Chiefs playing National League-style baseball for first time in 37 years; DH ditched

The last time Syracuse Chiefs pitchers batted as part of the regular line-up was 1972, when the staff included hurlers such as Al Closter, Hal Reniff and Rob Gardner.

In 1973, the American League adopted the designated hitter rule, Major League Baseball Rule 6.10 (1) that allows teams to designate a hitter (abbreviated DH), to bat in place of the pitcher.

In the 1970s the Chiefs were affiliated with the New York Yankees followed by the Toronto Blue Jays, both American League clubs, so the Syracuse squad has used the DH for 36 straight seasons until this season.

Now that the hometown International League team is the top farm club of the Washington Nationals of the National League, whenever they play another National League-affiliate, pitchers will take their turns at bat.

Novelty and nostalgia

For younger fans, it’ll be a novelty to see pitchers at the plate, while for old-timers it’ll be sweet nostalgia.

The Chiefs’ pitchers will dust off their lumber when the N.Y. Mets farm club, the Buffalo Bisons, stampede into Alliance Bank Stadium at 6 p.m. Friday April 17, at 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday April 18-19, and 6 p.m. Monday April 20. Ticket prices range between $4 and $10; parking costs $4 per vehicle; 474-7833.

The hurlers hit again here against Philadelphia Phillies farmhands the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, at 6 p.m. Tuesday and 2 p.m. Wednesday, April 21 and 22. Other National League-affiliated opponents against which Chiefs pitchers will hit are Louisville (Reds), Gwinnett (Braves) and Indianapolis (Pirates).

While it’s often unsettling to see pitchers swinging awkwardly at sinking sliders and spinning curves, ditching the DH gives the game an added strategic dimension. There’s more bunting, more hit-and-run plays and occasional long-ball heroics from the famously light-hitting hurlers.

“To me, that makes the game that much more exciting,” said new Chiefs pitching coach Steve McCatty at the Chiefs’ April 7 Media Day get-together at ABS’s Diamond View Caf (c). {Q}”There’s much more action with the National League rules.”{Q}

McCatty predicted his pitchers will practice plenty of bunting so that they can move runners around the diamond via the sacrifice.

“With (Tim) Foli (as manager), you will see some manufacturing here,” McCatty said. “I guarantee it!”

Strategy and action

While McCatty promises increased strategy and action, he won’t guarantee that his pitchers will bash the ball.

“No pitchers can hit,” he said flatly. “They’ll all tell you that they can hit, but they can’t.”

As if on cue, reliever Jason Bergmann piped up, “I can hit! I had five hits (for Washington) in 2007.”

“But what about last year?” McCatty asked. “How many times did you move the runners last year?” The 27-year-old prospect answered honestly, “I had two sacrifices in 42 plate appearances, but I also had two hits in Triple A last year.”

While McCatty scoffed good-naturedly, the New Jersey-bred Bergmann had boldly showed some moxie, the desire to hit, the self-confidence to produce at the plate despite his anemic statistics. If attitude is everything, spirited go-getters like Bergmann may bang just enough line drives this season to help themselves improve their own win-loss records.

And if Syracuse fans enjoy cheering for underdogs, they’ll have a field day rooting for their favorite pitchers to lay one down or, better yet, bang out a base hit.

Rocky start may soon be forgotten

The Syracuse Chiefs got off to a rocky start last week, losing their April 9 home opener at Alliance Bank Stadium and two of the next three games against the Rochester Red Wings.

Don’t start counting this team out yet, though. As Manager Tim Foli noted, “There are about another 140 more games to go” in the 2009 International League season. That’s a lot of opportunity to gain ground.

And there are plenty of reasons to believe the Chiefs, the top farm club of the Washington Nationals, will turn it around sooner than later.

The pitchers, including Jordan Zimmermann, Gary Glover and Josh Towers, have served up an early slew of gopher balls over the first four games, allowing 40 hits including four home runs and 14 doubles. On the other hand, the moundsmen have walked an average of just three a game as compared to six strikeouts per nine innings. That 1-to-2 walks-to-strikeouts ratio bodes well. The Chiefs pitchers — righthanders all — must simply concentrate on keeping the ball down.

The team’s hitters are also just warming up.

Infielders Alex Cintron and Kory Casto lead the club with nine and five hits respectively. Outfield phenom Justin Maxwell smacked his first round-tripper Sunday in a losing effort at Rochester’s Frontier Field.

Through Easter, slugger Brad “Big Country” Eldred has yet to go yard, but he’s four for 16 with a couple doubles. Rochester seemed to throw nothing but sliders at him.

Eldred will need to develop more patience at the plate to get ahead on the count when fastballs are more likely to come his way.