Record: 26-37
Place: 2nd in the South Division (13 GB), 7th in the Wild Card (9.5 GB)
Team Pitching (League Ranking Listed in Parenthesis): ERA: 3.96 (5), Strikeouts: 472 (4), WHIP: 1.35 (3)
Team Batting (League Ranking Listed in Parenthesis): Average: .251 (9), Home Runs: 21 (12), Slugging: .336 (12), Stolen Bases: 62 (7)

Cleburne Railroaders First Half Recap

The Cleburne Railroaders opened their inaugural season in a brand new ballpark and it looked like this team had a real shot of competing for the South Division title, if not at least earning the Wild Card berth. Because of the division they play in and the fact that the North and Central Divisions were so competitive, it looked like Cleburne was the team to beat for that final playoff spot, but the last month has been brutal.

The Railroaders left May 5-9 as they easily had the toughest schedule to start out the season, facing Winnipeg, Fargo-Moorhead, Lincoln, and St. Paul. However, Cleburne got on a bit of roll in June, winning seven straight games to start the month, and being 10-3 at one point.

It has been downhill ever since. The Railroaders were swept by Sioux Falls, before taking three of four against Texas, then seeing the wheels come off their playoff caravan. After dropping two of three in Wichita, they lost two at home to the Salina Stockade before being swept by Wichita. They are 6-16 in their last 22, and are now 13-games out in the South. They entered Wichita on June 23 just three-games out and have gone through a rapid descent that could be significantly worse had it not been for Wichita’s own struggles.

The Good

The pitching staff has been nothing short of brilliant for the Cleburne Railroaders. Their bullpen is one of the top two in the league and Patrick Mincey has had an absolute resurgence in Cleburne. Five pitchers have ERAs under three and closer Winston Abreu is just above that at 3.11. The Railroaders have been in a lot of close games this season thanks to this staff.

The Bad

While the pitching staff has been on track all year, the offense has flat out derailed. Mitch Glasser has hit well, but American Association fans have been used to .330-plus averages, not .299. He is the top hitter on the team, with the next highest batting average at .268. Veterans who have had huge numbers in the past have not really delivered as Manager Gabe Suarez rightfully expected and that has left Cleburne as an also ran.

The Ugly

When a team is trailing the Gary Southshore RailCats in home runs you know it is a lean power year and that has been the biggest issue for this offense. With just 21-homers, they are last in the league and they don’t run enough to make up for that. Shawn Zarraga was tied with Mitch Glasser for the team lead in home runs (3) and he is with the Dodgers organization now. Homers are scarcer for the Railroaders than days in Texas in July where the temperature is less than 70 degrees.

1^st Half Most Valuable Player: Mitch Glasser

This has been an off year for Glasser, but he is still putting up numbers that will likely make him a hot commodity as the trade deadline approaches. With a .299 average and 11 stolen bases he is the kind of player that get an offense going and he is a whiz at several positions.

1^st Half Top Pitcher: Patrick Mincey

A lot of pitchers are having outstanding seasons, but no one has been as impressive as Patrick Mincey. The journeyman is 6-5 with a 2.87, ranked in the top five in the American Association. The right-hander has two complete games, and has only allowed nine-runs combined in his last four starts.

The Prognosis

With Wichita struggling of late, losers of their last seven, and the fact that they are continuing an 18-game road trip that still has 15 more contests to it, the Cleburne Railroaders are not out of this. It may appear that 13-games is insurmountable, but don’t count Gabe Suarez and his team out. However, this team has to win now. They have Wichita in town for four and must sweep. Suarez must also find a bat or two or his pitching staff’s outings are going to continue to be wasted.

By Robert Pannier