Who’s hot
Entering Wednesday, outfielder Trevor Gretzky was batting .370 (10 for 27) in eight games as a Cougar. His five-game hitting streak ended Monday.
Who’s not
Infielder Brad Zapenas is hitting .176 (3 for 17) since rejoining the Cougars from Advanced-A Daytona earlier this month.
Star watch
The parent Minnesota Twins have promoted their share of top prospects from Cedar Rapids this season, but right fielder Adam Brett Walker II, a third-round pick in 2012, has stuck around. As the visiting Cougars prepared to open a three-game series against the Kernels on Wednesday, Walker led the Midwest League in home runs (26) and RBIs (106) while batting .280.
Noteworthy
With only a Saturday-Sunday-Monday series against Peoria remaining on the home schedule, the Cougars’ attendance average of 5,994 fans a game – second in the Midwest League – is about a 7 percent increase over last season’s 5,587. … The Cougars must attract 22,355 fans in the last three games to reach 400,000 spectators for the season. Last season’s gate of 391,102 snapped a streak of 18 successive summers of at least 400,000 fans. Because of weather postponements, Fifth Third Bank Ballpark will have at least four fewer openings this season than in 2012. … First baseman/designated hitter Rock Shoulders is batting .224 (74 for 331) since April, when he hit .370 and earned honors as the parent Cubs’ organizational player of the month. ... Infielder Giuseppe Papaccio is in the running for the “Moniker Madness” title awarded for the best name in minor league baseball after online fan voting at milb.com. Voting ends today. First baseman/designated hitter Rock Shoulders won the award last season, while former Cougar Dusty Napoleon was the recipient in 2009.
– Kevin Druley, kdruley@shawmedia.com
LEADERS IN THE KANE COUNTY COUGARS’ CLUBHOUSE (THROUGH TUESDAY)
BATTING AVERAGE
Giuseppe Papaccio .266
Gioskar Amaya .256
Marco Hernandez .253
HOME RUNS
Rock Shoulders 18
Willson Contreras 11
Jeimer Candelario 10
RBIS
Rock Shoulders 69
Jeimer Candelario 54
Oliver Zapata 46
STOLEN BASES
Marco Hernandez 18
Oliver Zapata 13
Gioskar Amaya 13
ERA
Sheldon McDonald 2.41
Nathan Dorris 2.95
Stephen Perakslis 2.95
WINS
Nathan Dorris 6
Tayler Scott 6
Justin Amlung 5
