Josh Robertson Brings Winning Attitude to Railroaders
In today’s edition of American Association Daily, the Minor League Sports Report’s Robert Pannier talks about the new attitude and direction of the Cleburne Railroaders since Josh Robertson became the Player Personnel Director.
Josh Robertson Building Cleburne Railroaders Roster
Not long after taking over the Cleburne Railroaders, the new owners were meeting with their new Player Personnel Director. Cleburne was coming off its second losing season since beginning operations in 2017 and some of the Railroaders’ faithful were getting a little antsy about the direction of the team.
The ownership group was looking for a slogan to set a new tone for the club. That was when Player Personnel Director Josh Robertson said, “Get on the train, or get off the tracks.”
A New Reality in Cleburne
Ownership loved the idea, but found it a hard one to sell. Could a team be so brash coming off a 33-66 season where they were virtually out of the race a month into the season? Could they be so confident that things were going to change that quickly that they could boldly claim that fans and community leaders were either on board or they were in the way? With John Robertson at the helm, you bet they could.
While this may be the first train ride for many in the city, Robertson had already established himself as arguably the best evaluator of talent in the American Association. He produced seven straight division champions in 11 seasons with the Wichita Wingnuts, and his teams went to the championship series five times, winning it all in 2014.
Robertson didn’t just find great players; he found talent at every level of the organization. He pulled former Manager Kevin Hooper off the field to become his manager, and watched “Hoop” become one of the most sought after men in all of baseball. The San Diego Padres would finally land the former manager as their roving infield instructor in 2016. Robertson brought in Pete Rose, Jr., who led the Wingnuts to 60-plus win seasons and trips to the championship series in both his years with the club. Last year, he pulled another former player off the field, Brent Clevlen, who led Wichita to a 61-39 season.
Josh Robertson built a winning culture in Wichita. This team won because he hired the right people to do the job, and because he had a sixth sense about how a player’s single-A or double-A stats would translate to independent ball.
However, that culture did not just extend to the field. Robertson made the Wichita Wingnuts a family. There is no doubt that owners Steve Ruud, Gary Austerman, and Nate Robertson (Josh’s brother) set the tone, but Josh implemented it to perfection.
The Wichita Wingnuts became a family. While Robertson could be unbelievably tough and demanding on the outside, he also looked upon his staff as his children, brothers, or sisters. When they had family emergencies, he did too, and when they grieved at a close lose, he mourned with them. They came to know that he loved them far more as people than for what they offered to the team as employees.
Transferring to a New Track
That is what made the Wichita Wingnuts special, and there is no doubt that it will be the same thing that makes the Cleburne Railroaders a favorite in the American Association’s South Division even before the season gets underway.
Josh Robertson already brought Brent Clevlen along to be his manager in Cleburne. He added former Major Leaguer Mike Jeffcoat as the new pitching coach. He also brought in several key members from the 2018 Wichita Wingnuts, including catcher John Nester, starter Charlie Gillies, all-star center fielder Zach Nehrir, and super-sub Logan Trowbridge.
The new Player Personnel Director has brought in former Major Leaguers such as Nefi Ogando, while keeping Levi Scott, Angel Rosa, and father-son duo Rafael and Patrick Palmeiro. He brought speedy rookie Nick Rotola from Wichita and kept rookie Hunter Clanin, both of whom have cannons for arms and a lot of upside waiting to be developed. Plus, he kept Chase Simpson, who was one of the best all-around hitters in the league last year.
Climb Aboard!
Too much attitude? Really? The Cleburne Railroaders are a 65-win team without anyone even seeing what the rest of the American Association has to offer.
While all the signings are something to be excited about, there is one stat that stands out more than anything – one. The 2018 Wichita Wingnuts missed the playoffs for the first time in eight years. Last season may have meant more to Robertson than any other, simply because it was going to be the last for the franchise, and he wanted one more playoff run out of his team.
That taste has been festering in his mouth since September 3, 2018. You can be sure that every one of the last 189 days it has grown exponentially and that, until he is holding a championship trophy in his hands, he will become more rabid each and every day.
So, buckle up fans – the Cleburne Railroaders are on the express track to the American Association title.
By Robert Pannier
2018 American Association Season in Review – Cleburne Railroaders - Minor League Sports Report
March 7, 2019 @ 12:33 pm
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