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IL1 Buffalo Bisons

Bisons Announce End of Year Awards: Matt Hague Named MVP, 'Hometown Hero'

September 2, 2015 - International League (IL1)
Buffalo Bisons News Release


For one of the best offensive seasons in the history of Coca-Cola Field, Bisons INF MATT HAGUE earned even more well-earned recognition as the team handed out their 'End of Year' Awards on Fan Appreciation Night.

Hague, named International League MVP and Postseason All-Star Third Baseman on Tuesday, was given the Bisons' Stan Barron Most Valuable Player award and the Jimmy Griffin 'Hometown Hero' award by the team on Wednesday.

The Bisons first 11-game winner since 2010, RHP SCOTT COPELAND was awarded the Warren Spahn Most Valuable Pitcher award while recently traded LHP RANDY WOLF was named the Judge Michael Dillon Comeback Player of the Year. Blue Jays INF MUNENORI KAWASAKI was voted the Joe DeSa Most Inspirational Player Award by his Bisons teammates while RHP GREG BURKE earned the Frank J. Vallone Community Service Award for his work in the Buffalo community.

The Joe Byron Fan of the Year Award was given to longtime season ticket holder and Bisons Booster club member KIM KRZYZANIAK of Buffalo, NY.

Stan Barron Most Valuable Player - Matt Hague

Named after Stan Barron, a legend in Buffalo broadcasting, this award is given to the player who demonstrates outstanding ability, good sportsmanship and dedication.

Hague is the Bisons' ninth International League Most Valuable Player and first since shortstop Jhonny Peralta in 2004. The veteran is on pace to beat, if not shatter, some of the Bisons' modern era offensive records, including qualifying average (.345) and on-base pct. (.422). He also leads the International League in hits (172), RBI (88) and total bases (239) and is second in slugging pct. (.484).

Hague's Batting Average -.345

Hague currently leads the International League with a .345 qualifying batting average that is 34 points better than any other hitter in the league. He is set to become the third Bisons player to take home a league batting title in team's modern era and first since OF Ben Francisco hit .318 to lead the IL in 2007.

Hague's .345 average would also beat OF Dave Clark's .340 average in 1987 as the best in the team's modern era. It's set to be the best qualifying average for a Bisons player since International League Hall of Famer Coaker Triplett led the IL with a .353 mark in 1948.

Hague's average has not dipped below the .330 mark since May 7 of this year and he has spent just eight days all season with an average under the .300 mark (all in April.). Hague has hit .324 or better in all five months of the season.

Hague's Hit Total -172

Hague leads the IL with 172 hits, or 24 more than the next closest player. Since the Bisons returned to the IL in 1998, the greatest gap between the first and second place players in the hits category in the league has been 14 (twice). Hague's 172 hits are also the most in the league since Jhonny Peralta set the Bisons modern era record with 181 hits in 2004. Hague has seven more games to reach Peralta's record.

Hague has had 54 multi-hit games this season, 18 more than the next closest Bisons player. He went hitless in three straight games only once all season despite playing in 130 of the team's 138 contests and went back-to-back games without a hit only four other times. Hague has the Bisons' longest hit streak of the season at 14 games, April 29 -May 13 (.333, 19-57) .

This will be the third time in five years Hague has led the International League in hits. He also paced the circuit in 2013 (153) and 2011 (165), both while playing for the Indianapolis Indians. The last Bisons player to lead the IL in hits was OF Jesus Feliciano with 154 hits in 2009.

Hague's On-Base Percentage -.422

Hague's .422 on-base percentage is 42 points higher than the next closest player in the International League. It would also smash the Bisons previous single-season on-base percentage record of .413 set by Clark in 1987 and matched by INF Torey Lovullo in 1998. Hague is set to become just the seventh player in the Bisons modern era to finish a season with a qualifying on-base percentage over the .400 mark.

Hague reached base in 37 consecutive games from June 9-July 20, the longest stretch in the International League this season. During that streak, he posted a .472 on-base percentage with 50 hits and 22 walks. He also reached base safely in 39 straight road contests, May 5-July 26, a streak that is 10 games longer than any other player in the league this year.

Warren Spahn Most Valuable Pitcher - Scott Copeland

Established in 2001, this award is presented to the Bisons' pitcher who demonstrates outstanding ability, good sportsmanship and dedication throughout the course of the season.

RHP SCOTT COPELAND has been one of the International League's best pitchers all season long. He ranks 2nd in the league with 11 wins, becoming the first Bisons pitcher to post double-digit victories in a season since 2010. Copeland's 2.78 ERA also ranks as the 5th lowest mark among all qualifying IL pitchers.

Overall, Copeland is 11-5 in 20 outings and 19 starts with the Bisons while also making his Major League debut with the Blue Jays over four stints in Toronto. Copeland did not allow a home run until his 191st batter faced in 2015 and has allowed just 110 hits in 119.2 innings of work. He has worked five innings or more in all but one of his starts and has tossed at least six innings in 15 of his 19 starts.

Copeland has forced opponents to hit into 17 doubleplays this season and has a groundball-to-flyball ratio of 2.19.

Judge Michael Dillon Comeback Player of the Year - Randy Wolf

This award is named for the late Judge Michael F. Dillon, who was a three-time Erie County district attorney and served a 14-year term on the State Supreme Court. It recognizes an individual who overcomes injury, personal problems or a rough season and exemplifies the meaning of hard work and dedication.

A former National League All-star with Philadelphia, LHP RANDY WOLF pitched for four different organizations in 2014 in his attempt to comeback from his second career 'Tommy John' surgery at the age of 36. Given an opportunity by the Blue Jays to pitch in Buffalo this year, Wolf turned in one of the best pitching seasons in the International League.

Wolf went 9-2 with a 2.58 ERA in 23 starts with the Bisons before being traded to the Tigers so he could pitch at the Major League level with Detroit. He led the Bisons staff with 139.2 innings of work, 106 strikeouts and 13 quality starts. His 2.58 ERA is 3rd best in the International League while his .818 winning pct. leads all IL pitchers.

Wolf was named IL Pitcher of the Week July 20-26 and even started a 1-6-3 triple play in his victory over Indianapolis on June 1. He worked five innings or better in 21 of his 23 starts and worked into the seventh inning on 11 occasions. Buffalo was 15-8 in his 23 starts on the mound.

Frank J. "Fremo" Vallone Community Service Award - Greg Burke

The Community Service Award is named for the late Frank J. Vallone, the Bisons good will ambassador and most celebrated fan who served as a host and ticket salesperson from 1987-1990. The award is presented annually to the player who best represents the club in community related activities, charitable and youth oriented activities.

The 33-year old RHP GREG BURKE did not join the Bisons until June 25 when he was promoted to the club from Double-A New Hampshire. However, it didn't take long for the Marlton, NJ-native to take the lead in many of the Bisons community relations efforts in 2015. He shared his love for the game of baseball with the players of Grand Island's Miracle League in July and volunteered his time at both the Bisons First Niagara Kids Camp and the Bisons' annual three-day youth clinic. A tremendous ambassador for the Bisons organization, Burke has personally connected with many of the great baseball fans of Western New York and Southern Ontario in just over two months with the team.

Burke has also excelled on the mound for the Bisons as one of the team's most reliable relievers. He allowed just one run over his first 13 appearances, yielding only seven hits while striking out 18 in his first 14.2 innings of work with the team. Overall, Burke has been scored upon just four times in 20 outings, posting a 1.88 ERA and a perfect 3-0 record (28.2 IP, 16 H, 9 BB, 28 SO).

Joe DeSa Most Inspirational Player - Munenori Kawasaki

The Joe DeSa Award is named for the slick-fielding, power hitting player who was with the Bisons from 1985-86. He lost his life in a car accident in December of 1986. The award, which is voted on by his teammates, is presented annually to the player who truly exemplifies the meaning of inspiration by his play and love of the game.

INF MUNENORI KAWASAKI was recently promoted to the Toronto Blue Jays but has been a fan, and teammate, favorite in Buffalo in each of the past three seasons. With an up-beat attitude and quick wit, Kawasaki's effect on his teammates greatly overshadows any language barrier the long-time Japan League All-Star has worked to overcome since signing with the Blue Jays before the 2013 season.

This season, Kawasaki played 62 games with the Bisons around five separate promotions to the Blue Jays. He made just four errors in 301 total chances at second base and shortstop and averaged .245 (48-196) with eight doubles, eight RBI, eight stolen bases (3rd on the Bisons) and 18 runs scored.

Jimmy Griffin Hometown Hero Award - Matt Hague

The Hometown Hero Award was created during the 2008 season to honor the impact and support of the former Mayor of Buffalo, Jimmy Griffin. There was no bigger supporter of the team and of a downtown ballpark for the fans of the area than Mayor Griffin. He pledged his own money to have professional baseball return to Buffalo and later proved to be an innovator by insisting on the creation of Coca-Cola Field in downtown Buffalo. The award is given to the player who performs the best in home games in front of the fans of Buffalo.

There's should be no surprise that with his MVP season that MATT HAGUE also excelled in front of the hometown fans at Coca-Cola Field. In 66 home games leading up to the season finally, Hague hit .300 (73-243) with 15 doubles, a triple, five home runs, 37 RBI, 33 walks and 34 runs scored in Buffalo. Each one of those statistics paced the Bisons club for 2015.

Hague's 11-game home hitting streak from June 30-July 20 (.444, 20-45) was the longest stretch for a Buffalo hitter this season. He also reached base in 21 straight home contests, June 9-July 20, the 8th-longest such stretch in the International League. Overall, Hague has posted a .374 on-base pct. and a .432 slugging pct. at Coca-Cola Field this year.

Joe Byron Fan of the Year - Kim Krzyzaniak

The Fan of the Year Award is named for the late Joe Byron, who is best known for singing the Canadian and US National Anthems at Buffalo Bisons baseball games and Buffalo Sabres hockey games. The award is presented each season to the person who best represents fans through their dedication to the team and to baseball.

KIM KRZYZNIAK has been a long-time Bisons season ticket holder and a regular in section 110 on the first base side of the ballpark. A booster club member for many years, Kim is a constant support of Bisons baseball both at the ballpark and at many of our off-season events like the Hot Stove luncheon. A native of North Buffalo, Krzyzaniak is big baseball fan on social media, interacting with the Bisons broadcast team throughout the year her twitter account.

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