December 2011
This date in Kernels alumni history – December 8, 1976 – Jim Dwyer
On December 8, 1976, as part of a three team deal, the Chicago Cubs traded Pete LaCock to the Kansas City Royals to acquire Jim Dwyer (Cedar Rapids Cardinals – 1971) from the New York Mets who received Sheldon Mallory as the PTBNL from the Royals. Dwyer never appeared in a game as a member of the Cubs at the big league level. He hit .332 with 18 HR for the Wichita Aeros before being released and signing with the Cardinals in September of 1977.
Jim Dwyer hit .260 with 77 HR and 349 RBI during his 18 year MLB career playing for the Cardinals, Expos, Mets, Giants, Red Sox, Orioles, and Twins. Dwyer was a member of the 1983 World Series Champion Orioles. He batted .375 including the HR in game 1 during the 1983 World Series.
Jim Dwyer hit .313 with 2 HR and 15 RBI in 58 games for the 1971 Cedar Rapids Cardinals. The Cardinals finished 67-53 under manager Bobby Dews.
Six Kernels alumni selected in Rule V draft this morning
Six Kernels alumni were selected in this morning’s Rule V draft. Robert Fish (2008) was selected by the Atlanta Braves in the Major League phase. The Cubs selected Ricky Alvarez (2011), the Padres selected Michael Wing (2009-10), the Cardinals selected Barrett Browning (2007) and the Blue Jays selected Gabe Jacobo (2008-09) in the Triple-A phase of the draft. Matt Sweeney (2007) was selected by the Orioles in the Double-A phase of the draft.
Robert Fish went 10-4 with a 4.85 ERA for the 2008 Cedar Rapids Kernels. Fish struck out 138 batters in 143 innings of work.
Ricky Alvarez hit .257 with 10 HR and 64 RBI for the 2011 Kernels squad. Alvarez hit 31 doubles in 126 games.
Michael Wing hit .287 with 8 HR and 48 RBI in 2010 for the Kernels. Wing hit 16 doubles and 4 triples in 90 games.
Barrett Browning posted a 9-4 mark with 8 saves and a 2.80 ERA for the 2007 Cedar Rapids Kernels. Browning struck out 74 batters in 74 Innings of work while appearing in 48 games.
Gabe Jacobo hit .320 with 3 HR and 24 RBI in 34 games in 2008 and the came back and hit .257 with 10 HR and 72 RBI in 122 games for the 2009 Kernels squad.
Matt Sweeney hit .260 with 18 HR and 72 RBI for the 2007 Cedar Rapids Kernels. Sweeney hit 29 doubles in 119 games.
This date in Kernels alumni history – December 6, 2011 – Bengie Molina
On December 6, 2006, the San Francisco Giants signed free agent catcher Bengie Molina (Cedar Rapids Kernels – 1994-95) to a three year contract that will pay Molina $16.75M over the three year period.
Bengie Molina hit .274 with 144 HR and 711 RBI during his 13 year career playing for the Angels, Blue Jays, Giants and Rangers. Molina finished fourth in the 2000 Rookie of the year vote and won Gold Glove awards in 2002 and 2003. He played in two World Series (2002 and 2010) and won a championship with the Angels in 2002. He earned a Championship ring in the 2010 World Series even though he played in the series for the Rangers on the losing side. Molina was traded midseason from the championship Giants squad on July 1, 2010.
Bengie Molina was a member of the 1994 and 1995 Cedar Rapids Kernels squads. In 1994, Bengie Molina hit .281 with 3 HR, 8 doubles and 16 RBI in 48 games as the Kernels finished 77-62 under manager Tom Lawless. Molina and the Kernels defeated Springfield in two straight games in the opening round and then topped Rockford taking three of four games to win the 1994 Midwest League Championship. Molina returned in 1995 and hit .293 with 4 HR, 9 doubles and 17 RBI in 37 games before his promotion as the Kernels finished 76-62 under manager Tom Lawless.
This date in Kernels alumni history – December 3, 2011 – Jeff Mathis
On December 3, 2011, the Toronto Blue Jays traded Brad Mills to the Los Angeles Angels to acquire Jeff Mathis (Cedar Rapids Kernels – 2002).
Jeff Mathis has hit .194 with 26 HR and 139 RBI during his seven season MLB career playing for the Angels.
Jeff Mathis was part of the 2002 Kernels team that finished 3rd with a mark of 81-58 under manager Todd Claus. The 2002 team swept Quad Cities in the opening round of the playoffs before falling to Peoria in the second round. Mathis hit .287 with 41 doubles, 10 HR and 73 RBI in 128 games for Cedar Rapids.
This date in Kernels alumni history – December 1, 1956 – Rocky Colavito
On December 1, 1956, Rocky Colavito (Cedar Rapids Indians – 1952) finished second in the American League Rookie of the Year voting to Luis Aparicio of the Chicago White Sox. Colavito finished the year hitting .276 with 21 HR and 65 RBI.
Chris Sabo (Cedar Rapids Reds – 1983) is the only former Cedar Rapids Alumni to win the National League Rookie of the Year award – 1988. Rocky Colavito (Cedar Rapids Indians – 1952) (American League 1956), Ron Hunt (Cedar Rapids Braves 1960-61) (National League 1963) and Mark Trumbo (Cedar Rapids Kernels – 2007-07) (American League (2011) are the only Rookie of the Year runner-ups in Cedar Rapids professional baseball alumni history.
Rookie of the Year Finishes by Cedar Rapids Alumni
Rocky Colavito 2nd AL 1956 Cedar Rapids Indians (1952)
Dick Drott 3rd NL 1957 Cedar Rapids Raiders (1954)
Ron Hunt 2nd NL 1963 Cedar Rapids Braves (1960-61)
Hector Cruz 3rd NL 1976 Cedar Rapids Cardinals (1970-72)
Chili Davis 4th NL 1982 Cedar Rapids Giants (1978)
Chris Sabo 1st NL 1988 Cedar Rapids Reds (1983)
Reggie Sanders 4th NL 1992 Cedar Rapids Reds (1990)
Bill Risley 4th AL 1994 Cedar Rapids Reds (1989-90)
Jason Dickson 3rd AL 1997 Cedar Rapids Kernels (1995)
Bengie Molina 4th AL 2000 Cedar Rapids Kernels (1994-95)
John Lackey 4th AL 2002 Cedar Rapids Kernels (2000)
Mark Trumbo 2nd AL 2011 Cedar Rapids Kernels (2006-07)
Jordan Walden 7th AL 2011 Cedar Rapids Kernels (2008)
Seth Dohrn
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