A Player's Perspective

The Kernels got into the playoffs with a win over the Rattlers on Wednesday night. Catcher Chris Rosenbaum has been blogging all season long and he put up this post upon arriving back in Cedar Rapids.

While this was not the first two-city and weeklong road trip we made this season, it feels like it was the longest, and the team is finally happy to be returning home. More importantly, we were able to clinch the wild card playoff spot Wednesday night with a 3-2 win. Aside from player development, the goal every year for a team is to make the playoffs. Emphasis for the first half of the season is generally put on player development, but there is a transformation in the second half atmosphere that puts winning at a higher level.
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In the end, this is the epitome of baseball. It is a team sport made up of individual efforts, and it requires that these individual efforts be selfless and have a team-first priority, not me-first. Once August rolls around, a player has an idea of where his statistics are going to finish for the season, and this is where “playing for each other” becomes most important. While performing one’s role is stressed throughout the season, its importance is highlighted in big games during a playoff run. Putting the team first and moving a runner over wins championships, while trying to drive a run in by yourself only precludes you from the opportunity.
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As we finally pull into the stadium about four and a half hours after departing Appleton, I will conclude with a quote we heard earlier this season: “You are never as bad as you think you are, and you are never as good as you think you are.” Despite this modest approach, right now, we think we are damn good.

I think that last sentence kind of defeated the purpose of the quote, but the Kernels are playing some pretty good baseball.