MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL IS SO DAMN GOOD!

I had the fortune of being able to attend the Syracuse Chiefs Opening Day in Syracuse last Thursday.  It was special for me not because the local minor league team was beginning its season (the Washington
Nationals are the parent club), but because it was the opener for our “baby bombers” – the Scranton / Wilkes Barre RailRiders – who happened to be the Chiefs’ opponents.

It was a golden opportunity to watch the guys who didn’t make the Major League team and see what kind of potential would be on display.

I wasn’t disappointed.

As the game progressed, it became clear to me that our minor league system isn’t as barren as some would lead you to believe (perhaps our organization is scrutinized more heavily because of our success?).  Several stars emerged, and while it was only one game, it was still evident that the Yankees have a number of players with the talent to make it to “the show”.

Among those that most impressed were Scott Sizemore, one of the odd men out (with Eduardo Nunez) in the battle for the Yankees backup infielder spots.  He went three-for-three with three singles and a walk.

Russ Canzler, playing first base, showed good power in hitting two doubles during successive at bats and drove a long fly to right in his final time at the plate.

Zelous Wheeler, the shortstop, had a single and double in four trips to the plate and looked solid in the field.

Of all the players in the lineup, the one that stood out for me was Ramon Flores, the right fielder.  He had two hits during the game, one of which was a triple where tore around the bases at a speed that Secretariat would envy.  However, the play that I’ll remember isn’t one where Flores was batting.


It was the bottom of the fifth and the RailRiders led 4 – 1.  The Chiefs had runners at the corners and no one out.  Our starter, Bruce Billings, was beginning to labor and Syracuse’s Will Rhymes was at the plate.  The second baseman hit a fly ball of medium depth to right field.   Flores first started back on the ball then stepped forward towards it, and without hesitation made the catch and fired a throw on a line to home plate.  It took one bounce and settled perfectly into catcher JR Murphy’s glove a half-second before the runner arrived.

If you are an outfielder, it’s the type of play you dream about.

The hitters and fielders weren’t the only ones to leave their mark on Opening Day.  While our big league club has had a great start from its bullpen, the Triple-A relief corps wasn’t going to be outdone.

25-year-old Danny Burawa struck out two of the three batters he faced in the seventh, Mark Montgomery retired the Chiefs in order in the eighth, and Matt Daley struck out the side on 13 pitches to close out the game.

One couldn’t help but be impressed with the RailRiders from top to bottom.

As I left the stadium that day, I felt confidence in the future of our club.  Each of the players I have mentioned is at the cusp of their career in pinstripes, and I’m excited for their arrival in the Bronx.

Should our parent club need reinforcements during the season, I’ll have no problem with the powers-that-be reaching from within to fulfill their need.

The next time you hear someone tell you how thin the Yankees’ farm system is, just give a smile and walk away knowing that we are far better off than they think.  Take my word on it.



    

--Steve Skinner, BYB Writer
Twitter: @oswegos1




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