Cedar Rapids Kernels Baseball

Christensen excited to make Kernels

FORT MYERS, Fla. - On Wednesday, Kernels Manager Jake Mauer said of local Cedar Rapids boy and Twins minor league farmhand Chad Christensen, "There’s no doubt that he’s somebody we’d like to take north with us.”

On Saturday, Mauer got his wish as Christensen was among the 25 players listed on the Opening Day roster.

Christensen, a 2009 graduate of Cedar Rapids Washington, is listed on the Kernels roster as an outfielder, but Mauer has indicated he could see time at five different positions in the outfield and infield.

In an interview following a spring training game earlier in the week,Christensen told the MSR that playing in Cedar Rapids "Would be real exciting. I grew up there and everything. It would be a lot of fun to come home.”

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Christensen could stick with Kernels

FORT MYERS, Fla. —  With the Cedar Rapids Kernels set to open their 2014 season in just a week, the Minnesota Twins Class A affiliate is headed into the final days of spring training in Fort Myers, Fla., with only a few more decisions to make.

Manager Jake Mauer indicated after Wednesday’s game with the Red Sox’s Class A group that the Kernels’ roster is shaping up with just a handful of positions still unresolved.

One player still “on the bubble” with the Kernels is Chad Christensen, who prepped at Cedar Rapids Washington High School before playing ball for the University of Nebraska. Christensen was drafted by the Twins last June and played last summer for the Twins’ Gulf Coast League rookie level affiliate in Fort Myers.

It sounds like the Kernels’ manager would like to bring Christiansen to Cedar Rapids next week.

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Meet the Kernels night is Tuesday

The Cedar Rapids Kernels will host their annual "Meet the Kernels Night" on Tuesday, April 1 starting at 5 p.m.

The event is free to the public, with food and beverage available for purchase. The Kernels' Bimm Ridder Diamond Shop will be open showcasing new merchandise for the 2014 season.

The 2014 Kernels will mix and mingle with fans from 5:15 p.m. to 7 p.m. A short program will begin at 7 p.m. as Kernels Manager Jake Mauer will introduce the team and talk briefly about the upcoming season. Then the Kernels will conduct a short workout under the lights at Perfect Game Field.

Kernels set auditions for national anthem

The Cedar Rapids Kernels will host National Anthem Auditions for the 2014 season on Friday, March 21 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. and on Saturday, March 22 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

Individuals and small groups are welcome to audition to perform the Star Spangled Banner before one of the Kernels' 70 home games during the 2014 season. Those wishing to audition should come to the stadium during the above times, enter through the Administration Office entrance and proceed to the suite level (3rd floor).

Auditions are held on a first-come, first-heard basis and warm-up room is available.

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Kernels set Special Jersey Nights

The Cedar Rapids Kernels will wear special jerseys at selected games during the 2014 season. These jerseys will be sold during their particular game through a silent auction on the concourse.

The Special Jersey Nights are:

May 3 - ACS Pink Jersey Night (benefits the American Cancer Society)
May 30 - Star Wars Night (benefits Tourette Syndrome)
June 14 - ISU Cyclone Night
June 27 - Autism Action Night
July 4 - Armed Forces Night
July 18 - ALS Camo Jersey (benefits the ALS Society)
August 9 - Hawaiian Jersey (Jimmy Buffett Night)
August 15 - Hawkeye Sports Night

The Kernels will also wear special jerseys for every Tuesday home game as part of Twin Tuesday, presented by Great Clips. These jerseys will be sold as part of a silent auction on Fan Appreciation Night on Friday, Aug. 29.

Kernels GM: No reason to panic

There's a 20-foot wall of snow in the middle of their parking lot at Veterans Memorial Stadium from all the plowing this winter, but you can drive around that big, white barrier and find somewhere else to park at the ballpark.

It's the thick layer of snow that's currently sitting on the field that could become problematic as the April 3 season opener approaches, but Kernels General Manager Doug Nelson said it's too early to push the panic button.

Once the field temperature hits 55 degrees, the new sod that was installed last fall will turn green in a hurry, he predicted. A nice warm rain would help.

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Kernels open ticket office on Monday

Opening Day for the 2014 season is less than four weeks away and a sure sign is the opening of the Kernels Ticket Office and Bimm Ridder Diamond Shop on Monday at 10 a.m.

Individual game tickets for the Cedar Rapids Kernels go on sale Monday morning in the Ticket Office and online at www.kernels.com.

It pays to purchase tickets in advance as the Kernels have implemented a "Game Day" ticket price. Ticket prices for advance sales are $11 for Premier tickets, $9 for Club tickets, $8 for Plaza tickets and $7 for Lawn seating, but those prices go up $1 the day of the game.

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Kernels set Summer Job Fair

The Cedar Rapids Kernels will hold their Summer Job Fair on Wednesday, March 5 from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. and on Saturday, March 8 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.

The Kernels are looking to fill positions in the following areas: Ushers, Hawkers, Concessions, Kids Game Area and Ticket Office.

Perfect Game Field at Veterans Memorial Stadium will host the Summer Job Fair in the Third Floor Conference Room. The stadium address is 950 Rockford Road SW in Cedar Rapids.

People unable to attend the Summer Job Fair may fill out an application in the Kernels Main Office during normal business hours or download the application from the Kernels web site at www.kernels.com and mail it in.

Kernels set theme nights, concerts

The Cedar Rapids Kernels have set their Theme Night and Post-Game Concert schedule for the 2014 season.  Popular fan favorites are returning and several new theme nights will take place at Veterans Memorial Stadium this year.

The Theme Night schedule starts on Friday, April 4 with Captain America Movie Theme Night. New Theme Nights include Wedding Crashers Night on Saturday, May 31 where fans are crashing an actual wedding by coming to the game; Tribute to Corn Night on Thursday, July 10; Duck Dynasty Night on Friday, July 18; and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Theme Night on Friday, Aug. 8.

Theme nights returning for the 2014 season include: Star Wars Night on Friday, May 30; Game Show Night on Friday, June 13; ISU Cyclone Night on Saturday, June 14; Halfway to Christmas on Friday, June 27; Armed Forces Night on Friday, July 4; Racing (NASCAR) Night on Thursday, July 31; Jimmy Buffett Night on Saturday, Aug. 9; and Hawkeye Sports Night on Friday, August 15.

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