Cedar Rapids Kernels’ pitcher Austin Wood warms up during Meet the Kernels Night at Veterans Memorial Stadium on Tuesday, April 2, 2012, in southwest Cedar Rapids, Iowa. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette-KCRG)
Cedar Rapids Kernels’ 6’11″ pitcher Joe Melioris warms up during Meet the Kernels Night at Veterans Memorial Stadium on Tuesday, April 2, 2012, in southwest Cedar Rapids, Iowa. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette-KCRG)
Cedar Rapids Kernels’ pitcher Austin Wood warms up during Meet the Kernels Night at Veterans Memorial Stadium on Tuesday, April 2, 2012, in southwest Cedar Rapids, Iowa. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette-KCRG)
Cedar Rapids Kernels’ pitcher Austin Wood warms up during Meet the Kernels Night at Veterans Memorial Stadium on Tuesday, April 2, 2012, in southwest Cedar Rapids, Iowa. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette-KCRG)
Cedar Rapids Kernels catcher Matthew Scioscia throws to second base during practice at Meet the Kernels Night at Veterans Memorial Stadium on Tuesday, April 2, 2012, in southwest Cedar Rapids, Iowa. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette-KCRG)
Cedar Rapids Kernels’ pitcher Austin Wood warms up during Meet the Kernels Night at Veterans Memorial Stadium on Tuesday, April 2, 2012, in southwest Cedar Rapids, Iowa. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette-KCRG)
Cedar Rapids Kernels third baseman Kaleb Cowart fields a ground ball during practice at Meet the Kernels Night at Veterans Memorial Stadium on Tuesday, April 2, 2012, in southwest Cedar Rapids, Iowa. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette-KCRG)
Cedar Rapids Kernels’ Chevy Clarke gets ready for batting practice during Meet the Kernels Night at Veterans Memorial Stadium on Tuesday, April 2, 2012, in southwest Cedar Rapids, Iowa. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette-KCRG)
Cedar Rapids Kernels third baseman Kaleb Cowart fields a throw to third during practice at Meet the Kernels Night at Veterans Memorial Stadium on Tuesday, April 2, 2012, in southwest Cedar Rapids, Iowa. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette-KCRG)
Cedar Rapids Kernels’ Chevy Clarke swings at a pitch during batting practice at Meet the Kernels Night at Veterans Memorial Stadium on Tuesday, April 2, 2012, in southwest Cedar Rapids, Iowa. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette-KCRG)
Cedar Rapids Kernels catcher Matthew Scioscia during practice at Meet the Kernels Night at Veterans Memorial Stadium on Tuesday, April 2, 2012, in southwest Cedar Rapids, Iowa. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette-KCRG)
Cedar Rapids Kernels’ Chevy Clarke follows through on a swing during batting practice at Meet the Kernels Night at Veterans Memorial Stadium on Tuesday, April 2, 2012, in southwest Cedar Rapids, Iowa. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette-KCRG)
Cedar Rapids Kernels manager Jamie Burke talks to pitcher Austin Wood during Meet the Kernels Night at Veterans Memorial Stadium on Tuesday, April 2, 2012, in southwest Cedar Rapids, Iowa. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette-KCRG)
Carole (cq) Gauger (left) of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, offers to provide rides to Easter church services to Cedar Rapids Kernels players including Ty Kelley (right), Ryan Crowley (second from right) and Ryan Jones (second from left) during Meet the Kernels Night at Veterans Memorial Stadium on Tuesday, April 2, 2012, in southwest Cedar Rapids, Iowa. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette-KCRG)
Cedar Rapids Kernels’ players from left: Carlos Lugo, Eswarlin Jimenez, Lay Batista, and Jairo Diaz sign baseballs for Kenadi (cq) Wood, 6, and her brother Colton Wood, 11, both of North Liberty, Iowa, during Meet the Kernels Night at Veterans Memorial Stadium on Tuesday, April 2, 2012, in southwest Cedar Rapids, Iowa. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette-KCRG)
Cedar Rapids Kernels’ Gary Mitchell signs a baseball for four-year-old Milo Hines of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, during Meet the Kernels Night at Veterans Memorial Stadium on Tuesday, April 2, 2012, in southwest Cedar Rapids, Iowa. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette-KCRG)
Cedar Rapids Kernels’ mascot Mr Shucks gets a hug from Traevon Armstead, 4, as five-year-old Logan Collins (second from right) and Braedyn (cq) Mason (right), 3, look on during Meet the Kernels Night at Veterans Memorial Stadium on Tuesday, April 2, 2012, in southwest Cedar Rapids, Iowa. All are of Hiawatha, Iowa. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette-KCRG)
Cedar Rapids Kernels’ 6’11″ pitcher Joe Melioris waves to the crowd as the 2012 Kernels are introduced during Meet the Kernels Night at Veterans Memorial Stadium on Tuesday, April 2, 2012, in southwest Cedar Rapids, Iowa. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette-KCRG)
Cedar Rapids Kernels manager Jamie Burke talks to Jairo Diaz as he warms up during Meet the Kernels Night at Veterans Memorial Stadium on Tuesday, April 2, 2012, in southwest Cedar Rapids, Iowa. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette-KCRG)
Cedar Rapids Kernels’ Chevy Clarke tosses a ball in the air as players are introduced during Meet the Kernels Night at Veterans Memorial Stadium on Tuesday, April 2, 2012, in southwest Cedar Rapids, Iowa. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette-KCRG)
Cedar Rapids Kernels players warm up during Meet the Kernels Night at Veterans Memorial Stadium on Tuesday, April 2, 2012, in southwest Cedar Rapids, Iowa. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette-KCRG)
Cedar Rapids Kernels manager Jamie Burke (left) talks to pitching coach Chris Gissell during Meet the Kernels Night at Veterans Memorial Stadium on Tuesday, April 2, 2012, in southwest Cedar Rapids, Iowa. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette-KCRG)