Ready or not, here comes baseball.
Syracuse Chiefs groundskeeper John Stewart and his crew worked overtime last week scraping ice out of the dugouts at NBT Bank Stadium, where the local International League entry hopes to open its season at 2 p.m. Thursday, April 3.
The top farm club of the Washington Nationals, the Chiefs will face New York Yankees Triple-A affiliate, the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Railriders, who remain in town for games at 5 p.m. Friday, and 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; 474-7833; syracusechiefs.com.
Dollar Thursdays
On Opening Day the Chiefs’ new front office staff unveils its first “Dollar Thursday” promotion of the year. On Thursdays, Hofmann hot dogs, Coca-Cola sodas and Saranac, Budweiser and LaBatt beers will each cost only a dollar. General admission will cost $3.
Fireworks will follow Friday’s game, and 500 fans will receive a free Coca Cola fleece blanket on Saturday. Kids age 12 and younger get in free on Sunday, and can run the bases after the game. Special guest Reggy the Purple Party Dude will cut up with Chiefs mascots Scooch and Pops at all four games.
Let’s hope the sun shines…
Chiefs return to radio
Fans will hear the Syracuse Chiefs on radio again this season. The home team returns to The Score 1260 (WSKO-AM) in 2014, after trying out an “online-only” approach during the 2013 season.
The team and WSKO parent Cumulus Media announced the deal on Nov. 13. All 144 of the Chiefs’ regular season games will be carried live on the sports-talk station, which served as the Chiefs’ broadcast home in the 2011 and 2012 seasons.
New Chiefs General Manager Jason Smorol, who lives in Liverpool, didn’t understand last year’s online-only broadcasts.
“Why would you just want to be on the Internet,” he asked. “The fans wanted us to be on the radio. The radio wanted us to be on the radio. I don’t think it’s that hard. Everyone wanted us to be on the radio. We’re on the radio.”
Announcers Jason Benetti, who also lives in Liverpool, and Kevin Brown will return to the broadcast booth for their fifth and fourth seasons, respectively; espncny.com.
Yanks move to TK99
After 12 years on Clear Channel Communications’ WSYR-AM, Central New York’s favorite major-league team, the New York Yankees, will now have their games aired on TK99, at 99.5 and 105.5 on the FM dial.
Steve Herwood, a former employee of WCNY-TV when it was on Old Liverpool Road, now works as an account executive for Galaxy Communications which owns TK99. “I’m looking for Yankees fans locally who want to advertise on the games,” Steve said; 472-9111.
TK99 is also the flagship station for Syracuse University football and basketball and the Buffalo Bills in Syracuse; tk99.net/sportspages/new-york-yankees/
The Yankees opened the season this week in Texas against the Houston Astros.
Mets on ESPN Radio
After carrying Red Sox baseball last season, ESPN Radio CNY 97.7/100.1 (WTLA/WSGO) will broadcast New York Mets this season.
ESPN’s local program director, Chris McManus, thinks that even non-Mets-fans will dig the game coverage. “[Sportscaster] Howie Rose is as good as it gets in baseball play-by-play,” McManus said, “so any baseball fan should enjoy this summer.”
The Mets have minor-league teams in both Binghamton and Buffalo, “So this is a natural move for us,” said Galaxy Communications President Ed Levine.
The Mets begin the 2012 MLB season at home versus the Atlanta Braves at 1:10 p.m. Thursday, April 4; espncny.com.
Café hosts live music
Live music rings out regularly at Café at 407, at Ophelia’s Place, 407 Tulip St.; 451-5855.
Mike Kelly and Alex Boatman perform there at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 3, followed by classic rock trio Alibi at 7 p.m. Friday April 4. Next week Brian Premo plays April 10, and Butternut Creek Revival plugs in April 11.
Admission is free at the cafe, but don’t forget to drop a little something in the musicians’ tip jar.
Oops!
Last month, I reported that the Sunoco A-Plus at 500 Oswego St., is up for sale. It’s one of the prime commercial properties in the village, located right next to the Empire Sub Shop and a stone’s throw from the U.S. Post Office.
Unfortunately I ran the wrong telephone number for Realist realtor Eddie DeLong. You can reach Eddie on his mobile phone at 447-4408. His office is located at 925 Seventh North St.
