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Team Profile
Season Summary
- First Half: 40-32 (.556), 2nd place, 0.5 behind
- Second Half: 31-37 (.456), 3rd place, 6.0 behind
- Pitching: 71-69, 3.52, 21 CG, 13 shutouts, 26 saves, 1033 Ks
- Hitting: .238, 607 runs, 87 homers, 183 steals
- April: 14-7 (.667)
- May: 15-15 (.500)
- June: 13-13 (.500)
- July: 13-15 (.464)
- August: 14-14 (.500)
- September: 2-5 (.286)
- Best Player on the Team: Second Baseman Adam Leggett
- Best Starting Pitcher: Steve Fish (2.47, 10-4, 127.2 IP, 121 Ks)
- Bullpen Stopper: no bullpen stopper
- Best Strikeout Pitcher: Hector Rodriguez
- Best Control Pitcher: Steve Fish
- Best Hitter: Adam Leggett (.273, 83 runs, 50 RBI, 80 walks, 24 steals) or Juan Tolentino (.261, 82 runs, 57 RBI, 49 steals)
- Highest BA: Adam Leggett (.273)
- Home Run Leader: E. J. t'Hoen (18)
- Best Baserunner: Juan Tolentino (49 steals, 6 triples)
- Best Batting Eye: Adam Leggett
July Profile
More than any MWL team, the Kernels suffered when their parent organization moved players around in mid-season. They're still putting some decent talent out there, especially on the mound, but this is not the dominating team we saw early in the season.
Second baseman Adam Leggett and outfielder Juan Tolentino remain the best players; Tolentino's fast, but unpolished, while Leggett's the better hitter. The rest of the offense brings either speed (Ariel Delgado, Jeb Dougherty) or power (E.J. t'Hoen, Casey Martin), for the most part. Most of the pitching is quite good, even after the roster shuffles, but they're a notch down from the early season's talent. Steve Fish is the best talent, but only a couple are pitching poorly.
Two more to watch: Pitcher Mathew Lubozynski and third baseman Mike Lawrence.
June Profile
The Kernels' offense has collapsed, and the team's suffered as a result. They're still getting excellent pitching, and it keeps them in contention.
Cedar's position players started the season in high gear, and are still having fine seasons, but they didn't hit well in June. Likely they'll recover. The Kernels have a wealth of pitchers: Mark Harriger is among the league's best. Doug Nickle might be better, if he were in the same role. Steve Fish is closer material, though he's not being used in that role. Most of the other pitchers throw strikes reliably and help make this team strong.
A Late Note on the Manager's Style: Garry Templeton evidently hasn't heard that MWL pitchers don't pitch complete games; this team has 12, three more than any other team and more than twice the league average.
May Profile
The Kernels struggled a bit during May, and don't look so strong as they did a month ago. They still have an excellent pitching staff, good power, and some fine position players. They still run reckless on the basepaths, too, and continue to pay the price.
Second baseman Adam Leggett is a fine, all-around ballplayer, with good speed and more power than you expect at the position. Outfielder Mike Colangelo is a potential star, and shortstop E.J. t'Hoen, outfielder Juan Tolentino, and catcher Casey Martin are power sources. Mark Harriger's the best of a fine pitching rotation, while relievers Hector Rodriguez, Douglas Nickle, and Steve Fish make the team hard to beat.
April Profile
The Kernels are probably the league's best team, right now. They've got a good offensive squad and a very fine pitching corps. They've got some fairly serious power. They run a lot, too, but not wisely; it often costs them.
Pre-Season Profile
Manager
Manager Garry Templeton has never managed a professional team.
Where they played last season
Except for a handful of players, these Kernels were constructed from the Angels' 1997 short season clubs.
Team League W/L Place Hitters Pitchers
(Teams)
Lake Elsinore California (A) 61-79 9(10) 0 0
Cedar Rapids Midwest (A) 62-76 12(14) 1 3
Boise Northwest (A) 51-25 1(8) 6 6
Butte Pioneer (R) 30-42 7(8) 5 5
Two of the Kernels did not play professional ball last summer. The Angels moved players quite a bit last summer; many players are counted more than once on this table.
This information is based on the opening-day roster.
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Oldest Player:
- Dougle Nickle, 23 (10/2/74)
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Youngest Player:
- Renny Rojas, 19 (11/7/78)
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Average Team Age:
- Pitchers: 22.1
- Position Players: 21.9
- Team Average: 22.0
First Round Draftee
Honors
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Casey Child
- 1997 Northwest League: All-Star outfield
- Baseball America Top Angels Prospects: #15 prospect
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Brendon Cowsill
- Midwest League pitcher of the week for August 16-22
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Dwayne Dobson
- 1998 Midwest League All-Star Game selection
- Midwest League Pitcher of the Week for April 9-18
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Steve Fish
- Midwest League Pitcher of the Week for August 23-29
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Mark Harriger
- Baseball America best Angels Prospects: #3 prospect
- Baseball America Angels Post-Season Prospect Summary: best minor league pitcher
- Topps/NAPBL Minor League Player of the Month for May
- 1998 Midwest League All-Star Game selection
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Marcus Knight
- Baseball America Top Angels Prospects: #12 prospect, best hitter for average
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Adam Leggett
- 1998 Midwest League All-Star Game selection
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Doug Nickle
- 1998 Midwest League All-Star Game selection
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Felix Perozo
- Midwest League Pitcher of the Week for May 24-30
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Renny Rojas
- 1997 Pioneer League: most wins, most innings pitcher
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E. J. t'Hoen
- 1998 Midwest League All-Star Game selection
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Heath Timmerman
- 1998 Midwest League All-Star Game selection
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Juan Tolentino
- Baseball America Best Tools: best defensive outfielder
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