Chiefs vs Kernels Playoff Preview
The Chiefs qualified for the post-season as the Second Half Western Division Champions with a 43-26 record, the best half in franchise history. Peoria finished the season with the second-best overall mark in franchise history at 81-57. The Kernels qualified as the First Half Western Division Wild Card team with a 40-30 record and a tiebreaker over the Clinton LumberKings. Cedar Rapids finished the regular season second to the Chiefs in overall Western Division standings at 78-60. Whoever wins this series will have home-field advantage against the Kane County-Burlington winner.
The Chiefs were 23-12 at home in the second half and a Western Division best 48-22 at home overall. While the Chiefs are the best home team in the West, Cedar Rapids is the best road team in the West going 20-14 on the second half and 38-31 overall. Both teams were 6-4 down the stretch but the Chiefs were 8-3 against Cedar Rapids on the season, 4-0 in Peoria and 4-3 in Cedar Rapids. The mark in Iowa includes a 3-1 series win August 28-31 in which the Chiefs outscored Cedar Rapids 35-15 with 16-5 and 11-1 wins. Peoria swept Cedar Rapids in April at home but three of the four games were decided by one run.
Head-to-head the Chiefs have outhit Cedar Rapids .290 to .246 in the 11 games with seven homers and 65 runs scored. Cedar Rapids has hit six homers in the season series with 41 runs scored while out-stealing the Chiefs 14 to five. Of the players who have been here all season, Rebel Ridling leads the way with a .370 average (17-for-46) against Cedar Rapids with a homer, four doubles and nine RBI. Kyler Burke had a grand slam against the Kernels and has 12 RBI with four doubles and a .333 average (11-for-33). The others over .280 include Nelson Perez (.286 12-for-42, 3 HR), D.J LeMahieu (.333 6-for-18), Junior Lake (.325 13-for-40) and newcomer Jose Valdez (.417 5-for-12). Of the regulars expected in the Chiefs lineup, only Michael Brenly (.160 4-for-25), Ryan Flaherty (.219 7-for-32) and David Macias (.222 6-for-27) are under .275 against the Kernels. Peoria suffered a blow on Monday when Cubs' first-round pick Brett Jackson was ruled out of the first round with a right hand injury. They did however get Jovan Rosa back from the DL and he has not faced Cedar Rapids this season.
For the Cedar Rapids offense, Darwin Perez has the best average with a .353 clip (12-for-34) in 10 games. MWL batting champ Alexi Amarista hit .333 (11-for-33) against the Chiefs with three doubles, a triple and six stolen bases. The others on the current roster over .280 include catcher Beau Brooks (.333 6-for-18) and first baseman Gabe Jacobo (.317 13-for-41) with eight RBI. The Chiefs have held leadoff man and centerfielder Tyson Auer in check (.167 6-for-36) but he does have a triple and four stolen bases. The others expected to get starting nods include Angel Castillo, Matt Crawford, Roberto Lopez and two players the Chiefs have not faced in Mike Trout and Rolando Gomez.
Game one will feature Chiefs RH Austin Bibens-Dirkx (7-2, 2.04) against Kernels LH Will Smith (10-5, 3.76). Bibens-Dirkx beat Cedar Rapids less than two weeks ago in Iowa when he held them to one run on five hits while striking out six over 6 2/3 innings. The Chiefs beat Smith on August 30 16-5 as he allowed 10 runs, seven earned, on 12 hits over three innings for a 21.00 ERA. Game two will have the Chiefs starting LH Jeffry Antigua (4-0, 3.62) against Kernels RH Tyler Chatwood (8-7, 4.02). Antigua beat Cedar Rapids 16-5 on August 30 by tossing six innings in which he allowed four earned runs on seven hits while striking out five. Chatwood beat the Chiefs 8-3 on August 28 allowing three runs on four hits over six innings while striking out five and walking two. If game three is necessary the Chiefs will start RH Justin Bristow (5-8, 4.49) while the Kernels have not yet announced a starter but it could be either RH Ryan Chaffee (8-8, 4.33) or RH Chris Scholl (3-2, 3.42). Bristow is 0-0 against the Kernels this year in three starts and hasn't gone past the third inning in any of those starts while posting an 11.57 ERA. Chaffee is 0-1 with a 16.71 ERA in two starts against the Chiefs while Scholl is 0-0 with a 5.40 ERA in three games and one start against Peoria.
The bullpens for the two teams are pretty even in season stats and have been strong for both squads. Lefty Andrew Taylor anchors the Kernels pen with a 3-0 record and a 1.23 ERA while saving all eight chances. On the setup side Nick Pugliese is 3-2 with a 2.52 ERA in 24 games and Vladimir Veras is 3-4 with a 3.00 ERA in 38 outings. John Hellweg is a newcomer with a 0-0 record and a 1.35 ERA with two saves in five games pitched and Micahel Rocco is 1-0 with a 1.80 ERA in two outings. Chris Scholl (3-2, 3.42), Chris Armstrong (3-2, 4.73) and Kyle Hurst (1-2, 4.64) have all served dual roles as starters and relievers. Manaurys Correa (8-10, 4.47) made 27 starts this season and could see bullpen action or be saved for round two after starting the final regular season game.
On the Chiefs side Chris Huseby anchors the bullpen with a 4-5 record and a 1.83 ERA in 40 games with 18 saves in 19 chances. Lefty Ryan Bucher is a set-up guy with a 3-0 mark and a 1.33 ERA with five saves in 38 games. Manolin DeLeon sets up from the right side with a 5-3 record and a 2.84 ERA in 31 games. Long relievers Jeff Beliveau (5-4, 3.54), Kevin Kreier (5-4, 3.77) and Erik Hamren (3-4, 5.98) round out the bullpen. Starter Aaron Shafer (11-8, 4.49) will be ready in emergency in an elimination game after skipping his final start for a one-inning tune up on Monday. Chris Archer (6-4, 2.81) and Alberto Cabrera (8-2, 4.48) will likely sit out round one and be ready for the second round should the Chiefs advance.
These franchises have met in the playoffs before with the Chiefs sweeping the Kernels in the Western Division Finals in 2002 en route to their first ever Championship. The Kernels lead the All-time series between the two teams 163-146 but the Chiefs lead 99-90 since Cedar Rapids became an Angels affiliate and 35-21 since the start of the 2005 season. Both teams opened new stadiums in 2002 and the Chiefs are 28-14 against the Kernels at O'Brien Field and have a winning record at 25-22 at the Kernels stadium which opened as New Veterans Memorial Stadium and is now called Perfect Game Field. Peoria's last two playoff appearances (2004 & 2006) have ended with game three losses in the first round. Cedar Rapids made the playoffs last season and swept Clinton in the first round before being swept by Burlington in the second round. They also lost in the first round in 2007 and 2004. The Kernels are looking for their first MWL Championship since 1994 when they defeated Rockford 3 games to 1.