Syracuse Chiefs at the All-Star Break
The Washington Nationals' Triple-A Affiliate Off to a Good Start
Jul 14, 2009
The Syracuse Chiefs are in second place at the All-Star break. After signing with a new affiliate after 32 years, fans have been hungry for a team this good.
Before the 2008 season, the Chiefs put grass on the field, replacing the Astroturf that had ruined knees and turned photos an eerie aqua green. With the grass and the hot dogs, Opening Day smelled like baseball.
Before the 2009 season, the Chiefs declined to renew their affiliation deal with the Toronto Blue Jays and signed with the Washington Nationals. Many fans had wanted the New York Mets, but mostly, they wanted anybody but the Blue Jays.
The Syracuse Chiefs and Washington Nationals
The Nationals may not be tearing up the Major Leagues–they are, in fact, the worst team by far in the majors, and fired manager Manny Acta at the All-Star break–but they've done wonders for their new Triple-A affiliate.
The Chiefs reached the unofficial midway point of the season at 48-40, in second place in the International League North, three games behind the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees. For the first time in a long time, "playoffs" don't sound like a cruel joke in economically depressed Central New York, and despite the rainy summer, fans have enthusiastically cheered on the team.
Top Players on the Syracuse Chiefs Roster
The Chiefs hit the break with nearly twice as many wins as their parent club, and some players the Nationals must hope are ready for the majors soon.
Pitcher Garrett Mock did poorly in relief for Washington, but since being returned to Syracuse, he is 5-1 with a 2.65 ERA as a starter, boasting a walks-plus-hits per innings pitched (WHIP) under one. Opponents are hitting a paltry .199 against him.
J.D. Martin, one of three Chiefs bound for the Triple-A All-Star Game, is 8-3 with a 2.66 ERA. Those numbers would make him the best starter on the Washington roster.
Right fielder Jorge Padilla is leading the International League in batting average by nearly 40 points, and two Chiefs players are tied for fifth in home run. Padilla and Seth Bynum join Martin at the All-Star Game.
Syracuse Chiefs Schedule from July Through September
The Chiefs have a tough second-half schedule, with 20 of their final 55 games against the four teams in the International League having better first-half records. With the Nationals already out of the race, the parent team may let the Chiefs have their strongest roster for a playoff run, rather than calling up more players at the beginning of September.
The one fear the Chiefs do have is that the Nationals will work to rebuild their system for next year by dealing their top prospects. Syracuse did lose one strong player when Washington traded outfielder Ryan Langerhans to the Seattle Mariners, where he started playing in the majors as soon as he got there.
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