The Dog Days of Summer

By Michael Silver

SYRACUSE -- On a pleasant Tuesday night at NBT Bank Stadium, the Syracuse Chiefs wrapped up a suspended game versus the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders. Previously played July 12th, the teams were tied 6-6 when the game ended prematurely due to rain in the 11th inning.

Twenty-five days later and 137 miles north of Moosic, Pennsylvania, the Triple-A squads took the field to resume action. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre was the designated home team, a rarity for Chiefs fans. It was a quick affair as Alberto Gonzalez hit a walk off single in the bottom of the 13^th, giving Scranton a 7-6 victory.

Will Rhymes at bat in the 12th inning of game one 

Between games reporters briefly spoke with Chiefs player Will Rhymes. The hot topic at hand was the Biogenesis scandal in Florida. This resulted in 13 major leaguers being suspended for the use of performance-enhancing drugs. Only Alex Rodriguez of the New York Yankees is appealing, while the other 12 sit out the remainder of this 2013 season.

Reactions from players were stern and predictable.

“The vast majority of us are pretty upset about it,” said utility infielder Will Rhymes. “Especially guys like me who have been up and down the last several years. Those are twelve jobs that one of us could have had,” Rhymes continued.

One player suspended by Major League Baseball was Fernando Martinez, an outfielder previously of the Houston Astros. Last month he was released, than signed by Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. In the rained out game last month, Martinez hit a home run, which tied the score.

Rhymes was not exactly thrilled to hear the news.

“That game we were playing [July 12^th], the reason we were in extra-innings because Martinez, who just got popped [for PED’s], hit a homer. It has a ripple effect…the pitcher who gave up the home run, his stats. My stats now because I wore another at bat” he said.

The underlining sentiment was how players cheated the system and in theory stole jobs from other minor leaguers.

“It has a big effect on not only our numbers but obviously getting our chance back into the big leagues…to me it’s a total joke” Rhymes concluded.

Outfielder Corey Brown, asked about the drug scandal said, “No comment.”

He later opened up about players trying to make it to the big show.

“What they do is on them, it's tough. It’s good to have guys you know play the game clean but it’s unfortunate,” Brown said.

The second game of the doubleheader began with a modest-sized crowd of 6,325 in attendance. It was a fast-paced game, lasting only two hours and twenty minutes. Syracuse won 3-2, coming from behind with 8 strong innings pitched by Yunesky Maya.

Relief pitcher Erik Davis came on in the 9^th inning, with a one-run lead. He secured the win with a 1-2-3 outing and recorded his 6^th save of the season.

Asked if he liked his role as the closer and the pressure that comes with finishing a game, Davis showed confidence.

“Yeah man I love it," Davis said. "I’ve done starting, I’ve done relief, I’ve done closing. There’s nothing like going out there knowing that if I do my job the game’s over. It’s a good feeling.”

Closer Erik Davis speaks with the media

The Syracuse clubhouse was in good spirits after the win, playing loud hip-hop music, while players lifted weights.

Summer is rolling along with 28 contests remaining on the schedule; each game provides an opportunity for these ballplayers. The games themselves lack the buzz of the major leagues, but this does not deter players from hustling down the line and chasing after fly balls. Each at bat feels like a job interview, with scouts in attendance. The long bus rides and minimum salaries will hopefully pay off for when September comes MLB rosters will expand and Triple-A dreams become big show realities.