The Cedar Rapids Kernels organized two public events to give fans and media opportunities to meet the 2016 crop of ballplayers and coaching staff this week.

The team arrived on Monday and were greeted at Veterans Stadium by fans and staff as their bus from the airport pulled into the players' parking lot.

On Tuesday, the annual Meet the Kernels Night gave media an opportunity to talk to manager Jake Mauer and his coaches, as well as a trio of ballplayers, while other players mingled with fans on the concourse to have a bite to eat and try to stay warm.

I posted articles over at Knuckleballsblog.com covering both events and decided I would combine them into one blog post here at TwinsDaily. Enjoy.

Cedar Rapids Welcomes the 2016 Kernels

A modest, but devoted, crowd of fans, staff and host parents greeted manager Jake Mauer, his field staff and 24 players to Veterans Memorial Stadium with applause and a handful of signs as they stepped off their bus from the Cedar Rapids airport early Monday evening.

It was upwards of 70 degrees in Florida when the team departed their Fort Myers spring training camp earlier in the day and many of the players were still sporting the short sleeve sport shirts that were more appropriate on departure than they were upon arrival at their new home, where temperatures hovered a degree or two on one side or the other of 40 degrees.

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Mr Shucks spends some time with young Kernels fans while they wait for the team’s bus to arrive. (photo: SD Buhr)

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Manager Jake Mauer steps off the bus to the applause of local fans. (Photo: SD Buhr)

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Young Kernels fans greeting the arriving 2016 Kernels (Photo: SD Buhr)

After arriving and settling into his office, Mauer confirmed that pitcher Michael Cederoth, originally listed as a member of the initial Kernels roster, did not make the trip to Cedar Rapids with the team. The manager indicated that Cederoth has an issue with his back and that no final decision has yet been communicated concerning who will take his spot on the active roster.

The Quad Cities River Bandits will visit Cedar Rapids on Thursday to open the 2016 season. Game time is 6:35.

"Meet the Kernels" Night is a Cold One

“Meet the Kernels” Night in Cedar Rapids could just as well be re-named “Kernels Meet the Cold” Night. as the freshly arrived group of players once again were greeted by 40 degree temperatures Tuesday night, in addition to meeting media members and fans during the annual event.

Manager Jake Mauer and his new coaching staff, pitching coach J.P. Martinez and hitting coach Brian Dinkelman, took questions from local media for several minutes before being replaced at the interview table by three of the 16 Kernels that spent time in Cedar Rapids uniforms a year ago, infielder Chris Paul along with pitchers Sam Gibbons and Randy LeBlanc

Many of the questions for the field staff and the trio of players focused on the cold weather and the higher-than-normal number of players returning to Cedar Rapids to start the 2016 season.

While the interviews were going on and for a time afterward, players and fans mingled on the concourse and tried to stay warm.

The introduction of the team and short workout, originally scheduled for 7:00, were mercifully moved up to 6:15.

The forecast for Thursday’s Opening Day in Cedar Rapids is for warmer temperatures – perhaps all the way up to the upper 40s by game time – and a 45% chance of afternoon rain.

Photos from Tuesday’s event:

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Kernels broadcaster Morgan Hawk introduces the 2016 Kernels to fans (Photo: SD Buhr)

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JP Martinez, Jake Mauer and Brian Dinkelman take questions form the local Cedar Rapids media (Photo: SD Buhr)

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Returning Kernels Sam Gibbons, Randy LeBlanc and Chris Paul share a moment of levity during their group interview with local media (Photo: SD Buhr)

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Kernels grabbing some grub and mingling with fans on the concourse (Photo: SD Buhr)

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Players and fans alike were trying to stay warm as they got to know one another. (Photo: SD Buhr)

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On the field before their workout, an unusual combination of shorts and hooded parkas (Photo: SD Buhr)

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Pitchers gathering for a little game of Flip is not unusual – playing it in parkas is less common (Photo: SD Buhr)

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Fans who stuck around to the end watched the Kernels take a round of infield (Photo: SD Buhr)

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I’ll just say that I’ve taken batting practice in cold weather. It is never fun. (Photo: SD Buhr)