Former Bulls in the 2016 Postseason
The 2016 MLB *postseason kicks off tonight, as the Orioles and Blue Jays square off in the AL Wild Card Game.
*We say postseason because we don’t consider the Wild Card games the ‘playoffs.’ Sure you’ve made it farther than 20 other teams, but come on, it’s not really the playoffs yet. It’s just a play-in game.
With the start of the postseason, we take a look at all the former Durham Bulls who you might see throughout the month of October
Baltimore Orioles: None
Of note, OF Joey Rickard played in 29 games for the Bulls in 2015 before Baltimore selected him in the Rule V draft. He’s currently on the DL.
Boston Red Sox: LHP David Price
For all the success Price has had at the big league level, he actually wasn’t all that impressive in Durham at the end of 2008 and beginning of 2009. He went 2–5 with a 4.13 ERA in 12 starts for the Bulls, while striking out a batter an inning.
Chicago Cubs: RHP Jason Hammel, LHP Mike Montgomery, UTL Ben Zobrist
Hammel, a member of the Bulls in 2005, 2006 and 2007 went 12–16 in 47 starts in his time in the Bull City. Across 30 starts for the Cubbies this year, the 34-year-old went 15–10 with a 3.83 in 30 starts.
Montgomery pitched for the Bulls in 2013 and 2014, and was named an IL Midseason All-Star in 2014. After he was traded to the Mariners and subsequently the Cubs, the 27-year-old posted a 2.82 ERA in 17 games (five starts) for the best team in baseball in the regular season.
Zobrist, who spent parts of 2006, 2007 and 2008 in Durham, hit .301 in 99 career games for the Bulls. This year the utility player, reunited with Joe Maddon, hit .272 with 18 homers while playing primarily second base and the outfield.
Cleveland Indians: C Chris Gimenez, OF Brandon Guyer
Gimenez is in the postseason for the second straight year after going with the Rangers a season ago. This year he played in 67 games for the Indians, and he combined to appear in 166 games for Durham in 2012 and 2013.
Guyer was traded to the Indians at the trade deadline this season and went on to hit .333 in 38 games. The outfielder spent parts of three seasons with the Bulls (2011–2013), while also making a five-game rehab stint in 2014.
LA Dodgers: LHP JP Howell, LHP Scott Kazmir
Howell made 31 starts for the Bulls between 2006 and 2007, and returned for a four-game rehab appearance in 2011. The southpaw made 64 relief appearances for the Dodgers this season.
It is unclear if Kazmir will pitch in the postseason after his last start came on Sept. 23. The 32-year-old only ever played for the Bulls on rehab stints, making one appearance each in 2008 and 2009.
Southpaw Adam Liberatore will not pitch for the Dodgers in the postseason, as he will undergo season-ending elbow surgery. Earlier this year the lefty set a franchise record with 28 straight scoreless outings. Liberatore appeared in 113 games for the Bulls from 2012–2014, including a 2014 campaign in which he struck out 86 batters in 65 innings.
NY Mets: None
OF Justin Ruggiano — a member of the All-DBAP team — appeared in eight games for the Mets this year, but hasn’t played in a game since Aug. 26 after undergoing shoulder surgery.
San Francisco Giants: LHP Matt Moore
The Giants picked up Moore at the trade deadline, as the lefty went 6–5 with a 4.08 ERA in 12 starts since. Moore has an interesting history in Durham, making 17 starts across the 2011, 2013 and 2015 seasons. He dominated in 2011 (4–0, 1.37), made one rehab start in 2013, then played as both a rostered player and rehab player in 2015.
Texas Rangers: C Robinson Chirinos
Chirinos hit .259 with six homers across 78 games for the Bulls in 2011, before he was traded to Texas at the start of the 2013 campaign. The 32-year-old batted .224 for the AL West Division winners this season.
Toronto Blue Jays: C Dioner Navarro, OF Melvin Upton, Jr.
Navarro split 2016 between the White Sox and Blue Jays, joining Toronto for the stretch run. The 32-year-old hit .284 in 43 games for the Bulls in 2010.
The artist formerly known as BJ opened 2016 with San Diego, but was traded to the Blue Jays in July. Upton debuted with Durham in 2004 at the age of 19, and proceeded to play in 314 games with the Bulls from 2004–2006, while also appearing in two rehab games in 2007.
Washington Nationals: C Jose Lobaton
Traded by the Rays to the Nationals in February of 2014, Lobaton played for the Bulls in both 2010 and 2011, combining to appear in 126 games. The Venezuelan also appeared in four rehab games in 2012.
