IL1 Buffalo Bisons

Bisons Announce 2008 Opening Day Roster

Published on April 3, 2008 under International League (IL1)
Buffalo Bisons News Release


The Buffalo Bisons today announced their Opening Day Roster for the 2008 season. The Herd will open up the 123rd season of professional baseball TONIGHT as they face the Norfolk Tides at 7:15 p.m. from Harbor Park in Norfolk, VA (6:55 p.m., WWKB AM 1520, Bisons.com).

The 2008 Bisons feature three International League All-Stars from 2007 (Ryan Mulhern, Aaron Herr, Ben Francisco), two former Bisons Most Valuable Players (Mulhern '07, Francisco '06), two former Bisons Most Valuable Pitchers (Aaron Laffey '07, Jeremy Sowers '06), two former IL Batting Champions (Francisco '07, Danny Sandoval '05) and three members of the Cleveland Indians' Top 10 prospects by Baseball America (Laffey #5, Jordan Brown #7, Francisco #9).

Nine of the 2008 Bisons spent time in the Major Leagues in 2007 while half of the team (12 of 24) played with the Bisons last season. Returning from last year's Bisons team are 35 wins, 414 strikeouts thrown, 50 home runs, 227RBI and 46 stolen bases.

The team also includes five former 1st round draft picks: Jason Tyner (New York-NL, 1998), Matt Ginter (Chicago-AL, 1999), Aaron Herr (Atlanta, 2000), Brad Snyder (Cleveland, 2003) and Jeremy Sowers (Cleveland, 2004). A sixth former 1st round pick, RHP Adam Miller (Cleveland, 2003), will begin the season on the Bisons disabled list.

Pitching Staff

The Bisons pitching staff is headlined by LHP Aaron Laffey. The Bisons 2007 Pitcher of the Year won nine games with Buffalo last year, including a modern era record six in the month of June. Also named the Cleveland Indians Minor League Pitcher of the Year for 2007, Laffey will start Opening Day for the Herd tonight.

LHP Jeremy Sowers was the Bisons Pitcher of the Year in 2006 after going 9-1 that year. His .700 winning percentage (14-6) and 2.70ERA in three seasons with the Bisons are both 6th-best in the modern era. RHP Sean Smith was T1st on the Bisons last year with nine wins while RHP Jeff Harris was the Bisons 2007 Most Inspirational Player as he led the team with 138.1 innings of work. RHP Brian Slocum went 6-3 with 91 strikeouts with Buffalo in 2006 before having his season in 2007 cut short because of injury.

RHP Edward Mujica led the team with 14 saves last season while RHP Tom Mastny finished 2nd among American League relievers with seven wins in Cleveland in 2007. LHP Rich Rundles posted a 2.70ERA in 17 games with Buffalo in 2007 while LHP Reid Santos (8-3, 2.72ERA) was an Eastern League All-Star with Double-A Akron. RHP Scott Elarton has won 56 games at the Major League level including 17 with the Houston Astros in 2000.

RHP Rick Bauer has pitched in 183 Major League games in his career with Baltimore and Texas while RHP Matt Ginter has seen 92 big league games with the White Sox, Mets and Tigers.

Outfielders

All four outfielders on the roster have already spent time in Buffalo in their careers. Ben Francisco is coming off two stellar years with the team as he was a Co-Most Valuable Player in 2006 and won the IL Batting Title with a .318 average in 2007. He also ranks 7th in Bisons modern era history with 48 stolen bases. Jason Cooper and Jason Tyner were both members of the 2004 Governors' Cup Championship team. Cooper is in his fifth season with the team and ranks in modern era history in games played (7th, 308), doubles, (T5th, 62), home runs (10th, 40), RBI (7th, 177) and runs scored (11th, 165). Tyner has spent the last three years in Minnesota's organization, making 194 appearances with the Twins. Brad Snyder spent all of last season with the Bisons and became the only Bisons player in the modern era to finish a season perfect on the bases paths (12-12 stealing bases).

Infielders

The Bisons 2007 Most Valuable Player Ryan Mulhern returns. He led the club in doubles (36), home runs (16) and RBI (76) a season ago. Jordan Brown makes his Triple-A debut this year. He led all Double-A hitters with a .333 average with Akron in 2007. He was also the Eastern League Player of the Year in 2007, a season after being named the Carolina League Player of the Year with Single-A Kinston. Also joining the Bisons for the first time are Josh Barfield, who played 280 games in the Majors over the last two seasons (San Diego, Cleveland), Aaron Herr, an IL All-Star last year with Louisville and Andy Gonzalez, who made his Major League debut with the White Sox in 2007. Danny Sandoval makes his Bisons debut after winning the IL Batting Title with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in 2005 (.331 batting average).

Catchers

Behind the plate for the Bisons will be Yamid Haad, who hit .301 in 35 games with the Herd last year, and Wyatt Toregas, who is up from Akron after leading all Eastern League catchers by throwing out 52% of would-be base stealers in 2007.

Check out the Buffalo Bisons Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



International League Stories from April 3, 2008


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central