Everything you need to know about Buffalo
Two road trips and three cities are already in the books for the Bats as the first month of the season is coming to a close. So far, we’ve taken a look at Toledo, Columbus and Indianapolis, but now it’s time to step out of the International League West and head North. This installment of “Everything you need to know” features the Buffalo Bisons and Buffalo, New York.
The Bats won’t be back in Louisville until after the Derby City’s biggest day a week from tomorrow, as they will play the Bisons for four games before heading to Rochester to take on the Red Wings for four more. It will be their third and fourth straight series against IL North foes after this week’s series with the Syracuse Chiefs at Louisville Slugger Field.
As usual, first thing’s first. Here are your pitching probables for the weekend in Buffalo (Louisville starters listed first):
Saturday, April 26: Tim Crabbe (1–1, 2.57) vs. Marcus Stroman (1–2, 2.18)
Sunday, April 27: Chien-Ming Wang (1–3, 6.16) vs. Ricky Romero (0–0, 4.80)
Monday, April 28: Chad Reineke (0–1, 5.82) vs. Kyle Drabek (1–1, 7.07)
Tuesday, April 29: TBA vs. RHP Liam Hendriks (3–0, 1.25)
Here’s everything you need to know about the Bisons and Buffalo, New York:
The Veterans
Infielder Chris Getz gets the first look as we break down the veteran presence in the Buffalo clubhouse. The 30-year-old Getz is a seasoned pro, spending parts of the last six seasons at the Major League level with the Chicago White Sox and Kansas City Royals. Last season, he played in 78 games with Kansas City, hitting .220. His career Major League average in 449 big league games is .251. This season in Buffalo, Getz is hitting .297 and is leading the Bisons with 6 stolen bases.
Another player with extensive Major League service time is first baseman Dan Johnson, whose big league career to date has been spent with Oakland, Tampa Bay, Chicago (White Sox) and Baltimore. Last season with the Orioles, Johnson only played in three games, but in 416 Major League appearances he has slashed .236/.337/.411. He’s off to a torrid start at the plate this season in Buffalo, leading the team in homers (4) and RBIs (14) while hitting .313 (good for third on the team).
The final Buffalo veteran we’ll profile this week is starting pitcher Liam Hendriks. A two-time Futures Game participant and veteran of three Major League Seasons, Hendriks has never quite put it together at the highest level. In 28 big league starts, Hendricks has carried a 2–13 record with a 6.06 ERA. That hasn’t mattered yet this year, though, as he is currently 3–0 on the season with the Bisons and leads Buffalo starters with a 1.25 ERA in three starts.
The Prospects
The top-ranked Blue Jays prospect in Buffalo is starting pitcher Marcus Stroman. He was listed as the second-best prospect in the Toronto chain ahead of the 2014 season, and has lived up to those accolades so far this season. Stroman has pitched well so far and is sporting a 2.18 ERA in four starts. Unfortunately, he’s had some tough luck and has only collected one win on the year (his overall record is 1–2). This is Stroman’s first season at the Triple-A level after posting a 9–5 record and 3.30 ERA with Double-A New Hampshire in 2013.
We’re staying on the mound for the next Blue Jays prospect in Buffalo, as southpaw Sean Nolin comes in at number ten on the organizational list. Nolin broke onto the Triple-A level last season with Buffalo, starting three games and posting a 1–1 record with a 1.35 ERA. Through his first three starts this season with the Bisons, he is 1–0 with a 2.70 ERA and has struck out 21 batters, which is good for second on the team.
The lone prospect on Toronto’s top-20 list that plays in the field for the Bisons is outfielder Kevin Pillar. He’s a “homegrown” player in the Blue Jays chain, as he was drafted by the team in 2011. The two-time organizational All-Star is hitting .216 this season with five RBI’s and a stolen base.
The Ballpark
Name: Coca-Cola Field
Opened: 1988
Capacity: 18,025
Dimensions: LF — 325', CF — 404', RF — 325'
Ballpark fact: The stadium’s 8oft. by 33ft. scoreboard is the largest HD board in Minor League Baseball.
Best Promotion while Bats are in town: TWOsday ticket promotion — When fans bring their Firehouse Subs receipt to the game on Tuesdays, they can buy two tickets for the price of one. There’s also $2 Labatt Blue beer specials at the ballpark. In other words, make friends with people who eat Firehouse Subs and make sure to have them keep their receipts.
The City
Buffalo, New York is situated on the shores of Lake Erie and is the state of New York’s second-most populous city. While the climate may not be attractive to many down in the United States’ southern states (average winter temperatures are well into the 20-degree range), Forbes still rated Buffalo as the 10th-best place to raise a family in America in 2010. As you may have guessed, Buffalo is the birthplace of the Buffalo wing, and the city hosts the National Buffalo Wing Festival at the Bisons’ Coca Cola Field each Labor Day weekend.
Famous people from Buffalo include CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer, actor/artist Rick James and United States Presidents Grover Cleveland and Millard Fillmore. The popular and Grammy-nominated Goo Goo Dolls were also formed in Buffalo.
On the sports side, there are two franchises in the “Big Four” that call Buffalo home in the Sabres (NHL) and Bills (NFL). The United States’ largest sports-licensed cap company, New Era, is headquartered in Buffalo as well. Famous athletes from the city include Rob Gronkowski, Christian Laettner, Ron Jaworski, Orel Hershiser and Warren Spahn.
Rochester, New York is next on our tour around the International League, as the Bats will be taking on the Red Wings next Thursday. Look for a preview of the team and the city next week right here on The Bats Signal. Until then, that’s all you need to know about Buffalo.
* All stats are accurate heading into play on April 25. All prospect rankings are according to MLB.com.
