Buffalo Herd

[Frayed Knot]

Your 2009 Bisons!!

[u:jtz3ox8m]Pitchers[/u:jtz3ox8m]:
Elmer Dessens
Nelson Figueroa
Casey Fossum
Dillon Gee
Eddie Kunz
Carlos Muniz
Jon Niese
Connor Robertson
Kyle Snyder
Jon Switzer
Ken Takahashi

[u:jtz3ox8m]Catchers[/u:jtz3ox8m]:
Robinson Cancel
Rene Rivera
Omir Santos

[u:jtz3ox8m]Infielders[/u:jtz3ox8m]:
Michel Abreu
Jose Coronado
Nick Evans
Andy Green (DL)
Rob Mackowiak
Ramon Martinez (DL)
Jonathan Malo
Argenis Reyes

[u:jtz3ox8m]Outfielders[/u:jtz3ox8m]:
Jesus Feliciano
Bobby Kielty
Fernando Martinez
Cory Sullivan

[Guest metsguyinmichigan]

I'd trot that lineup out against the Pirates right now and win a series.

[Guest OlerudOwned]

Weird seeing Gee on the Bisons after only 4 starts at AA last year.

[MFS62]

Niese gave up 5 ER in 2 IP last night in a Buffalo loss.

Later

[Guest *62]

Only two or three non-pitchers even figure to have a sniff at seeing Flushing .... Buffalo would be lucky to win a series from Binghamton.

[ashie62]

Only two or three non-pitchers even figure to have a sniff at seeing Flushing .... Buffalo would be lucky to win a series from Binghamton.[/quote:2sh3rmp6]

Prospects are developed at AA..suspects are in storage at AAA

[Frayed Knot]

Only two or three non-pitchers even figure to have a sniff at seeing Flushing .... Buffalo would be lucky to win a series from Binghamton.

[Frayed Knot]

"The Mets have released former Pirate Rob Mackowiak from Triple-A Buffalo in order to clear roster room for Brandon Knight, who is being activated for his first 2009 start on Monday. Mackowiak was 0-for-6 in two games with the Bisons."

[Guest Edgy DC]

Bad:

Nick Evans: .077/.273/.192 // .465

He's started off 2-30, although one of those two is a homer.

Good:

Eddie Kunz: 3 G, 6 1/3 IP, 0.00 ERA, 0.79 WHIP

He's allowed two hits, and three walks while fanning five. I'd begun to have given up on him, but maybe he's got something in there.

[Frayed Knot]

Fernando Martinez is off to a good start at AAA (8 of his 10 hits have gone for extra-bases), enough so to make BA's 'Hot List' - their weekly roundup of the who's hot and who's not of minor league ball.

Why He's Here: .286/.359/.600 (10-for-35), 6 2B, 1 HR, 1 3B, 3 RBIs, 5 R, 3 BB, 9 SO

The Scoop: Two years in Double-A, at ages 18 and 19, followed by a strong turn in the Dominican League last winter have Martinez on the cusp of the big leagues. He leads the minors with six doubles and ranks second with eight extra-base hits, no mean feat for 20-year-old in the Northern Division of the International League. A left elbow injury incurred in spring training has limited Martinez to DH duty, but the Mets expect him to get back on the field this weekend, where he'll cycle through the three outfield posts.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

The big league club isnt the only one off to a troubling start...

Bisons have been digging a giant hole Slow start leaves club buried in IL standings By Mike Harrington NEWS SPORTS REPORTER For all the meeting the Mets and greeting the Mets that's been done in Buffalo since September, no one could have imagined this. After mercifully getting an off day Thursday, the Bisons are back in Coca-Cola Field to open a homestand against Syracuse at 6 tonight (Radio 1520 AM). And they're desperate for a quick turnaround because Buffalo's first season with the folks from Flushing is quickly going down the drain. The Bisons are enduring the worst start in their modern era with a 2-11 record � and are already 10 games out of first place in the International League North Division. "We've certainly had a few conversations [with the Mets] and I don't think anybody is happy," Bisons Vice President/General Manager Mike Buczkowski said Thursday. "It's not what they expect and not what we expected. But I am encouraged with some of the moves they're making and their understanding this isn't a good start and they need to improve the team." No team in the big leagues, Triple-A or Double-A entered play Thursday facing a deficit of more than 7 1/2 games. Class A Dayton (1-11) and Stockton (2-12) have worse records and are the only other teams with 10-game deficits. Mets officials had nothing to say about the Herd on Thursday. Adam Wogan, the director of minor league operations, deferred comment on the Buffalo situation to Tony Bernazard, New York's vice president of player development. Bernazard was in St. Louis with the big league club and could not be reached. The Bisons have been quickly buried because the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees won their first 11 games and are 12-1, including a 5-1 record against Buffalo. "This whole thing is magnified by being at the start of the season," Buczkowski said. "You might have a stretch like this in the middle but you usually don't have a team going 11-0 at the same time. The standings are certainly eye-opening." Buczkowski said he has had several conversations with Wogan and said the Mets' farm director has been receptive to the Bisons' immediate feedback. "Never at any point have they said, "It is what it is and those are your guys,'" Buczkowski said. "It's always been, "We're going to keep looking to get better.'" The biggest problem for manager Ken Oberkfell has clearly been offense, with the Bisons batting just .203. They're batting .180 with runners in scoring position � and the average slips to a paltry .127 with runners in scoring position and two outs. The Herd was 3 for 46 in those situations over the first 10 games, contributing to four one-run losses. Only two Bisons with more than 20 at-bats are batting over .250 overall as outfielders Fernando Martinez and Jesus Feliciano are at .291 and .267, respectively. Infielders Jonathan Malo and Jose Coronado, in their first Triple-A duty, have combined to bat just .125 (12 for 96). The biggest flop has been infielder Nick Evans, who rocketed from Double-A to New York last year. Evans has a team-high three home runs but is just 5 for 49 (.102). Whereas Evans has flopped early, Martinez has been as good as advertised as the Mets' top prospect. The 20-year-old leads the IL in doubles (eight) and extra-base hits (10), and has put up six multihit games. The Mets signed 10 minor league free agents for Buffalo after last season, including three (outfielders Bobby Kielty and Cory Sullivan and pitcher Kyle Snyder) who appeared in the 2007 Boston-Colorado World Series. And they're still looking. In recent days, the Mets activated fan favorite Jason Cooper from the inactive list and signed major league veteran Wily Mo Pena to a minor league deal (he should join the Bisons after some work at extended spring training). Infielder Andy Green, a solid Triple-A veteran, was also activated after missing the first 11 games with an oblique strain. So was Frank Diaz, promoted from Double-A Binghamton. He hit .291 last year at Columbus. Meanwhile, the pitching and defense have been decent. The team ERA is 4.24 and the bullpen ERA is a respectable 3.49, led by the 0.84 mark turned in by 40-year-old Japanese signee Ken Takahashi. The Herd is tied for sixth in the league in errors and is the leader in double plays turned with 16. Major league veteran Freddy Garcia joined the rotation and pitched six innings in Wednesday's loss at Scranton. The one member of the rotation struggling is Opening Day starter Jonathon Niese, who was expected to be the Mets' first option here. Instead, Niese has been bypassed because he's 0-2 with an 8.76 ERA in three starts, allowing opponents to bat .393. The Bisons are home for 16 of their next 22 games and Buczkowski insists the season is not lost because Triple-A teams like Scranton that win big early often lose players to the big leagues. "We want to see this team show some improvement and get back on track to where you're within striking range," Buczkowski said. "We can still control the experience of coming out to the park and making it fun. But it's obviously more fun when the team is winning."

[Fman99]

Wow, we suck in three dimensions!

[smg58]

Evans' K-rate is abnormally high (17 in 49 AB's), but he's hitting the ball hard when he does make contact so that .102 average will certainly go up. I also like the 9 walks. Assuming the K/AB levels off at a more reasonable number, there's no reason for concern.

Niese? Wow. At least he's not pitching like that for the Mets. (Granted, we have four other guys pitching like that, but you know what I mean.) Cross your fingers.

F-Mart is making nice progress. His K/BB ratio needs work (3 BB's and 14 K's in 53 AB's), but you really have to like 10 extra base hits even if only one is a home run. Ad he's still only 20.

[Guest Edgy DC]

The 2-12 Herd are hitting under .200 and Ken Oberkfell says that he is disgusted. They've reportedly added veteran infielder Mike Lamb, who I've always liked. He's a good replacement for Jose Valentin, I think.

[bmfc1]

"The Daily News has learned that pitcher Nelson Figueroa has re-signed with the Mets and will report back to Triple-A Buffalo."

[Guest Edgy DC]

What a fucking emotional roller coaster in the Figueroa household.

[Frayed Knot]

Fernando Martinezmanages to have a 1-for-18 week (.056/.150/.056 with two walks and five whiffs) which brings his overall season numbers to .233/.288/.411 and lands him on BA's 'NOT-so-Hot List' for the week.

"He still leads the International League with eight doubles, and he's still just 20, so perhaps his next appearance will come on the positive side of the Hot Sheet ledger."

[Frayed Knot]

Fernando-mania indeed as the Buffalo OFer makes BA's 'Hot List' one week, their 'Not Hot List' the next week, and is back on the good side of the ledger this week:

FERNANDO MARTINEZ, RF METS
Team: Triple-A Buffalo (International)
Age: 20
Why He's Here: .458/.480/.917 (11-for-24), 2 HR, 3 2B, 1 3B, 6 RBIs, 6 R, 1 BB, 2 SO
The Scoop: Martinez earned not-so hot honors last week for going 1-for-18, but even then we noted that he was just as likely to crack the Hot Sheet on the positive side of the ledger the next time around. Mission accomplished. While the Bisons remain mired in last place in the Northern Division at 5-20, they have won three of their last six games, which amounts to a hot streak for them. Martinez has been a big part of their renaissance, chipping in four multi-hit games on the week, while homering twice. He now leads the IL with 11 doubles and 16 extra-base hits, but most encouragingly, he's slashed his strikeout rate from one every 3.8 at-bats in April to one every 12 so far in May.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Not all our Felicianos had a bad night last night:

A key chunk of news in this report is that Wily Mo Pe�a isn't currently available if we need to DL Carlos Delgado.

Herd walks off with big victory

Feliciano homers in bottom of ninth

By Mike Harrington

NEWS SPORTS REPORTER A two-run deficit in the first inning has basically meant game-over for the Buffalo Bisons this season. The Herd finally showed some resilience Monday night in Coca-Cola Field and, amazingly enough, it resulted in an actual comeback win.

Jesus Feliciano did the ultimate honors, belting a two-run walk-off home to right field with two out in the bottom of the ninth that gave Buffalo a 5-3 win over the Norfolk Tides.

Feliciano�s first homer of the season came on a 2-1 slider from Norfolk reliever Andy Mitchell and gave the Herd a split of the four-game series.

But there is no home plate celebration in this one if the Bisons (7-22) don�t battle back for one of the few times this season.

A two-run homer by Norfolk�s Oscar Salazar�s in the top of the first off Tim Redding was a bad omen, as Buffalo was just 1-18 this year when opponents score first and had only won one other time when trailing by more than one run.

�They battled back and Redding shut them down after that two-run homer,� said manager Ken Oberkfell. �That was nice, really nice to see that. It�s fun to win. I want to see that on a more consistent basis.�

The Herd scratched out a run in the third on Feliciano�s RBI double and two more in the fourth for a 3-2 lead. Norfolk tied it in the seventh on Carlos Rojas� beautiful squeeze bunt before Feliciano delivered in the ninth.

�When I hit it, I knew it was gone because it was a line shot,� Feliciano said. �It was great. We played a pretty good game. We drove some guys in from scoring position. The key was we didn�t give up.�

Give it up to the parent New York Mets for paying plenty of attention to the Herd�s struggles. Roving pitching coordinator Rick Waits and pitching consultant Al Jackson were both at the game to watch Redding, who went seven strong innings and threw 97 pitches in his second injury rehab start.

But also on hand were hitting instructor Lamar Johnson and field coordinator Luis Aguayo. Johnson, the former Chicago White Sox slugger with many years of experience as a hitting coach in Triple-A and the big leagues, met with his charges before this one and told them to try to start the season over.

Now, a 28-game do-over is probably asking for a little too much charity from fans who�ve been subjected to this mess, but the players took Johnson�s words to heart. The Bisons had 10 hits, several loud outs and went 4 for 11 with runners in scoring position after going 1 for 24 the previous two games.

�We were relaxed but at the same time we were pretty aggressive with the fastball too,� Feliciano said. �We�ve been taking strikes and swinging at balls. That�s what happens when you�re trying to do too much.�

Redding, a Rochester native who said he left about 40 tickets for friends and family, looked strong in his second outing after developing shoulder soreness in spring training. He allowed just one run after the first, struck out four and walked one.

�I think I�ve shown that I�m aggressive in the zone, commanding both sides, throwing all my pitches and throwing a lot of strikes which is a key thing,� said Redding, who labeled himself 100 percent ready to return to New York whenever the Mets call.

�I just want to earn my money and go to where I was supposed to be and pitch. . . . I hope they see with the two starts that I am ready. Wherever they see fit, I�m ready to contribute.�

The Bisons open a four-game series against the Gwinnett Braves tonight at (7 p. m., Radio 1520 AM). It will be their first game against Gwinnett, the former Richmond franchise. Dillon Gee (1-3) will pitch for the Bisons.

First baseman Wily Mo Pena (calf) missed his third straight game and Oberkfell said he might need another day or two. Reliever Eddie Kunz, KO�d below the knee by a one-hopper to the mound Sunday, is available.

mharrington@buffnews.com

Edited May 12, 2009 by Guest

[nymr83]

A key chunk of news in this report is that Wily Mo Pe�a isn't currently available if we need to DL Carlos Delgado.

I heard Bobby Bonilla was available, and I think the Mets are still paying him!

[MFS62]

If you want to follow them, I heard them on my car radio on 1520AM the other night. I had been checking the frequency since the AAA season started, but this was the first game I heard. They may have been waiting for the hockey season to end.
Oh, the announcer doing the post game show was awful. If you tuned in late, he didn't give the score of the game during the last 10 minutes of his show. All he said was "they won tonight" - no other details.

Later

[MFS62]

Got into my car aound ten tonight. Turned on the Mets game, and they had just won. They were cutting to their typical zillion commercials and then were going to interview Manuel before the highlights. So I turned the station to see if I could pick up the Buffalo game. They were down 3-1 in the bottom of the eleventh.

Up came our old pal Angel Pagan, who was playing in his first rehab game for the Herd. The announcer said Angel was 0-5 so far, but had thrown out the potential winning run at the plate in the 9th. Pagan then hit a ball to center which got by the centerfielder for a triple, driving in Robinson Cancel, Argenis Reyes and another guy I'd never heard of. Bisons Win! Bisons Win!
The announcer, who had many verbal fumbles during the inning and later recap, had a funny line - "I guess he ran out of ways to make an out".

Later

[Frayed Knot]

From BA:
... Fernando Martinez closed April on a 1-for-18 skid, but he�s opened May as one of the International League�s hotter hitters. After belting a pair of solo home runs yesterday against Pawtucket righthander Clay Buchholz, he was batting .343/.395/.700 for the month, with six home runs, five doubles and 15 RBIs in 19 games. And with a 6-to-9 walk-to-strikeout ratio in 70 at-bats, it appears that the 20-year-old Martinez has caught up with the speed of the Triple-A game. He leads the IL with 22 extra-base hits.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

From BA:
... Fernando Martinez closed April on a 1-for-18 skid, but he�s opened May as one of the International League�s hotter hitters. After belting a pair of solo home runs yesterday against Pawtucket righthander Clay Buchholz, he was batting .343/.395/.700 for the month, with six home runs, five doubles and 15 RBIs in 19 games. And with a 6-to-9 walk-to-strikeout ratio in 70 at-bats, it appears that the 20-year-old Martinez has caught up with the speed of the Triple-A game. He leads the IL with 22 extra-base hits.

[Guest Edgy DC]

By (further) freeing up other outfielders for first-base duty, I'd say he can.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Bubs gives your response 50 "staying on message" points.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Lance Broadway giving some surprisingly frank comments to Adam Rubin:

• �I figured it was always inevitable at some point in my life I was going to have to go play in New York with the last name, so I don�t have a problem with it. I hope everybody has fun with it. Hopefully they�ll be praising me with my last name and not cursing me for playing terrible in New York.�



• �My curveball and my changeup are both my �out� pitches. My changeup has always stunk most of the time, except for this year for some reason it�s been really good. So I throw that more so than I ever have in my life. And I�ve started to throw a cutter. It�s not really that great, but at times it�s a good pitch for me.�

Also, the Mets have re-signed ol' Matt Watson and sent him to Buffalo. He had been playing in Korea.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

I like the kid's candor, and will miss it immensely once the tabs teach him to lose it at the clubhouse door.

[Frayed Knot]

* The Mets acquired infielder Javier Castillo from the White Sox and assigned him to Buffalo.

* Outfielder Jason Cooper was released.

* RHP Tobi Stoner was promoted from Binghamton to Buffalo after a seven-inning shutout against Trenton on Saturday.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Ouch. Jason Cooper, Buffalo folk hero.

Batting .169 ain't gnona cut it.

Edited June 14, 2009 by Guest