If someone had told you a couple of months ago that the Idaho Falls Chukars were in the mix for a postseason bid, you would have asked, “Which year?”
Long the cellar dwellers of the first half of the Pioneer League season, the Chukars (19-14, 34-47) have changed their fortunes. As of Friday afternoon, they sit just four games back of the Missoula PaddleHeads (23-10, 47-33) for the second playoff spot. The Modesto Roadsters, who are sitting comfortably at 28-5 in the second half, have all but locked up one of those berths.
Manager Bob Milacki does not obsess over scoreboard watching with his team controlling its fate. While he certainly checks in on the leading teams in the standings − Missoula, Boise and Billings − Milacki recognizes they have to stay focused on their game.
“I hope they still play relaxed; I don’t want them to be tense,” Milacki told the Post Register after Thursday night’s 19-8 victory over the RedPocket Mobiles. “The schedule’s in our favor quite a bit… It all depends on what we do the next 15 games.”
That schedule includes three more games with RedPocket, which has lost a league-record 28 straight games. The Chukars hope to make that 31 by Sunday evening. After this set, Idaho Falls welcomes the Yuba-Sutter Freebirds. Much like the Mobiles, Yuba sits near the bottom of the standings and presents what should be six more winnable games.
However, even if the Chukars can sweep RedPocket and, let’s say, take five of six from the Freebirds, they still need Missoula and Billings to accumulate losses over the final several weeks.
Idaho Falls concludes the season with six in Boise. Should Missoula stumble, that series with the Hawks could very well determine the second postseason spot.
For the players, it is not about chasing those ahead of them. It is about coming to the ballpark every day, doing their job and not fretting about what the end results will yield.
“They’re just being themselves. They’re not saying, ‘Hey, we need to do this, this and this.’ I just want them to be nice and relaxed. And, that’s why they’re playing the way they are,” Milacki said.
Milacki’s approach as manager has been a major morale boost. Early in the summer, tension ran rampant throughout Melaleuca Field as roster cuts became a regularly scheduled program. One bad outing could mean you lost your job and one mistake in the field could send you to the bench.
Milacki has helped this group loosen up, understanding that this is still a kid’s game, even with all the pressure that comes with being a Pio Leaguer. His philosophy was on full display after the Ogden Raptors hung 31 on them this past Sunday:
“We had that bad game in Ogden; I’m not going to yell at them for it. It’s one of those games, you know? Don’t want to put pressure on them where we don’t need to,” he said.
This team was on a historically bad pace after 20 games. There are no guarantees they pull off this epic second-half rally. Yet, they have given the fans something to cheer for the last month or so. Can they finish strong and shock the Pioneer League?