The time for change is the call for the RailCats fans as we get ready to close out 2024. Is the season over yet? No, it’s not. Are playoff hopes alive, mathematically? They are, realistically, they are not. RailCats fans have been deprived of a playoff berth since 2018, and at that time, the rules were top 2 of each division gets in.

Since the new rule of the top 4 teams get in the RailCats have placed in 5th in 2022, 6th in 2023, and are looking at another 6th place finish in 2024. But in 2019 they were 5th and in 2021 they were 6th in the division and that was under the Greg Taggert.

Has the Lamarr Rodgers Era been the prettiest? No, far from it. Being the person that replaces a Legend isn’t the easiest feat in the world. There are plenty of things that would back up the fact he should be on the hot seat, or some may say he should be let go. It’s hard to argue against that. But he also wasn’t dealt the best hand taking over.

See what failed Taggert when he left for the Diamondback Organization is that the league was getting away from the small ball mentality and younger players. The American Association is trying to compete with the Atlantic League as the top MLB Partner League. This is why Greg has turned things around for himself in the Frontier League because the Frontier League is like the old style AA.

What we have to take into consideration is that Lamarr took the MLB Partner League job in late March of the 2022 season and the RailCast roster was not his. So it’s really been a trial by fire in that first year. He made minor changes but nothing too crazy. The only real blemish I have is releasing Alec Olund who wasn’t only a Region Cat; he was and still is a heck of a ball player. Yes, I’m still salty about it.

In 2023, we saw Lamarr retain the good pieces from the 2022 season, which still had some players from the Taggert Era on it, but not much. This was Lamarr’s 1st season with an Offseason he could recruit with. The RailCats started by winning the first four series and splitting the fifth with Kane County, and things were looking promising. However, the injury bug started hitting the pitching staff, and things became inconsistent, something that leads into this 2024 season.

Yes, I know this year isn’t over, but I think we can break this down a tad bit. RailCats are missing 2 major pieces of this team due to visa issues. Jesus Marriga, who was hands down the best RailCats player in the past 2 seasons, and Edward Cuello, who was bit by an injury in 2022, and I think some of that leaked over into the 2023 season. But Edward brought good stability to the rotation.

There are still fans who are displeased with the trade of Micheal Woodworth to Kane County, which resulted in Olivier Basabe becoming a defensive gem and driving the offense. The final straw for many fans was the trade of Daniel Lingua and John Sheaks to Sioux City for Miguel Sierra. I have my concerns about Sierra, but after coming back from his hamstring injury, he has been lights out for the team with unreal power numbers.

Picking the players, yes, that is on him. 100% on board with that argument. But that is a learning curve we haven’t gotten to yet. He has picked the players he knew and trusted to perform, and they have simply not performed like they are supposed to.

That is the biggest flaw this year for Lamarr is that the rope he gives is too much but he is a player’s coach and wants to see the players succeed even if they aren’t giving the production back. My concern with that logic of longer ropes is something a manager can do in affiliated ball but not here. Not saying winning doesn’t matter in affiliated ball but here winning is all that matters. And the RailCats fans are now showing that and have the right too.

I’ve been blinded by the process of getting to know the players and coaches to the point where I feel like they all could succeed if given enough time, which is something I believe Lamarr is also blinded to. I will not put Lamarr on the hot seat for players not producing as they should or not playing at a consistent level.

But if Lamar is still the Manager of the RailCats in 2025 and he brings most of the players back this year that have severely struggled then yes Lamar is on the hot seat.