So Much for Staying Quiet

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So Much for Staying Quiet

Post by FuzzyRawley » Wed Aug 25, 2021 11:17 am

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By Roh Rindfleisch Des Moines Register

So much for Des Moines staying quiet in the offseason. In the last two months, the Kernels have increased their 2048 payroll by $20 million. Sources tell us that GM Webb was granted permission by Stephen Collins Jr. to access bonus funds.

The Kernels need to start winning more games and bringing more fans to the stadium if they want to build the franchise into a perennial contender. The latest crop of signings and acquisitions address some of the weaknesses of last year’s team and should help them climb the standings provided the incumbent players start pulling their weight.

The first signing addressed the 2B/3B problem. The Kernels picked up Roberto Viramontas to platoon between these positions. Chua-kah Yang has never been very comfortable at second and may move to third or DH depending how the season progresses. This also depends on what the Kernels do with Anastasio Guillen at 3B or Nori Knuckles in RF. At the very least, this gives Des Moines some more flexibility, something they’ve had little of in the past few seasons.

The next player to ink a contract with Popcornmen was reliever Felipe Lopez. Lopez isn’t a splashy signing by any stretch but helps shore up the bullpen with a more capable arm. He’s likely to take on the role of middle relief since his splits in the last few seasons are better against right handers than lefties.

Right after the Lopez signing was announced, word came out of RP Pedro Tanon's camp that the righty reliever would be returning to the Iowa state capital. The Kernels front office was rumored to have offered Tanon a contract extension during the season but Pedro spurned this offer to head to free agency instead. In the end, the market wasn’t interested in his services and he returns to Des Moines for about the same as his extension would have been. Tanon will be another middle reliever and as long as he doesn’t regress, will be a solid presence in the bullpen again this season.

The last move Des Moines has made in the last few months is to acquire CF Arturo Maes from Yellow Springs. Yellow Springs in need of cap space, agreed to send Maes to the Kernels for pocket change and a few bags of Iowa’s finest Peaches and Cream Corn. (Word has it the Iowa Corn Promotion Board was ecstatic when they heard of this deal). Maes job with the Kernels will be to fill in the gaping hole in CF. Over the years, Des Moines has had many CFers who have headed out to that position with high hopes only to get lost in the corn stalks and come back weeping. Maes will likely bat ninth and be only asked to not suck completely there as long as he keeps a positive zone rating.

These flurry of signings are sure to put a charge into the (dwindling) Des Moines faithful. Coupled with the hope that some of the younger talent breaks out this season, fans of the Kernels have more to look forward to this season than they have in a long time.
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Re: So Much for Staying Quiet

Post by scottsdale_joe » Wed Aug 25, 2021 11:30 am

Good signings.
Good luck.
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Re: So Much for Staying Quiet

Post by Dington » Wed Aug 25, 2021 11:54 am

No, stahhpppp! @CTBrewCrew and I don't need the extra competition to be the first team out of playoffs.
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Re: So Much for Staying Quiet

Post by CTBrewCrew » Wed Aug 25, 2021 4:27 pm

It was just a matter of time before this juggernaut awoke…
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