The Des Moines Kernels’ 2044 season did not go as well as fans had hoped, finishing with a record of 57-105. However, the future is bright for this young club. After signing their two 2044 first round draft picks, RHP Deron Alexander (6th)and C Dave Butler (8th), the farm is locked and loaded with other blue chip prospects such as Anthony DeYoung and Felix Perreno. The #1 minor league system in the BBA is bright and shiny, but don’t expect much impact from those players in 2045. Expect more demise until those young Kernels get poppin’ in a couple more seasons.Pitching
LHP Bobby Lynch has returned from his back injury, but is just a fraction of the pitcher he once was. It was a no-brainer decision for him to pick up his player option and keep him getting paid through 2048. The Kernels will certainly be looking to dump Lynch in favor of younger arms if they can find a suitor. RHP Timmy Karnes will look to build on his improved 2044 season and solidify himself as the ace of the rotation. RHP Juan Garcia saw a drop in K/9 last season, but his stuff seems as electric as ever, so you can expect him to fill in as a solid #2. RHP Greg Palmer and LHP’s Rafael Rodriguez and Larry Fain will likely fill in the remainder of the strong rotation. A solid bullpen anchored by LHP Bill Keil and RHP Juan Garcia will ensure the pitching staff for Des Moines is its strongest piece of the puzzle.
Infield
Veteran backstop Luis Barrera is coming off a 3.1 WAR season, but more importantly, adds experience to this young team. 1B Juan Mateo is a dangerous hitter in the middle of the lineup and posted 139 OPS+ last season while providing an average glove at first. You can also expect to see Hector Cruz see ABs vs LHP. Chua-kah Yang possesses as much power in his bat as any other 2B in the game, however, he only batted .179 last season. Combined with his lack of range at 2B, he saw a -2.0 WAR season. He may be better suited for the hot corner, but that position will likely be manned by Anastasio Guillen. Luis Cruz is currently pegged as the team’s starting SS, but he can be replaced with just about any minor league infielder. With a couple upgrades in the infield, 2045 could be a successful season, however, the team trade Jorge Aranda for another arm in the bullpen. Aranda would have been a huge upgrade in the middle of the infield and should have forced Yang into a corner outfield spot or 3B.
Outfield
Norihisa 'Knuckles' Yokoyama , and Juan Santana, and Man-keung Sui should man the majority of the games in the outfield. Knuckles missed almost two months with a fractured wrist and was dearly missed at the top of the order where he got on base at a .387 clip. His offensive abilities made up for his defensive liabilities. Santana doesn’t do anything great, but he also doesn’t have any glaring holes. If his bat doesn’t stay sharp, he will likely be displaced by superior fielders Masamichi Kubo and Dave Dempsey. Unfortunately, Sui cannot cover the entire cornfield, so he will welcome assistance in the outfield.
Designated Hitter
Lucio De La Cruz was a bright spot in Des Moines in 2044 after he bashed 45 homers….ALL or which were against RHP. He is truly feared against righties, buy southpaws have no trouble getting outs against the power machine. This is a position that should be heavily platooned, despite De La Cruz’s stardom.
Newly signed manager Trey Williams hopes his new trainer, Bashir Musajakawa can help keep his team healthy. If so, you can expect to see a major improvement from last season’s 57 wins. Expect to avoid 100 losses this season, although not by much. The Heartland will continue to torment Des Moines, but with a few moves to shore up defensive shortcomings, Des Moines can shock the world. However, they will need to dig into their vast farm system to acquire the parts needed to sneak into a wildcard spot. Whether or not management wants to jeopardize the future for a shot of glory remains to be seen, but at least going to Kernels games will be fun in 2045 as they continue to market opposing Heartland teams’ star players to attract fans.
