The Minor League Game of the Week
 Trevor Bell pitched seven shutout innings on August 24, 2007 when the Kernels visited Quad Cities. |
August 24, 2007 — Riding an eight-game winning streak, the Cedar Rapids Kernels visit the Swing of the Quad Cities as both teams seek post-season playoff slots.
With everyone finally healthy, by late August the Kernels were firing on all metaphorical cylinders. This game features all the regulars who should be at Rancho Cucamonga in 2008 — P.J. Phillips, Peter Bourjos, Wil Ortiz, Mark Trumbo, Hank Conger, Matt Sweeney, Ryan Mount, Trevor Bell, and Barret Browning.
For Trevor Bell, he was as hot in August as the rest of the Kernels. In that month, Trevor was 4-0 with a 2.20 ERA. In 41.0 IP, he struck out 29, walked just five, and gave up just one homer.
Although the Angels have been affiliated with Cedar Rapids since 1993, Quad Cities was a long-time Angels affiliate as well, starting with the Angels’ second year of existence in 1962. The Angels were in Davenport from 1962-1978, then returned for 1986-1992 before switching their Midwest League affiliation to Cedar Rapids.
I’m hoping this year I can catch at least one Kernels road game at Quad Cities. Historic John O’Donnell Stadium is one of the most picturesque ballparks in the minors. Literally against the Mississippi River, the Centennial Bridge arches across the water next to the stadium. The field does flood now and then, forcing the ballclub to move elsewhere, but a recent renovation project supposedly will help protect from future floods. (I’m sure Mother Nature will have something to say about that …).
The franchise has gone through several names over the years. When they were affiliated with the Angels, they were known as the Quad Cities Angels but also known at times as the Quad Cities River Bandits. A previous owner changed the team name in 2004 to the Swing of the Quad Cities (ick!), but new ownership this winter changed it back to River Bandits. Unfortunately, they also sold the stadium naming rights, so it’s now called Modern Woodmen Park. Supply your own punch line.
Click Here to listen to the game. You need Windows Media Player.
FutureAngels.com 
Since Mark at MLBlogs calls you his most popular fan blog of all, I thought I’d give you your first reader comment in more than two months.
Cheers
Blogger’s Note: The above individual used this message to advertise another web site. The link has been deleted. The rest remains so you can judge for yourself his true motivations. — Stephen
Stephen,
True motivations? Well, I had two, actually. The biggie was to make fun of Mark at MLBlogs. If you fail to see the humor in the head of MLB’s 3 yr old blogging community propping up a blog that hasnt had a single reader comment in two months as his “most popular”, then either you misunderstood my intentions or have a pretty thin skin, or both.
It wasn’t my intention to disparage your blog in any way. On the contrary, I wish you great success with it. Calling attn to your paucity of comments was directed at Mark’s breathless claim in the midst of his methodical lack of promotion for “ordinary” bloggers going back to 2005 – and was in no way meant to disparage your blog’s quality.
My second motivation was just to say Hi and welcome you to MLBlogs, and we normally do that with a link to our own blog. The primary reason I linked was for your benefit, not mine, so you could see who I was. Sure, it might generate an extra referral, but trust me, the practical impact is usually negligible.
Again, sorry for the misunderstanding and success with the blog.