SYRACUSE — Even though the calendar has officially changed to spring, it doesn’t mean the weather forecast will cooperate for outdoor sports in Central New York After an early April snowfall and poor subsequent forecast, the Syracuse Chiefs — Triple-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals of major league baseball — were forced to postpone the […]
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SYRACUSE — Even though the calendar has officially changed to spring, it doesn’t mean the weather forecast will cooperate for outdoor sports in Central New York
After an early April snowfall and poor subsequent forecast, the Syracuse Chiefs — Triple-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals of major league baseball — were forced to postpone the first four games of the baseball season between April 7 and April 10 due to “unsafe playing conditions.”
The team announced the postponement of its first four games with the Lehigh Valley IronPigs on April 6. The Chiefs have rescheduled their opener for April 11 at 6:35 p.m. against Buffalo at NBT Bank Stadium.
A reporter at the team’s media day on April 5 asked general manager Jason Smorol if the International League ever considers scheduling April games in the southern part of the country, instead of usually colder locations, such as Syracuse and Rochester.
“There’s always discussions every year. The schedule process is difficult with 14 teams. It’s worse here, but is it better to be in Louisville at 42 degrees? I don’t know,” Smorol replied.
He also reminded reporters that weather conditions in the early part of the season can vary. Smorol noted that the team’s weather records indicated Syracuse hit 70 degrees on April 16 last year, but only 38 degrees on the same day in 2014.
“What are you going to do?” he asks.
Even beyond the season’s early weeks, rainy weather conditions present another challenge for the Chiefs, according to Smorol.
Minor-league baseball is “developmental” baseball, so the team will take steps to make sure the weather conditions will remain playable, so it doesn’t have to “burn its starting pitcher.”
“We don’t want that starting pitcher to pitch for an inning and there be an hour delay and then that pitcher doesn’t get a chance to go out and get his work in,” said Smorol.
The Chiefs pitching rotation for the upcoming season will include A.J. Cole, Taylor Jordan, Taylor Hill, Austin Voth, and Paolo Espino, according to Billy Gardner, Jr., manager, who also spoke during the team’s media day.
Manager’s outlook
Gardner, who’s entering his third season as the Syracuse Chiefs manager, thinks “top to bottom we’re a better club than … we were last year.”
Syracuse ended the 2015 season with a record of 66-78 (a 46 percent winning percentage).
The Washington Nationals had some injuries at the start of last season, so some Chiefs had to join the parent club.
“It’s part of it. We’re here to help the major league club when they have a need,” said Gardner.
The Chiefs will have a mix of veterans and young players in 2016.
“[We’ve] got some kids who are still making their way up the ladder. It’s a good mix,” said Gardner.
Gardner also likes new Nationals manager Dusty Baker, who has previously managed the Cincinnati Reds, Chicago Cubs, and San Francisco Giants.
He calls Baker an “outstanding” people person. “He knows how to connect with the players,” said Gardner.
The Chiefs manager believes that bonding with the players is one of the challenges of the job.
“You have to show the players you care to get the most out of them. That’s what I look to do,” said Gardner.