It’s another early one for the Chiefs. 10:30 A.M. against Toledo. Why don’t you grab a cup of coffee and check this out.

*In the spirit of a morning game, WAKE UP!

*The Chiefs have gone to extra innings ten times this season, but never have played this long.

*Educate yourself on what happened on this day in history.

We hit the air at 10:15 and first pitch is set for 10:30, on the Syracuse Chiefs Baseball Network.

The Chiefs and Mud Hens battle for breakfast supremacy this morning at 10:30.  Here are some things you’re guaranteed to enjoy:

*An in-game blog from Mud Hen beat writer John Wagner.

*Compare and contrast Durham’s Tim Beckham and Rochester’s Chris Colabello.

*On this day in 2004, the Yankees announced they’d no longer sell Cracker Jack (didn’t last long).

*From San Diego’s paper, the connection between today’s Chiefs starter and Albert Pujols.

*A rough getaway day in California for the Nationals.

Chief of the Day:  Sergio Santos.  For parts of three seasons, Santos manned shortstop in Syracuse.  He hit just.214 in 128 games in 2006.  Three years later, the White Sox picked him up and made him into a pitcher.  In 2011, Santos saved 30 games for the Sox.  He has since moved on to Toronto and yesterday, unfortunately, was placed on the 60-day DL after right elbow surgery.

10:15 is our airtime today as the Chiefs take on the Hens.  Join us for waffles.  You bring the syrup.

Jason

The Chiefs look for their second straight win to open up this road trip and this series with the Mud Hens.

Rahl RF

Kobernus 2B

Brown CF

Marrero 1B

Owings LF

Walters SS

Rivero 3B

Costanzo DH

Watts C

Ohlendorf P

*Chris Rahl can extend his hitting streak to 11 today.

*Micah Owings is coming off one of his best hitting nights of the season. He went 2-5 with 2 doubles. 

*Jeff Kobernus is back up to third in the league in average with a 3-5 performance Saturday. He’s hitting .348 on the season.

Gabe

The Chiefs weathered an eight-hour bus ride overnight and got into the Park Inn Toledo around 7:30 A.M.  Tonight, they face a Mud Hens team which nearly swept Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.  Here’s Tony Beasley’s starting nine:

Chris Rahl RF

Jeff Kobernus LF

Will Rhymes 2B

Chris Marrero 1B

Corey Brown CF

Micah Owings DH

Zach Walters SS

Carlos Rivero 3B

Brian Jeroloman C

*Will Rhymes was a member of the Mud Hens, in part, from 2008 until 2011.  He played in 165 home games in Toledo over that time and hit .297 at Fifth Third Field.

*Catcher Brian Jeroloman makes his first start of the season with Syracuse tonight.  If the name’s familiar, it’s because he played in 25 games with the Chiefs in July, August and September with the 2008 Chiefs.  He hit .200 in 75 at-bats that year, the final season with the Blue Jays.

*Zach Walters moves down to the seven position for just the sixth time this season.  He’s been found most often in the six spot (34 starts).

*Jeroloman is the 14th nine-hole hitter the Chiefs have used in 2013.

*Carlos Rivero is five-for-11 in the eight position this year.

Game time is 7 P.M. as the Chiefs face the Mud Hens.  Download our app to listen.  Search for Syracuse Chiefs in the iTunes and Google Play stores.

Jason

Good afternoon from gorgeously sunny NBT Bank Stadium, where the Chiefs and Clippers are ready to play the fourth of a four-game set. Syracuse and Columbus are going to play five more times in the next 10 days, so it might be a good idea to get to know the Clippers a little bit with our latest edition of Triple-A Trickledown…

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Catcher: Omir Santos, Chris Wallace

There’s good catching depth here with Santos, a 32-year-old veteran of 122 major league games, who’s on the Indians’ 40 man-roster, and Wallace, a 25-year-old acquired from Houston, who’s a .275 career hitter in four minor league seasons. Cleveland, however, is in terrific shape up in the major leagues. Behind Carlos Santana, who might be the best hitter in the American League so far this season, there’s 25-year-old catcher Yan Gomes, an intriguing prospect with six extra-base hits in 15 games. Veteran backstop Lou Marson’s also on the Disabled List with a sore right shoulder.

First Base: Matt LaPorta

LaPorta, the seventh overall pick back in 2007, is with Columbus for at last part of the season for the fifth straight year. He’s got a career .900 OPS in 225 Triple-A games, but he’s scuffled a bit with Cleveland. LaPorta’s posted just a .238 average and .694 OPS in his 291-game Indians career, and he was removed from the 40-man roster this offseason. Since no team claimed LaPorta, he’s back to terrorize the drawn-in fences at Columbus’ Huntington Park.

Matt LaPorta (Toledo Blade)

Second Base: Matt Lawson, Cord Phelps

Phelps, who went 0 for 8 with Cleveland this year, has gotten off to a rough start with Columbus this season. He’s hit just .229 in 25 games with 11 walks to 26 strikeouts. Phelps is a 40-man roster member, but he’s only 18 for 112 in his major league career. Lawson’s a 27-year-old career minor leaguer in his first-ever Triple-A season. Meanwhile, former Clippers standout Jason Kipnis has sported a .775 OPS in 31 games with Cleveland while batting largely out of the #2 spot.

Shortstop: Juan Diaz

Diaz, a 24-year-old switch-hitter, made his major league debut with five Cleveland games last season. He’s started slow in 2013, though, batting .209 in 36 Clippers games with 40 strikeouts to seven walks. The Indians, meanwhile, are in solid shape with Asdrubal Cabrera and Mike Aviles at shortstop. Diaz is a bit stuck – he’s not currently a good enough offensive player to work his way onto the major-league roster, and he’s never played a game outside of shortstop in his professional career.

Third Base: Adam Abraham, Lonnie Chisenhall, Ryan Rohlinger

Chisenhall is the big name here, a 24-year-old former first-round pick who sported just a .213/.253/.351 line in 26 games with Cleveland. He was sent down just in time for the start of this four-game series, and he’ll likely be back up at some point this season if he works out some swing issues. The Indians, though, are in fine shape right now with Mark Reynolds and his 11 home runs manning the hot corner. Abraham, a 26-year-old, and Rohlinger, a 30-year-old former major leaguer, provide infield depth.

Outfield: Ezequiel Carrera, Matt Carson, Tim Fedroff, Jeremy Hermida, Cedric Hunter

Carrera’s had a roller coaster ride to begin the season. He was claimed by the Phillies from Cleveland off of waivers and went for 1 in 13 in 13 games up in the big leagues. Philadelphia then designated Carrera for assignment, and the Indians scooped him back up – before later designating him for assignment again. So Carrera’s here in Columbus, but he’s no longer on the Tribe’s 40 man-roster. The only 40-man member in this group, strangely enough, is Fedroff – though he’s the only one of the five outfielders here not to appear in a single major-league game. Fedroff’s a 26-year-old who sported a .325/.393/.517 line in 69 games with Columbus last year. He’s on his way back there thanks to a .365 average to date in May. Fedroff could find his way in the majors with an injury to one of the Indians’ four outfielders – Ryan Raburn, Michael Bourn, Michael Brantley and Drew Stubbs, all of whom are off to solid starts.

Tim Fedroff (Double G Sports)

Hermida, who’s been a major leaguer for at least some portion of the last eight years, leads the Clippers in most offensive categories at the moment. He’s joined by Hunter, a 24-year-old former top prospect in the Padres’ organization, and Carson, a 31-year-old who got some time last year up in Minnesota.

Starting Pitchers: Trevor Bauer, Carlos Carrasco, T.J. House, Joe Martinez, Toru Murata, Danny Salazar

Top prospect Bauer isn’t on the Clippers’ roster that’s in front of me right now, but he’s not on the Indians’ active roster right now, either, and he was only called up for a spot start. So, you figure it out. Bauer could certainly find his way to a regular rotation spot soon enough, considering three-fifths of the Indians’ rotation sports an ERA north of 5.00 (Ubaldo Jimenez, Scott Kazmir, Corey Kluber).

Trevor Bauer (milb.com)

The rest of the rotation spells good fortune for the Indians’ future, with a pair of 23-year-olds in House and Salazar and a 26-year-old in Carrasco, all of whom are on the Indians’ 40-man roster. Martinez, a 30-year-old journeyman in his second tour of duty with the tribe, and Murata, a 27-year-old in his third season with the Indians’ minor leagues, round out the group.

Relief Pitchers: Scott Barnes, Jerry Gil, Preston Guilmet, Matt Langwell, Fernando Nieve, Giovanni Soto

Barnes, the lone 40-man member of the group, is a left-handed former starter with a 7.50 ERA in 10 games this season – far and away the worst ERA in a top-to-bottom strong bullpen. Closer Guilmet’s been a stalwart, with a 2.95 ERA and 13-for-14 save success rate in his first Triple-A year. Former big leaguer Nieve has a 0.99 ERA in 10 games, with a crazy 31-to-6 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Those two might be the first right-handers up if needed. In the majors, though, Cleveland’s well-stocked with right-handers, with Matt Albers’ 4.38 ERA the worst right-handed mark. Left-hander Nick Hagadone sports a 7.20 mark to bring up the rear for southpaws, so a good season from the 22-year-old Soto could find him knocking on Cleveland’s door.

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The Chiefs and Clippers take the field tonight at 7:00. Our clubhouse show starts at 6:45 on the Syracuse Chiefs Baseball Network. See you there.

KB

Syracuse dropped last nights matchup with Columbus 4-2 in 11 innings. The game was the third in four days that went to extra frames. The Chiefs have played nine extra inning games this season, compared to just five last year.

Today’s stuff you’ll like:

*We all know Syracuse teams are no strangers to extra time in sports

*Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel goes yard during batting practice at Nationals-Padres game.

*It’s Triple Crown season in horse racing. Shout out to an upstate favorite-Funny Cide-who won the Preakness on this day in 2003, after winning the Kentucky Derby. He finished third in the Belmont.

*The Chiefs are “ALL IN” for the Crunch.

Syracuse goes for a split of it’s four-game set with Columbus tonight at 7:00 PM at NBT Bank Stadium.

Gabe

The Chiefs dropped a three-run decision to the Columbus Clippers last night in a high-scoring, crazy game two of the series.

Today’s stuff you’ll like:

*If you like addicting Internet games, you’ll love Geoguessr.

*Mr. Boswell from the Washington Post takes on the topic of Bryce Harper’s reckless abandon.

*The Toledo Blade’s John Wagner recaps a wild and wooly Mud Hen win.  From the story–“You have to find things to hang your hat on — and build off them,” Mud Hens manager Phil Nevin said. “We’ve had a couple of two-game [winning] streaks and had things get away from us on that third day, and we very easily could have sunk back to that.”

*The Crunch were #ALLin when it came to short-handed goals last night.

Chief of the Day:  Today, we salute an important member of the 1985 bullpen, Tom Henke.  In Syracuse, Henke saved 18 games and allowed just 13 hits in 51 innings and a third.  His ERA of 0.88 led the Chiefs.  Henke went on to save 311 Major-League games.  He’s one of 23 people ever to save 300 games in MLB.

It’s $5 a carload night at the ballpark.  Chiefs and Clippers at 7 P.M.

Jason

For those of you who could not get enough of the first edition of Card Notes. Have no fear, they’re back!

Rahl RF

Kobernus CF

Rhymes 2B

Marrero 1B

Costanzo 3B

Walters SS

Rivero LF

Watts DH

Solano C

P Young

1) Chris Rahl extended his season-high seven-game hitting streak yesterday with an RBI single in the seventh.

2) Jeff Kobernus has 15 stolen bases. That’s eight more than anyone on the team.

3) Zach Walters hit a home run in the fifth inning last nights. He’s now tied for second in the league with nine, one off the league lead.

4) Kris Watts has six hits with15 at-bats as a Chief.

5) Jhonatan Solano was activated from the disabled list today. He hasn’t played since May 7th.

Tune in for the game starting at 6:45 on the Syracuse Chiefs Baseball Network.  It’s available on your computer via this link:  http://www.milb.com/multimedia/audio.jsp?sid=t552

Or you can download our app for your smartphone via the Google Play or iTunes Stores.

Gabe

Good morning from sunny, not-as-chilly-as-yesterday NBT Bank Stadium, where the Chiefs and Columbus Clippers will begin a four-game series at 7:00. Starting today at the blog, we’ll be alternating posters for our daily “Stuff You’ll Like” routine…you’ll get opinions on who likes what from both Jason and I as well as our two interns, Jonny and Gabe.

Here’s what’s on tap for today…

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- A recap of yesterday’s Chiefs game from Bud Poliquin.

- Grantland’s Jonah Keri looks at the underdog Yankees, among others, in his weekly power rankings.

- The greatest YouTube video you’ll see all day – a cover of “Space Oddity”…in space.

- Bill Hader prepares to say goodbye to SNL.

- The trailer of Season 4 of Arrested Development…no touching!

- Song of the Day: Boston’s “Peace of Mind”, for reasons that have nothing to do with the Bruins. (I just can’t stop humming it.)

- And finally, today’s Chief of the Day goes to former Chiefs starting pitcher A.J. Burnett! Some fun facts about Mr. Burnett…

• He pitched in one game for the Chiefs in both 2006 and 2007, giving up one earned run in 10 innings. Greatest Chief ever? Greatest Chief ever.
• He currently leads the National League in strikeouts with 72. At age 36.
• Dan Patrick recently mistook him for Bronson Arroyo. Oops.

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Hope to have you join us tonight at 6:45 on the Syracuse Chiefs Baseball Network. Ross Ohlendorf takes the hill for Syracuse against the Clippers’ Joe Martinez. See you then.

Kevin

All season, teams will come to NBT Bank Stadium to stand against the Syracuse Chiefs.  They will don jerseys emblazoned with animals….they will wield baseball bats of ash and maple….and they will attempt to make periodic contact with a pentagonal white object that they refer to as “home.”

They all have secrets.  And those secrets are found in…..

The IL Files

Team:  Durham Bulls

Location:  Durham, North Carolina

Mascot: Wool E. Bull (The E stands for education)

Joined the IL: 1998.

How?:  The Bulls were a Triple-A expansion franchise when the Devil Rays were added to Major League Baseball

A.K.A.: From 1902 through 1967, the team was called the Durham Bulls.  In 1968, the name changed to the Raleigh-Durham Mets.  The next year, it became the Raleigh-Durham Phillies.  That worked so well, the name changed again in 1970 to the Raleigh-Durham Triangles (their logo was not a yield sign).  Then, Bull Man beat Triangle Man for good and the team became the Bulls for good in ’81.

Other Leagues:  Durham played in the Class D North Carolina State League from 1913 to 1917.  The team transitioned to the Piedmont League from 1920 until 1943.  After not playing in ’44, the team joined the Carolina League in ’45 until its run ended in ’97.

Notable managers:  1956–Jonny Pesky, for whom the right-field foul pole at Fenway Park is named.  1989-91–Grady Little, at whom hateful names were screamed from every spot in Fenway Park.  1928-1932–George “Possum” Whitted, who wasn’t lying in the weeds when his team won the league title in 1930.

Notable players:  Bob Boone–Hit .300 in 80 games with the Raleigh-Durham Phillies in 1969 while playing third base (like his son Aaron, who may have caused one of those Grady Little epithets).  Joe Morgan–The only Durham player in the Major-League Hall of Fame.  Ron Gant–Led the Carolina League with 20 homers in 1986 before making his Major-League debut in 1987 with the Braves, where he played on back-to-back World Series teams.

Record holders:  Woody Fair had 161 RBIs in 1946, the most ever for a Durham player.  Johnny Vander Meer, the only player to throw back-to-back MLB no-hitters, struck out 295 for Durham in 1936.

Back-of-the-file:  In 1922, to win their first-ever championship, the Bulls beat the High Point Furniture Makers for the Piedmont League title….the Bulls host the ACC Baseball Championship this year from May 22-26…this is the only blog post in history that does mention the movie “Bull Durham” when talking about the team….alphabetically, the last player to play for the Bulls is Andy Zwirchitz…