Metro Sports Report

Watkins helps Kernels hit their groove

Cedar Rapids Kernels hitting coach Tommy Watkins knows his way around a minor league field, having spent parts of 11 seasons as a player in the Minnesota Twins minor league system. Toward the end of the 2007 season, he got to live the dream of every player who ever put on a minor league uniform when he was called up  to the Big Leagues by the Twins.

Since 2009, Watkins has been coaching in the Twins minor league organization and this season is his fourth as the hitting coach for the Twins’ Class A affiliate in the  Midwest League (the first three coming with the  Beloit Snappers). Watkins recently sat down and talked about his role with the Kernels and more.

METRO SPORTS REPORT: This is the first year in Cedar Rapids for you and the team after spending a few years in Beloit. How do you feel things are going here?

TOMMY WATKINS: Things are going great here. The people are amazing, just like the people in Beloit were pretty amazing. But things have jumped off here pretty well.

Local players in pro baseball

RYAN SWEENEY (Xavier, Chicago Cubs) - Placed on disabled list June 30 with fractured rib. Expected to miss at least six weeks. Season stats: G - 44, Avg. - .295, AB - 112, H - 33, HR - 4, RBI - 15, SB - 1.

SCOTT SCHEBLER (Prairie, Rancho Cucamonga (Dodgers)) - Started in right field Friday and was 2-for-4 with two RBIs in the Quakes' 6-3 loss to High Desert. Season stats: G - 72, Avg. - .304, AB - 270, H - 82, HR - 15, RBI - 48, SB - 7.

KELLEN SWEENEY (Jefferson, Lansing (Blue Jays)) - Did not play Friday in the Lugnuts' 7-3 loss to Lake County. Season stats: G - 68, Avg. - .183, AB - 219, H - 40, HR - 3, RBI - 15, SB - 0.

ANDREW HANSE (Linn-Mar, Hudson Valley (Rays)) - Pitched 2.1 innings of scoreless relief Friday in the Renegades' 6-0 loss to Staten Island. Season stats: W - 1. L - 1. Sv - 1. ERA - 4.50. G - 7. IP - 12. H - 9. BB - 5. SO - 9.

CHAD CHRISTENSEN (Washington, GCL Twins (Twins)) - Friday's game against the GCL Red Sox was suspended by rain and is scheduled to be played Saturday before the regularly scheduled game. Season stats: G - 8, Avg. - .286, AB - 28, H - 8, HR - 0, RBI - 6, SB - 0.

Kernels win before huge holiday crowd

The Cedar Rapids Kernels enjoyed a Happy 4th of July on Thursday with 5,631 of their best new friends at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

The second-largest crowd in stadium history came to the park on Armed Forces Day to celebrate the nation's birthday, enjoy performances by the Midwest Dueling Pianos, run the bases, bid on the Kernels' special stars-and-stripes jerseys, enjoy the game and enjoy a holiday fireworks display.

The Kernels added to the festivities by clipping the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, 3-1, on home runs by Adam Brett Walker and Dalton Hicks and tight pitching.

The all-time record crowd at the stadium was set on July 12, 2002 when 5,861 fans poured through the gates. The new Veterans Memorial Stadium opened for business in 2002 and that attendance figure has stood the test of time ever since.

Goodrum getting it done for Kernels

Cedar Rapids Kernels middle infielder Niko Goodrum was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the second round of the 2010 First Year Player Draft and spent the past two years playing for the Twins' short-season rookie league team in Elizabethton.

The 21-year-old switch-hitter from Georgia got off to a good start with the Kernels, most often batting second in Manager Jake Mauer’s batting order, behind leadoff hitter Byron Buxton. He was named to the Midwest League’s Western Division All-Star team.

On June 2, Goodrum collided with Kane County catcher Willson Contreras and came away with a concussion that sidelined him on the team’s disabled list right up until the final day of the first half of the Midwest League season on June 16. His activation that day allowed him to participate in the MWL All-Star Game on June 18.
A few days ago, Goodrum talked about his season, so far, his injury and a number of other topics.