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I've watched paint dry, stared intently at water waiting for it to boil and attended the Saskatchewan Amateur U14 Curling Championship (collectively known as the Bunny Hug Brier). I can tell you without a doubt that these three things when compared to Des Moines' offseason are raucous good times. (To be fair, being drunk while watching prairie teenagers hurl large rocks down a slippery surface can be quite enjoyable).
The Kernels will be relying on farm system promotions more than free agency this year to improve the club. Team finances are slowly improving with dead money leaving the books this season but without a jump in attendance the cash flow won’t be increasing.
With that said, the club announced that they have signed SP Juan Alvarez to a one-year, $1.5 million contract. Nothing exciting about this deal, Des Moines is just working within its budget and adding depth where it can. This will lead to some trades and DFAs in the rotation or some unhappy starters hanging out in the pen but any improvement is welcomed for this club.
What this club really needs is to reset the lineup which was horrific last season. Pitching wasn’t great either, but the team’s batters seemed to play each game like they just got back from 48 hours in Vegas. This will likely happen with call ups for Felix 'Matchbox' Parreno and 3B Steve Herbert Herbert will compete with 3B Anastasio Guillen for 3B since Guillen struggled to get on base last season and Des Moines desperately needs baserunners to score runs. Herbert has shown more promise in working walks and may win the position based on this alone.
Parreno situation is trickier. Originally, the Kernels hoped to develop him as a SS but it quickly became apparent that he was not going to succeed there. A conversion to LF became the next obvious stop, but its clear he won’t be winning any awards at this position. With the departure of DH (and team Meathead) HGH, this opens up this position for the rookie this season. This will give the Kernels a versatile piece to slot in at SS and the OF, albeit with their teeth firmly clenched.
Other callups that could happen would include OFs Antonio Lopez and Enrique Rodriguez. The Kernels also have to figure out what to do with 1B Juan Mateo this season. The veteran is rumoured to be thinking about free agency at the end of the season. This may give Hal Thorne or 1B Javier Castillo a chance at this position.
Stuck in what is obviously the best division in the BBA, Des Moines doesn’t have a hope in hell of making the playoffs in 2048 but any moves that they can make to get more fans in the stands will help build to that goal.
