Kernels have a long tradition of community outreach and the camps are just one example. They also sponsor a summer reading program that involves Kernels players going out in to the elementary schools to read to kids and encourage them to read on their own over the summer. http://knuckleballsblog.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/BooserVavra-600x450.jpg Cam Booser and Trey Vavra talking baseball with campers in the indoor batting cage The Youth Camp has long been a popular program "I would say we've probably been doing this camp for about ten or twelve years," Wilson said. "It's gone through a lot of changes. We used to do a two-day camp that was four hours at a time - much more kind of intense. But with 137 participants that we had today, that's hard to try to keep focus and attention spans. http://knuckleballsblog.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/DoeCurtiss-600x400.jpg Brett Doe and John Curtiss getting organized with some campers on the mound "The way that Tommy runs it now, I love it, because everybody rotates to little different things." Nobody is going to become a big league ballplayer just by attending the Kernel's two-hour camp, of course. But that's not really the point. The Kernels want to provide an enjoyable and affordable opportunity for some of the youngest fans in the local area to share a field with real professional ballplayers. Each camper also gets a Kernels cap and a voucher for a free ticket to a Kernels game, in addition to getting autographs from the players once the camp wraps up at the end of the morning. http://knuckleballsblog.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Watkins-2.jpg Kernels hitting coach Tommy Watkins was directing things at the camp but pitched in with the workout stations, too "Although you might think that they're not getting a lot of individual instruction, it's an affordable $15 camp," Wilson pointed out. "You're getting a ball cap, you're getting a ticket and they get to spend some time with some guys and see the drills that they do on a daily basis. As Wilson went on to explain, it's very possible that some of the young ballplayers have already had a chance to meet a few of these players. http://knuckleballsblog.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/KernelsAuotgraphs-600x400.jpg Kernels players signing autographs after the camp wrapped up "All of these (players) have been involved, too, in our schools program for us. These kids probably saw them at the reading program and now they get to shake their hand, get an autograph and play catch in their world with them, even if it's just throwing the ball to them one time."

If the Twins enter July having a pair of AAA starting pitchers (Milone and Meyer) who could be viewed as "MLB-ready" AND a pair of expendable veterans who are still performing adequately (Pelfrey and Nolasco), that would almost be a GM's wet dream scenario. Not that they would trade all of those guys if they are still contending themselves, but with Santana becoming eligible, it would put TR in a pretty nice position as other contenders, especially in the NL, inevitably start looking to shore up rotations. It would be an especially unique situation with the increased number of buyers (and lower number of sellers) that seem to have resulted from the expanded wild card races.

In the Kernels defense, while it's true that Wisconsin has been pretty bad this season, they did send the Brewers' 2014 1st round pick (12th overall), Kodi Medeiros, to the mound against CR. I talked to Rattlers (and former Kernels/Snappers) pitching coach Gary Lucas after the game and he thought it was Medeiros' best performance of the season. He didn't start the season all that well, but lately, as the weather is warming up, it's starting to look like the Brewers did something right when they drafted the Hawaiian last year. Just turned 19 years old Monday, too.

You aren't giving him his full due. He actually struck out 8 of the first 9 he faced. Struck out the side in the first and third inning. There's one more thing on that game that is probably being overlooked and that was Michael Cederoth's relief work. It was the first chance we've had to see him out of the bullpen at home and the difference was eye-opening. He still didn't have pinpoint control, but since he no longer has to pace himself or try to work on several pitches, he was letting the ball fly. Consistently 95-97 and from a guy as tall as he is, that's a tough pitch to hit. Gonsalves to Cederoth to Booser against the MWL's worst hitting team. It was really unfair. The 3 Kernels errors tried to give Wisconsin a chance, but they didn't have much of one.

Replace "offspeed pitches" with "breaking ball" and you've got it pretty much right. Gonsalves is totally comfortable with his change up and it has been very effective.

He did tell JJ and I that he has pretty much shelved his slider for now, focusing just on working on the curveball. He's trying different grips, but felt the "spike" curve he used tonight was pretty good early, then it "disappeared" a bit later in the game. Could he get outs at high-A? Yeah, I have little doubt. But you're right, Seth, there's nothing wrong with a 20 year old working on getting that pitch in shape here for a couple more starts. I would point out, however, that it's not at all unusual for roster changes to get made within a few days of Steil spending time here.

Also of note in CR, the injury bug bit the Kernels. Trey Vavra left the game in the 3rd inning after his foot got caught in the rolled up tarp as he was chasing a foul ball to LF. Mauer said the swelling wasn't as bad afterward as they feared it might be. Vavra is leading the Kernels in a boatload of offensive categories. Brian Navarreto's return from the DL may be short-lived. He left the game in the 7th after getting his thumb bent awkwardly. Both guys will get checked up on Wednesday morning before any decisions are made.

MSR article can be found by clicking here. Brad Steil and Eric Rasmussen are both in CR. From the article, Steil's response to post-game question regarding what more Gonsalves needs to demonstrate to get a promotion: Steil said after the game that Gonsalves just needs to “keep doing what he’s doing” to earn the coveted promotion to Class High-A Fort Myers. “Trying to get him to throw his curveball more and use that,” Steil added. “That’s one thing he’s going to need as he goes up the ladder here, so that’s one thing we’re working on right now. His opportunity will come in time.” Not included in the article was Jake Mauer's comment immediately after Steil said Gonsalves' "opportunity will come in time." Mauer immediately said, "Next season, right?" Yeah, everyone in the room laughed. Gonsalves said all the right things when asked if he thought he was ready. He has shelved the slider and is working on that curveball with pitching coach Henry Bonilla.

I'm jst speculating, so don't take this as anything other than that, but... Two things: Batts has been pretty much Gonsalves' equal in terms of being effective and he's older, so the need to push him up is more urgent than with Gonsalves, and I think they're still working with Gonsalves on the breaking ball. He throws a good curve and he is trying to mix in a new slider. His coaches have told various media outlets that they'd like to see Gonsalves improve his breaking ball, maybe even pick one or the other and focus on that. If there is a need in Fort Myers, he would certainly be ready to fill it. If there isn't that need, however, he can work on the breaking ball in CR in th meantime. He'll go up within a month, I'm sure.

The Cedar Rapids Kernels passed the midpoint of the first half of their 2015 season over the past weekend, making it an appropriate time to get manager Jake Mauer’s assessment of how their season is progressing.There’s not a lot for the manager to complain loudly about, with his team vying for the second best record in the entire Midwest League. Then again, his guys have consistently remained several games behind Western Division-leading Quad Cities in the standings, so there’s certainly room for improvement, too. http://knuckleballsblog.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Mauer15a-429x600.jpgKernels manager Jake MauerIf the Kernels can maintain distance between themselves and the other Western Division challengers behind them, they’ll lock in a postseason spot as the Division’s first half runner-up, even if they can’t overtake Quad Cities by mid-June. In a conversation last weekend, Mauer quickly identified the primary reason for the Kernels’ success so far. “Starting pitching has been good, for the most part,” Mauer said. “The bullpen’s been really good, for the most part and the defense has been good.” It’s not a coincidence that those two aspects have led to wins on the scoreboard. “It goes hand in hand,” Mauer explained. “The pitchers throw strikes and the boys get a chance to catch it. If (pitchers) don’t throw strikes and we’re standing for a while, when they do hit it, sometimes we’re not ready for it. It’s not an excuse but that’s what happens. “Defense has been good, for the most part. We’re making the plays that we should and I think that’s the reason we’re pitching so well.” Kernels shortstop Nick Gordon, the Twins’ first-round draft pick a year ago, seconded his manager’s opinion on the value of the team’s defense this season. “Pitchers like to throw strikes when they know they’ve got good defense behind them,” Gordon said on Saturday. http://knuckleballsblog.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/P4290565-2-600x400.jpgNick GordonThere’s one aspect of the pitching game that has surprised Mauer and it’s a component that defense has nothing to do with. More than half of the pitchers who have toed the rubber for the Kernels have averaged at least a strikeout for every inning pitched, led by reliever Cam Booser’s 1.75 strikeouts per inning. “We’ve struck out a lot more guys than anticipated, which is probably a little bit of a surprise,” Mauer admitted. “We thought we’d have a couple of guys that would be able to strike guys out. Booser, obviously, and (Zach) Tillery, some of the guys that have some pretty good stuff. But for the most part, the pitching’s been what’s kept us going.” He wouldn’t be a manager of young players if he couldn’t find room for improvement, of course. “Still way too many walks,” Mauer said, concerning a few members of his staff. “We’re not taking that step forward, which is a little disappointing.” Coincidence or not, since Mauer said those words, the Twins have sent several new pitchers to join the Kernels. At least one case, of course, had nothing to do with a pitcher walking too many batters. Opening Day starting pitcher Mat Batts was rewarded for his strong work this spring with a promotion this week to Class high-A Fort Myers. http://knuckleballsblog.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/P4290550-2-600x400.jpgMat BattsPitching alone doesn’t win games, however. You need to score some runs, too, and the Kernels have outscored all but three teams in the Midwest League this year. “The middle of our lineup is really starting to produce, which is huge,” Mauer observed, in regard to his lineup. “We’re starting to see some of the offensive guys hopefully get their legs underneath them and start going. We need some more contributions, especially from the bottom half of the order. I’d like to get our top half going again, but the middle’s been pretty good as of late.” The "middle of the lineup" that Mauer referred to includes first baseman/outfielder Trey Vavra, who leads the Kernels in all three of the "Triple Crown" offensive categories, batting average (.353), home runs (6) and runs batted in (25), as well as almost every other offensive category that involves the use of his bat. http://knuckleballsblog.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/TreyVavra2015a-600x400.jpgTrey VavraThe Kernels haven’t faced any of the league’s Eastern Division teams yet, while seemingly matching up with the last two teams in the Western Division standings, Beloit and Wisconsin, at least every other week. Both of those clubs have younger rosters than many of their MWL competitors, including the Kernels. That may have something to do with their early success, the manager will admit, but he’s not stepping up to volunteer to give back any of the wins against those teams, either. “We’ve feasted on some of the pitchers we’ve needed to feast on, there’s no doubt about it,” Mauer observed. “We’re supposed to do that.” But the manager doesn’t feel his guys have been bad against the better pitching they’ve faced, either. “What we’re looking for is just a little more consistent approach at the plate.” Gordon summed up the approach that he and his teammates are taking as they enter the final weeks of the season’s first-half. “Our goal is to win, so we’re out to compete and give our best,” the shortstop offered. “As for me, it’s been a learning experience for me to come out here and play against great competition every single night. You’ve got to make adjustments, you’ve got to learn. I feel as a team, we’re doing a pretty good job of that.” (This article was originally posted at Knuckleballsblog.com) Click here to view the article

The Cedar Rapids Kernels passed the midpoint of the first half of their 2015 season over the past weekend, making it an appropriate time to get manager Jake Mauer’s assessment of how their season is progressing. There’s not a lot for the manager to complain loudly about, with his team vying for the second best record in the entire Midwest League. Then again, his guys have consistently remained several games behind Western Division leading Quad Cities in the standings, so there’s certainly room for improvement, too. http://knuckleballsblog.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Mauer15a-429x600.jpg Kernels manager Jake Mauer If the Kernels can maintain distance between themselves and the other Western Division challengers behind them, they’ll lock in a postseason spot as the Division’s first half runner-up, even if they can’t overtake Quad Cities by mid June. (This article was originally posted at Knuckleballsblog.com) In a conversation last weekend, Mauer quickly identified the primary reason for the Kernels’ success so far. “Starting pitching has been good, for the most part,” Mauer said. “The bullpen’s been really good, for the most part and the defense has been good.” It’s not a coincidence that those two aspects have led to wins on the scoreboard. “It goes hand in hand,” Mauer explained. “The pitchers throw strikes and the boys get a chance to catch it. If (pitchers) don’t throw strikes and we’re standing for a while, when they do hit it, sometimes we’re not ready for it. It’s not an excuse but that’s what happens. “Defense has been good, for the most part. We’re making the plays that we should and I think that’s the reason we’re pitching so well.” Kernels shortstop Nick Gordon, the Twins’ first round draft pick a year ago, seconded his manager’s opinion on the value of the team’s defense this season. “Pitchers like to throw strikes when they know they’ve got good defense behind them,” Gordon said on Saturday. http://knuckleballsblog.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/P4290565-2-600x400.jpg Nick Gordon There’s one aspect of the pitching game that has surprised Mauer and it’s a component that defense has nothing to do with. More than half of the pitchers who have toed the rubber for the Kernels have averaged at least a strikeout for every inning pitched, led by reliever Cam Booser’s 1.75 strikeouts per inning. “We’ve struck out a lot more guys than anticipated, which is probably a little bit of a surprise,” Mauer admitted. “We thought we’d have a couple of guys that would be able to strike guys out. Booser, obviously, and (Zach) Tillery, some of the guys that have some pretty good stuff. But for the most part, the pitching’s been what’s kept us going.” He wouldn’t be a manager of young players if he couldn’t find room for improvement, of course. “Still way too many walks,” Mauer said, concerning a few members of his staff. “We’re not taking that step forward, which is a little disappointing.” Coincidence or not, since Mauer said those words, the Twins have sent several new pitchers to join the Kernels. At least one case, of course, had nothing to do with a pitcher walking too many batters. Opening Day starting pitcher Mat Batts was rewarded for his strong work this spring with a promotion this week to Class high-A Fort Myers. http://knuckleballsblog.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/P4290550-2-600x400.jpg Mat Batts Pitching alone doesn’t win games, however. You need to score some runs, too, and the Kernels have outscored all but three teams in the Midwest League this year. “The middle of our lineup is really starting to produce, which is huge,” Mauer observed, in regards to his lineup. “We’re starting to see some of the offensive guys hopefully get their legs underneath them and start going. We need some more contributions, especially from the bottom half of the order. I’d like to get our top half going again, but the middle’s been pretty good as of late.” The "middle of the lineup" that Mauer referred to includes first baseman/outfielder Trey Vavra, who leads the Kernels in all three of the "Triple Crown" offensive categories, batting average (.353), home runs (6) and Runs Batted In (25), as well as almost every other offensive category that involves the use of his bat. http://knuckleballsblog.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/TreyVavra2015a-600x400.jpg Trey Vavra The Kernels haven’t faced any of the league’s Eastern Division teams yet, while seemingly matching up with the last two teams in the Western Division standings, Beloit and Wisconsin, at least every other week. Both of those clubs have younger rosters than many of their MWL competitors, including the Kernels. That may have something to do with their early success, the manager will admit, but he’s not stepping up to volunteer to give back any of the wins against those teams, either. “We’ve feasted on some of the pitchers we’ve needed to feast on, there’s no doubt about it,” Mauer observed. “We’re supposed to do that.” But the manager doesn’t feel his guys have been bad against the better pitching they’ve faced, either. “What we’re looking for is just a little more consistent approach at the plate.” Gordon summed up the approach that he and his teammates are taking as they enter the final weeks of the season’s first-half. “Our goal is to win so we’re out to compete and give our best,” the shortstop offered. “As for me, it’s been a learning experience for me to come out here and play against great competition every single night. You’ve got to make adjustments, you’ve got to learn. I feel as a team, we’re doing a pretty good job of that.”

If that's the general perception, then the Twins' scouts got to know him well enough to see the perception is inaccurate in some ways, at least. I would say he's far from highstrung. Pretty laid back, really. Not at all flighty, very focused. But he has personality and, based on his activities in the offseason, has adopted a pretty good work ethic. Seeing good players promoted up from CR is part of the deal at low-A ball. You'd love to watch some of these guys all summer, but you get really happy for them when they're promoted (as I am for Mat Batts today). And every new replacement is a new story waiting to be written, so that's cool, too.

sorry I was slow to respond, jokin. I was reading through comments from the beginning and then we had a fire drill at the office. All these interruptions!