2040 Des Moines Kernels
It’s easy to discount the Des Moines Kernals.
I mean, you look at the BNN preseason predictions and they put Des Moines at 65-97 for 2040, in 7th Place in the Frick Heartland Division, and 26 games off the lead.
It’s tempting to just think, “Wow. Terrible team. Should they even bother suiting up this season?”
To which we say, “Hey, they’re contractually obligated! Didn’t you ever watch John Houseman in The Paper Chase?”
But I digress.
So, anyway, bad team, not worth thinking much about, right?
Um, wrong. Here’s a burner cell phone. Go call your mother and tell her you’ll never be BBA prognosticator.
Because once you start poking around the Des Moines roster, you start to get a sense of just what GM Ed Murphy is up to here.
He’s building a beast.
Let’s take a look:
Starting Pitchers
Player | OV/POT | Stuff | Move | Con |
---|---|---|---|---|
D. Smith | 50/80 | 7/9 | 9/9 | 4/10 |
D. Coutts | 45/45 | 5/5 | 4/4 | 7/7 |
M. Villarreal | 50/50 | 6/6 | 5/5 | 7/7 |
T. Hashimoto | 35/60 | 6/9 | 5/5 | 5/7 |
T. Wulms | 40/40 | 4/4 | 5/5 | 6/6 |
J. Garcia | 50/65 | 6/7 | 6/6 | 8/8 |
Player | OV/POT | Stuff | Move | Con |
---|---|---|---|---|
S. Franco | 30/30 | 8/8 | 2/2 | 3/3 |
A. Van Gestel | 40/40 | 7/8 | 3/3 | 5/5 |
J. Riles | 40/75 | 7/10 | 5/5 | 4/4 |
R. Maldonado | 45/45 | 6/6 | 6/6 | 8/8 |
J. Aguilar | 40/45 | 6/7 | 6/6 | 5/5 |
J. Garcia | 35/80 | 5/11 | 5/5 | 6/6 |
A. Campbell | 45/45 | 5/8 | 6/6 | 8/8 |
R. Gabriel | 55/65 | 7/7 | 6/7 | 7/8 |
J. Castro | 70/70 | 9/9 | 7/7 | 7/7 |
But that potential, from the rotation through the ‘pen ... wow. Admittedly, Ed is playing a bit of a risky game calling his talented youngsters (two of them are only 19) to the bigs before they fill out their potential. And for now, of course – barring significant ratings bumps by the starters – the Kernels will be forced to lean hard on the back end of the bullpen, with Castro and Gabriel.
But if Kernels fans can hold out until 2041 or ’42, they’ll be treated to a rotation led by fully a mature trio of Smith, Garcia and Hashimoto and … oh my. If Ed can add a 4th starter with similar talent (and he’s got a couple more lurking in the minors, Greg Palmer at AA, and Timmy Karnes at A), the sky’s the limit.
So, current grade: C- to D+. Potential grade: A.
Catching
Player | OV/POT | Con | Gap | Pow | Eye | Avd K | Arm | Abil |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
A. O'Quinn | 40/45 | 4/4 | 5/5 | 6/6 | 4/4 | 8/8 | 8 | 5 |
B. Clark | 50/50 | 5/5 | 6/6 | 6/6 | 4/4 | 8/8 | 7 | 6 |
M. Foryan | 50/50 | 5/5 | 3/4 | 4/4 | 9/9 | 7/7 | 5 | 6 |
Infield
Player | Pos | OV/POT | Con | Gap | Pow | Eye | Avd K | Rng | Arm | DP |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
W. Carter | 1B | 50/50 | 6/6 | 7/7 | 7/7 | 5/5 | 6/6 | 4 | 7 | 3 |
O. Luna | 1B | 50/50 | 6/6 | 5/5 | 8/8 | 5/5 | 6/6 | 1 | 3 | 3 |
A. Williamson | 2B | 70/70 | 4/4 | 7/7 | 6/6 | 8/8 | 5/5 | 8 | 7 | 7 |
E. Garza | 3B | 45/45 | 6/6 | 6/6 | 5/5 | 5/5 | 6/6 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
J. Holman | SS | 50/50 | 5/5 | 7/7 | 6/6 | 6/6 | 5/5 | 7 | 10 | 8 |
J. Jaramillo | 3B | 40/45 | 4/4 | 6/6 | 6/6 | 3/3 | 6/6 | 7 | 9 | 9 |
G. Guzman | 3B | 50/50 | 7/7 | 6/6 | 1/1 | 6/7 | 7/8 | 6 | 8 | 8 |
That leaves Ed with a significant hole, both in his defense and his lineup. Williamson was an OBP machine last season, slashing .264/.406/.496, and the Kernels don’t have a readily-apparent replacement.
Still, the Des Moines infield is not without talent. Third baseman Gerardo Guzman is a good player (.326/.384/.425) who gets on base frequently, and first baseman Willie Carter has some power in his bat (27 HRs). But there’s no question Williamson will be missed.
Current grade: C-. Potential grade (with Williamson back): C+
Outfield/DH
Player | Pos | OV/POT | Con | Gap | Pow | Eye | Avd K | Rng | Err | Arm |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
C. White | CF | 50/55 | 6/6 | 7/8 | 5/6 | 5/5 | 8/8 | 9 | 9 | 7 |
H. Cruz | LF | 50/75 | 7/8 | 7/7 | 7/8 | 5/6 | 5/5 | 5 | 7 | 8 |
L. Chamberlain | LF | 50/60 | 6/6 | 7/7 | 8/8 | 3/3 | 5/5 | 5 | 9 | 10 |
J. Rodriguez | LF | 55/55 | 6/7 | 5/5 | 2/2 | 8/10 | 10/10 | 4 | 8 | 5 |
J. Moniker | LF | 45/45 | 7/7 | 4/4 | 3/3 | 6/6 | 10/10 | 5 | 8 | 9 |
L. De La Cruz | LF | 65/70 | 8/8 | 5/5 | 10/10 | 5/5 | 7/8 | 5 | 6 | 6 |
G. de Best | RF | 50/50 | 6/6 | 5/5 | 6/6 | 7/7 | 7/7 | 5 | 6 | 9 |
Young (21) stud Lucio de la Cruz, who split time between AAA and the big club last season, slashed .282/.366/.531 with the Kernels and mashed 16 home runs in just 71 games. He figures to make his presence felt in a big way this season.
Then, of course, there’s even younger (20) stud Hector Cruz, who also spent much of his season in the minors. Once he got to Des Moines, though, he flat-out raked: .315/.364/.554 with 6 homers in just 29 games.
Long Chamerlain III, Chris White and Jorge Rodríguez all wield decent bats, as well – and White plays an excellent center field. Recent free agent pickup Gerbrand de Best figures to get into the mix, too.
Current grade: B. Potential Grade: A
Bottom Line
So what’s the overall? Des Moines is a team that could, if some of these youngsters develop over the course of the season, make some noise in the second half.
By next year, they could well be a cacophony. Hang in there Kernel Nation: you’ll go through a little more pain this season, but good times are ahead!
Prediction for 2040: 76-86. Prediction for 2041: The rest of the Frick Heartland might do well to steer clear of Des Moines.