The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees will be in Syracuse for a two-game series on Thursday and Friday this week and it looks like Xavier Nady will be with the team on a rehabilitation assignment.

The Chiefs and Pawtucket Red Sox will wrap up their four-game series with a 2:00pm contest on Sunday, June 14 at historic Doubleday Field in Cooperstown, NY.

Thursday's doubleheader with pawtucket has been postponed due to rain.  The games will be made up as part of doubleheaders on Friday, June 12 and Sunday, September 6.  Both doubleheaders will begin at 5:00pm.  

The Pawtucket Red Sox have confirmed on their website that future Hall-of-Famer John Smoltz will pitch in Syracuse on Thursday in the first game of the Chiefs' doubleheader at Alliance Bank Stadium. The Chiefs will host the PawSox June 11-14. The first game on Thursday starts at 5:00pm. One game ticket is valid for admission to both games of Thursday's doubleheader.

Robert Lee of the Providence Journal reports that Smoltz "will make his fifth rehab start and second for Pawtucket when he pitches the opener of Pawtucket's doubleheader against Syracuse on Thursday."

Brendan McGair of the Pawtucket Times also writes that Smoltz is "on target to work the opener."

PawSoxBlog.com confirms the report, stating that Smoltz "will make his second rehab start for the PawSox in the opener," with Charlie Zink on the mound for the second game.

Tickets for all Syracuse Chiefs games can be purchased in person at the team's ticket office at Alliance Bank Stadium, by calling 315-474-7833, or online.

All signs point to future Hall-of-Famer John Smoltz making a rehab start for Pawtucket at Alliance Bank Stadium next week. The Chiefs will host the PawSox June 11-14, and it looks like Smoltz will start one of the games in Thursday's double-header.

The Pawtucket Red Sox have confirmed on their website that Smoltz will start for the team Friday, June 5 at McCoy Stadium. His next scheduled start would be June 10, which is an off-day, leaving him available to start June 11.

Daniel Barbarisi of the Providence Journal reports that Smoltz "expects to throw 90 pitches or six innings for the PawSox Friday at home against the Louisville Bats. His second start would probably come the next Thursday, in a road doubleheader against Syracuse."

Smoltz last pitched on Sunday for Boston's Single-A affiliate in Greenville. The following day, Bart Wright of GreenvilleOnline wrote that Smoltz will "fly to Detroit to meet the Red Sox for the start of their three-game series there Tuesday, and then return with the team to Boston before two more preparatory starts at Class AAA Pawtucket."

Here's another tidbit from PawSoxBlog.com: "Smoltz is expected to throw 90 pitches or 6 innings for Pawtucket against the Bats (on Friday).  He will then make another Pawtucket start next week in Syracuse before making his 2009 debut with the Red Sox."

Tickets for all Syracuse Chiefs games can be purchased in person at the team's ticket office at Alliance Bank Stadium, by calling 315-474-7833, or online.

The Syracuse Chiefs conclude an eight-game homestand tonight with their game against the Gwinnett Braves. Gwinnett's starter, James Parr, will take on Syracuse's J.D. Martin as the Chiefs attempt to split the four-game series at two games apiece.

First pitch is at 7:00pm. Tickets are still available through the Chiefs' Ticket Office and can be purchased by calling (315) 474-7833. As part of Yellow Book Night, complimentary Level 300 General Admission tickets are available also from Yellow Book and its advertisers. You may also present a program from your place of worship at the Chiefs Ticket Office and receive one complimentary Level 300 General Admission ticket.

After the game, the Chiefs will be off for an eight-game road trip to take on Scranton-Wilkes-Barre Yanks and the Rochester Red Wings. They will not return to Syracuse until Thursday, June 11, when they will play a double-header against the Pawtucket Red Sox.The first game starts at 5:00p.m.

Don't miss the Cooperstown Classic II on June 14. The Chiefs will take on the Pawtucket Red Sox at historic Doubleday Field in Cooperstown at 2:00p.m.. Tickets and packages that include Hall of Fame admission tickets and/or bus transportation are available from the Chiefs Ticket Office.

Syracuse plays another double-header at 5:00pm against the Buffalo Bisons on Monday, June 15 before wrapping up the homestand against the Bisons the next day with a start time of 7:00pm.

The Chiefs and Yankees will play a doubleheader today beginning at 5:00 PM after last nights game was rained out.  That's the third rainout of the season and hopefully the last.  Ex-Chiefs pitcher JOSH TOWERS goes in game one for Scranton vs COLLIN BALESTER who has pitched well for the Chiefs in his last two starts.

Game two will have JD MARTIN opposing GEORGE KONTOS.  MARTIN has an incredible 2 walks to 31 strikeout ratio through his first 8 starts this season.

The Chiefs and Yankees conclude the series on Thursday with a 7:00 start.

 

Members of the Chiefs staff will be helping out on WCNY's TelAuc tonight from 8:30pm-11:30pm.  We'll be answering phones, updating bids, and running bids among other tasks.    

The Syracuse Chiefs begin a two week period of playing National League teams with the designated hitter waived in favor of the pitcher for each team batting.

Todays starting pitcher CRAIG STAMMEN makes history as he comes to the plate in a Chiefs uniform.  Not since September 4th, 1972 has a Chiefs starting pitcher been in the lineup and batted in a game.

Chiefs Wall of Fame inductee ALAN CLOSTER went hitless in three at bats in that game against the Rochester Red Wings.

The Chiefs return home on Friday, April 17th vs Buffalo and pitchers will bat during that entire series.

The Syracuse Chiefs placed righthanded pitcher JOSH TOWERS on the seven day disabled list after his April 10th appearance vs Rochester at Alliance Bank Stadium.  Towers suffered a muscle strain in his chest.

His spot on the roster will be taken by lefthanded pitcher DAVE WILLIAMS who was sent to Syracuse from the Nationals minor league complex in Vierra, FL where he was working out.

WILLIAMS, 30, spent all of 2008 pitching in Japan for the Yokohoma Bay Stars of the Central League.  The former Pittsburgh Prates draft pick in 1998 made it to the major leagues in 2001 and spent parts of four season (2001-2005) with them.  He was traded to the Reds in 2006 and also played for the Mets that season.  He has appeared in 82 major league games , 72 as a starter.