The game notes here in the press box note that the Springfield Cardinals own the second-best batting average in the Texas League (.267), rank first in home runs (135) and are second in a number of other categories.
But the season-long success did not translate over the past four days as the Cardinals lost three out of four to the Northwest Arkansas Naturals.
Maybe that trend subsides tonight.
In town are the Arkansas Travelers for a 6:10 p.m. start in the opener of a three-game series. The Cardinals are 13-9 this year against the Travs, who at 53-77 own the league’s worst overall record and are only trying to play the role of spoiler.
But it could be difficult for them to orchestrate.
Check out these ERAs of their starting pitchers tonight through Monday: 4.99, 5.55 and 4.38. Those belong, in order, to left-hander Michael Anton, right-hander Ryan Brasier and left-hander Keith Weiser.
The three represent the best way for the Cardinals to get on track, if not at least bridge the way from a disappointing Naturals series to a key final-week series beginning Tuesday against the Tulsa Drillers, the other team chasing a playoff berth.
The Cardinals by then hope to activate catcher Tony Cruz (strained right hamstring) and outfielder Tommy Pham (slightly fractured right wrist) from the disabled list.
Their absences contributed to the team’s stellar overall numbers — the Cardinals are also second in runs, RBIs, slugging percentage, on-base percentage and walks drawn — but also played a role in the Naturals’ dominating the past few days.
(The Cardinals scored only one run in the final 18 innings of the series.)
Cruz has shown marked improvement at the plate, with an ability to hit the other way, and Pham you probably have read about — the .339 average and 18 RBIs and .537 slugging percentage since reaching Double-A on July 3.
As it is, the Cardinals enter today four games back of first-place Northwest Arkansas with 10 to play, with Tulsa just three back.
The only way the Cardinals don’t reach the postseason is if Tulsa wins the second half, overtaking the Naturals of course.
But those two are playing in Tulsa tonight, Sunday and Monday — and Tulsa has won seven of its past 10 games.
All of which should make for an enjoyable final week of the Texas League season. For the Cardinals, it will be, only if their offense gets back on track and gets a couple of spark-plugs back.