Syracuse Chiefs Win Behind Strong Performance of Austin Voth

Story and Photo by Curtis Driscoll

SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- The Syracuse Chiefs defeated the Buffalo Bisons Wednesday night 6-1, moving to 50-61 for the season. The Chiefs benefited from the strong performance of Austin Voth, a 5^th round draft pick in the 2013 MLB draft. Voth, who has endured a tough season, completed seven innings and gave up only one run, lowering his ERA to 3.45.

Voth was not available to speak after the game, but Manager Billy Gardner, Jr. was full of praise for Voth’s performance and the season he has had.

“I don’t think the record is any indication of how he’s has pitched so far, I think he has pitched pretty well for us,” Gardner said in a postgame interview. “You know he’s continuing to get better and that’s what we are here for, you know to get better and get ready for the big leagues.”

Catcher Jhonatan Solano was also complimentary of Voth’s pitching performance.

“You know he started the game mixing his pitches and that got a good result today, just one run in I think the 5^th inning or something, but you know it’s part of the process of the game and were happy for Voth to get that win,” Solano said.

Voth and Bisons' starting pitcher Scott Copeland were locked in a pitcher’s duel for the first half of the game, with each pitcher only allowing one run and three hits through five innings. Manager Gary Allenson decided to take Copeland out after 5 1/3 innings, even though Copeland was in control throughout the game.

The change did not work as the Buffalo bullpen allowed five runs over the rest of the game, two of which came in the 5^th inning off a Matt Skole home run. The home run was his 15^th of the season and he leads the team in that category.

“He had a big home run for us tonight against a left-hander, he had a fastball put a good swing on it,” Gardner said.

The Skole home run not only provided the lead, but the spark needed to increase the lead.

“Yeah, I think whenever somebody gets a big hit, you know the guys kinda relax a little bit and everybody goes up there looking to succeed and I think that helped us out tonight,” Skole said.

Chiefs To Stay

For the Syracuse Chiefs and their fans, the good news does not just pertain to the diamond. The Syracuse Chiefs and the Onondaga County Legislature announced Tuesday that they had agreed to a new lease that would ensure the Chiefs would play at NBT Bank Stadium for the next 10 years.

“I don’t know much about it, obviously it’s great for Syracuse, you know the fans have been great,” Gardner said. "You know the front office, Jason Smorol, his staff do a great job here. I think we have a really good relationship, work relationship, Nationals, the Syracuse Chiefs; it’s good that we hopefully can keep going.”

The Centenarian In The Stands

Story and photos by Matt D’Ambrosi

 

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Baseball is commonly known for being a game of numbers. But at Wednesday night’s match up between the Syracuse Chiefs and Buffalo Bisons at NBT Bank Stadium, there was a number outside of the actual game that just simply could not be overlooked – 100.

It wasn't a number reflective of some sort of streak or attendance record. It’s the age of a legend. It's the age of a former prisoner of war and World War II veteran. It's the age of someone who earned both his bachelor's and master's degrees from Syracuse University in the years 1937 and 1939, respectively.

It’s the age of former Syracuse Chiefs President Don Waful. Waful, who was wearing a red and blue Hawaiian shirt at the game, was sitting where he normally does while attending Chiefs games. 

He was stationed in one of his two blue seats down the third-base line, with the empty seat next to him having on it the remnants of a label that read "PRESIDENTS SEAT.”

“I picked these two seats when the stadium was on the drawing board with the architects,” said Waful during the International League contest that saw the Chiefs pull out a 6-1 victory over the Bisons.

The centenarian is undoubtedly a mainstay at Chiefs games. He served as president of the organization from 1971 to 2006, a span in which it was, at different points, the minor league affiliate for the New York Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays.

Since retiring from that post, however, the native Syracusan now has the opportunity to watch the Chiefs take the diamond from a different standpoint.

“Unfortunately, I’m not involved with it like I used to be,” Waful said. “I could never come to a game without being involved in some managerial thing. Now I come just to enjoy it.”

It’s abundantly clear that Waful still takes tremendous pride in being a part of the Syracuse Chiefs - even if now only as a spectator.

“There’s only 30 triple-A clubs in America, and we’re one of them,” Waful said.

Thus, such exclusivity makes Tuesday's news that the Onondaga County Legislature approved a new agreement involving the Chiefs' leasing of NBT Bank Stadium all the more pertinent.  The lease- agreement puts Syracuse in position to continue to be the home for the organization – at least until 2026.

Waful, having spent years and years of his life around the Chiefs, says having a minor league ball club adds value to the city. 

“It’s a beautiful asset to the culture and the sports community in Syracuse,” Waful said.

Because of his career in baseball, Waful has been able to watch the likes of players such as Denny McLain, Rod Guidry and Ray Oyler. But because of his longevity, he has had a whole host of unbelievable experiences that have helped to shape his outlook on living. 

"I'm so convinced about the richness of life," Waful said.

Matt Skole: Right Above It

Story by Andrew Leffler 
Photos by Andrew Leffler and Aubrie Tolliver

Syracuse, N.Y. -- Midway through Wednesday night's game against the Buffalo Bisons, the momentum shifted in the Chiefs' favor after splitting in a double-header the day before.

The sixth inning was when the cracking sound of third baseman Matt Skole's bat echoed through the ballpark, and a white missile soared over the right field wall.

"I was looking for a good pitch to hit" he said in a postgame interview. "Got a pitch I could do something with, I put a good swing on it, and from then on, it kinda built our confidence and we ended up scoring some more runs, and win."

Only playing 42 games last season, Skole's .238 batting average resulted in eight homers, and 26 RBIs (run batted in). Skole has shown growth in the 2016 season. Playing in 109 games in a season that has yet to finish, Skole's batting average has increased to .244, with 16 home runs, and 58 RBIs.

Skole simply credited his improvements to practice.

"I'm just trying to stay consistent, get into a good routine. Working on the cage with our coaches and our hitting guys. Just trying to get better every day and find a routine that works for me and gets me ready to play each day."

Photo credit: Aubrie Tolliver

After being up 1-0 after the third inning, and then having the Bisons tie the game in the bottom of the sixth, the Chiefs were desperate for a boost. Skole's blast into right field  was his 15th homer of the season. It could not have come at a better time, paving the way for others on the team to step up.

"I think whenever somebody gets a big hit, the guys kind of relax a little bit, and everybody kind of goes up there looking to succeed and I think that helped us out tonight," he said.

With nobody on, similar to Skole's homer in the sixth, catcher Caleb Ramsey provided the second home run of the game in the eighth inning, adding to a 6-1 victory over the Bisons.

The Chiefs' pitching was a big factor that lead to the victory. Starter Austin Voth pitched seven innings before being relieved. Over the course of those seven innings, Voth gave up one run on six singles, bringing his record to 6-7.

Voth threw 110 pitches, 67 of them for strikes, and struck out four batters. Voth was not available after the game but Chiefs manager Billy Gardner, Jr. was pleased with his pitching. Gardner was quick to point out that Voth's (below-500) record had no correlation with performance.

"He's a very good competitor," Gardner said.

"I think he's done a good job keeping us in the game for the most part, and I don't think the record is any indication of how he's pitched overall, I think he's pitched pretty well for us."

Voth's work-habits were something Gardner has definitely taken note of. "He's continued to get better, and that's what we're here for."

Serving the Nationals

Story and photos by Julian McKenzie



SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- It's a couple of minutes past 9:00 p.m. on a Wednesday night and members of the Syracuse Chiefs baseball team are about to leave the field, but not before they celebrate something that's happened 50 times this season: a win. Some players high-five each other, some do fist pumps. The subdued and basic celebrations are understandable.

The Chiefs, the Triple-A minor affiliate of the Washington Nationals of Major League Baseball, still have a losing record at 50-61 and sit dead last in the International League North Division. The team's attendance record is near the bottom of the IL, averaging under 4,000 fans a night.

There isn't much to celebrate with the Chiefs from a team perspective and that suits Chiefs general manager Jason Smorol just fine. In fact, he's got ambitions for a red-hot August with a drastic turnaround.

"I'm predicting a 30-6 August record," said Smorol after the victory, tongue in cheek. "Worst to first, comeback kids, Syracuse Chiefs."

Smorol's Chiefs are already 2-1 for the month of August, which means his prediction is off to a good start.

The team's latest victory, a 6-1 win over the Buffalo Bisons—the Toronto Blue Jays minor affiliate, was tied 1-1 until the sixth inning where Chiefs third baseman Matt Skole hit a two-run home run, his 15th of the year before the Chiefs added three more runs by game's end. Skole is a 2011 fifth round pick of the Nationals and is in his second season with the Chiefs. He has yet to be called up by Washington.

Minor league teams are at the mercy of their major league affiliates. The bigger, major league club won't hesitate to call on a player from the minors if needed, even if they're performing to the benefit of the farm team. Smorol said minor league teams don't even get to pick the positions their players play or when their pitchers pitch. The goal of minor league teams is to develop their players into reinforcement and ammunition for their overseeing empire.

Two of the Nationals current marquee players, Bryce Harper and Stephen Strasburg, cut their teeth in Syracuse before graduating to the big leagues. When the Chiefs were the minor league affiliate of the Blue Jays, star players such as Roy Halladay, Carlos Delgado, and Chris Carpenter were developed into major leaguers.

Smorol can name a bunch of young players on his team who have already made the trek from Syracuse to Washington, including pitchers Koda Glover, Lucas Giolito, and shortstop Trea Turner who is currently up with the Nationals but still leads the Chiefs in batting average.

"We're only here to serve the Washington Nationals," Smorol said. "We want that hot player, that hot pitcher, to go to the Washington Nationals. That's what we're here for. I shake their hands, I hope I never see them again."

In the meantime, Smorol is left to control what he can control, which is giving the best experience possible for the fans. The Chiefs have even extended their lease at NBT Bank Stadium through to 2026, albeit with raised costs in rent—the team could pay up to $200,000 annually. It's almost five times as much than the present price tag. It's the price to pay to house fans and the future of the Washington Nationals and Major League Baseball in Smorol's stable.

Syracuse Chiefs Secure 10-Year Lease on Stadium

Story and Photos by Jake Lapin

SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- As the sun set over the western corner of NBT Bank Stadium in the fifth inning Wednesday night, it was the perfect setting for baseball. Luckily for Syracuse Chiefs fans, this type of moment will be recaptured as baseball appears to be staying in Syracuse for the extended future.

The Onondaga County Legislature approved a new 10-year lease on Tuesday with the hopes of keeping the Chiefs in Syracuse. While it does increase the rent, the new deal will give the county the responsibility of covering the utility and field maintenance costs. It also gives the Chiefs incentive to stay, with a looming fine if the franchise decides to relocate.

"It's simple math," said Jason Smorol, the Chiefs' general manager. "The team doesn't make any money. The goal is to keep the team here for all the good it does in the community."

Smorol patrols the ballpark throughout the game, able to point out and name a number of different people and where they come from in each section. In his third year as GM, Smorol is dealing with an all-time low attendance record at NBT Bank Stadium. While the new lease is a brief reprieve, fewer than 3,200 seats are filled and nearly 8,000 are empty. There is still work to be done.

Memories, Not Money

As an organization, the Chiefs are not profitable, according to Smorol. Back in 2013, the team lost over $1 million and has not returned a profit since the 2006 season.

The Chiefs defeated the Buffalo Bisons Wednesday 6-1, but none of that mattered much to Smorol. Attendance and win percentage do not go hand in hand, according to Smorol, as they often do in the majors.

The sense of community is what gets people to the stadium. Promotions, giveaways, and other wacky antics such as Western night or bring your dog to the ballpark are what fill the seats, regardless of who is in uniform on the field.

"Make it affordable," Smorol said. "Make it easy, make it friendly, make it fun."

Smorol has four white boards on the wall just outside his office dedicated to promotion ideas. Next to every game on the schedule, there are a few ideas scribbled in, some Smorol is more proud of than others. No game is left blank, regardless of the opposition or day of the week.

Diverse History and Community Footprint

As the Chiefs took on the Bisons, there was a good mix of local Chiefs fans, some out-of-town Washington Nationals fans, and even some Toronto Blue Jays fans, of whom the Bisons are the current affiliate, and the Chiefs were the previous affiliate until 2008.

Syracuse is the smallest market of all AAA affiliates in minor league baseball. Yet Smorol says the Chiefs are the second most popular sports team in the city behind the Syracuse University basketball team. Baseball has been in Syracuse on and off since the late 1800s, and the Chiefs have been there since 1961.

"It's just part of the community," Smorol said. "When you lose something like this, it just says something about your community."

"Obviously it's great for Syracuse," said Chiefs manager Billy Gardner. "The fans have been great, the front office and Jason's staff have done a great job here."

The new lease may not have made the most financial sense for the county, but it keeps a sense of community alive. Syracuse has a rich baseball history featuring hall-of-famers, war veterans, color-barrier breakers and more. More than 300,000 tickets are sold every summer at NBT Bank Stadium since its inaugural season in 1997. Now, it appears baseball will be in Syracuse at least for the next decade.

Chiefs Committing to Cuse'

Photos and Story by Ashley Moore

SYRACUSE, N.Y - "IT'S ABOUT TIME!!" said businessman Patrick Mannion, sitting in his suite that he's owned every Chiefs season since the opening of NBT Bank Stadium in 1997. This in response to a 13-2 vote on Tuesday, keeping the Syracuse Chiefs organization in Central New York.

The Onondaga County Legislature voted to keep the Minor League Baseball club operating in Syracuse for another decade. 

Chiefs Make Drastic Changes

How did the Chiefs get here? Just three years ago it was reported that the organization lost close to $1 million and had fallen behind in paying rent to the county. 

Fans, coaches and players we talked to at the stadium say all the credit goes to Syracuse Chiefs' General Manager, Jason Smorol. 

"Obviously it's great for Syracuse." team manager Billy Gardner, Jr. said. "The fans have been great, the front office, Jason Smorol and his staff does a great job here. I think we have a really good working relationship with the (Parent club Washington) Nationals and hopefully we can keep it going." 

Sister Colette Walter, a retired nun is a Household Coordinator at the Francis House and said she makes sure she goes out to see the Chiefs every year. 

“Smorol has worked so hard to upgrade this stadium and to make it family oriented,” she said.

In 2013, the community owned organization suffered a net loss of almost $94,000. The team's attendance was at its lowest mark since the opening of NBT Bank Stadium in 1997. Due to the low attendance, ticket sales, concessions and advertising revenue took a big hit.

"The board of directors fired everybody, they hired me," Smorol said "We had no staff and six months to go until opening day with a new commitment from the board of directors to do whatever we could do to make sure the Syracuse Chiefs stayed in Syracuse." 

Enhancing Community Engagement

Fans at the stadium say community support is a 'must have' for the Syracuse Chiefs as the County will now cover the utilities of the team.

"I went to the Hot Stove Dinner that the Chiefs had and that was fun, that was the first time I ever went," said Bud Adams, who's attended NBT Bank Stadium for 15 consecutive years. "They do a lot of good for the city. It’s not just about baseball,” 

The new lease will increase the Chiefs' rent from $136,000 to $200,000 a year. The county has agreed to take over the utility costs which cost the minor league team around $266,000 last year.

The Chiefs hope to continue to grow the organization and this is an important message.

"Today’s just a culmination of years of talking and building our partnership with the county and we built our partnerships with the Washington Nationals,"Smorol said. "We engage our fans and we’re just committing to make sure the Syracuse Chiefs stay in Syracuse," 

If the AAA team decides to break the ten-year lease, it will pay $290,000 a year in addition to a 7- percent interest rate for every year remaining on the lease.

"The Syracuse Chiefs have been in Syracuse since 1876, so we've been around longer than anybody else," Smorol said. "We have no intention of going anywhere."

The Ultimate Fan Experience

Story and photos by Nicole Jones

SYRACUSE, NY -- Despite the Syracuse Chiefs baseball team's current record, Chiefs general manager Jason Smorol has high spirits and is full of energy. After being called to take the job three years ago, Smorol says he decided he was going to make the games about the fan experience rather than the actual game itself.

“I’m not here to sell tickets, I’m here to sell an experience,” said Smorol.

Customer Service

Yes, baseball is America’s "national pastime" but baseball isn't the only enjoyment during the games, especially now with the rise of social media. The event-planning schedule that Smorol and his team created for the Chiefs baseball season is something that will distract anyone from his or her phone and if not it will be something that people post and share.

“It’s about entertainment and the excitement on customer service,” Smorol said at NBT Bank Stadium where the Chiefs beat the Buffalo Bisons 6-1, Wednesday night, bringing their record to 50-61. “If someone wants to move a seat then let them move a seat.”

Smorol’s laid-back style as a GM yet strategic thinking seem to be the perfect ingredients for success for Chiefs baseball. Most promotional days have nothing to do with the game of baseball itself. Sometimes people become numb to things they do on a daily basis but the way an experience may make a person feel is unforgettable.

Event Planning

The list of weekly event goes on and on but to name a few the Chiefs have Dollar Thursdays, Star Wars Night, Family Night, Bark in the Park including frequent giveaways and fireworks.

On Dollar Thursdays hot dogs and cokes are sold for $1, Country Night and Star Wars Night allows people to dress accordingly without being judged. Things like lightsabers are part of the giveaway package. Family Night allows kids to run the bases for only $2 and fans pay $5 for Bark in the Park which allows your family dog to do the same.

These are all unrelated to baseball but why would Smorol invite a bunch of dogs to a baseball game to potentially ruin the field? Since the Chiefs play almost every day, Smorol says it’s their way of either giving back to the community or contributing proceeds to local charities. Or in this case, dog shelters and rescue centers.

 

Value of Games

Although there has been a lot of talk about relocating the Chiefs to another city, Smorol appears to not have a care in the world.

“It’s about the experience, controlling what you can control,” Smorol said.

The Chiefs used to give away 30,000 free tickets every year, the games had no value but Smorol set out a goal to change that.

“Having fun and making this more affordable is the goal,” Smorol said. This season's games are being sold at a low price of $12 for the premium field box seats. This is cheaper than most Triple-A teams. No matter the price, the Chiefs should be in town for at least another ten years after being granted a lease extension until 2026 in a new deal with Onondaga County this past week.