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IL1 Buffalo Bisons

Notebook: 'Keep Brady Suspended' Night Scoring National Attention

June 10, 2016 - International League (IL1)
Buffalo Bisons News Release


The Bisons will be hosting 'Keep Brady Suspended' Night during the Herd's doubleheader on Saturday, June 11 with the Charlotte Knights. This comes as not only a response to the New England Patriots star and 'deflategate' poster boy four-game suspension, but to the Pawtucket Red Sox's 'Free Brady Night,' set for June 10 in Pawtucket.

The occasion is packed with features including special #KeepBradySuspended T-Shirts, buy-one, get-one free tickets to fans who bring properly-inflated footballs, and an un-destroyed cell phone drive for charity.

While it's no surprise that Bisons' fans have gravitated towards the idea, as evidenced by the over 1,000 retweets on the Herd's original Twitter post, the event has received national attention across the sports world.

The PawSox and the Buffalo Bills have taken notice, and NFL.com, ESPN, SI.com, and USA Today all have picked up the story, leading to much anticipation for Saturday's festivities. A write-up in this week's print addition of Sports Illustrated further showcases the buzz surrounding 'Keep Brady Suspended' Night.

So, what better way to show your support for the Bisons, and your disapproval of all-things Patriots and New England, then to come on out to Coca-Cola Field on Saturday? We guarantee that you won't leave deflated!

When called upon, David Adams is delivering

Although infielder David Adams has only appeared in 34 of the Bisons' 60 games this year, when he does get in the lineup, he has shined.

Adams started the season slow, hitting just .121 on April 23. A 10-game hitting streak from April 24 to May 8 got him on the right track, and he now owns a respectable .286 batting average. He is 10 for his last 30 in his last 10 ballgames, with a five game hitting streak.

"This year, not playing every day, you've got to go up there and be aggressive, but not try and do too much," Adams said. "You just want to get that one pitch and make quality contact. At the end of the day, quality is way better than quantity, in the long run that consistency of having quality at-bats will pay off."

Of the 30 games Buffalo played in May, Adams saw action in only 12 of them, a product of the Herd's stockpile of position players. He is 12th in the team in at-bats, yet has the third highest batting average and OPS on the club.

"This role is very difficult to handle, especially when you're not in there every day," Adams said. "It's difficult sometimes to maintain that positive mindset and know that opportunities will come, but realistically that's what needs to happen. You have to prepare every day, mentally, as though you're going to be in there. You have to stay confident and trust all the work you've put in, and know if you have success you might get called upon."

Adams, who has split the season playing both second and third base, prides himself in his ability to play multiple positions.

"I'm at the point in my career where I know in this situation that I'm not going to be an everyday second baseman, so probably the best opportunity for me to make a club is to play any position."

Over six minor league seasons, plus a 43-game stint with the Yankees in 2013, Adams has played all four infield positions.

"This year, not playing every day, you've got to go up there and be aggressive, but not try and do too much," Adams said. "You just want to get that one pitch and make quality contact. At the end of the day, quality is way better than quantity, and in the long run that consistency of having quality at-bats will pay off."

Herd's bullpen stabilizing an already strong pitching staff

The Bisons' pitching as a unit has demonstrated itself as one of the best in the International League. The Herd's starting rotation of Wade LeBlanc, Chris Leroux, Drew Hutchison, Scott Diamond and Roberto Hernandez has delivered solid performances all season. Another factor in the team's ability to quell opposing offenses has been its bullpen.

All seven relievers have major league experience, with Dustin Antolin and Chad Girodo making their big league debuts this season. Antolin is tied with Ryan Tepera for the team-lead in saves, with six, and owns a 3.00 ERA in 20 games.

Girodo and Ben Rowen all own sub-three ERA, with Girodo allowing only one earned run in 11.1 innings. Rowen has not allowed a run in his last 10 appearances.

Chad Jenkins, Patrick McCoy, Bo Schultz and Ryan Tepera round out the Bisons' bullpen. McCoy hurled scoreless outings in six or his seven games in May. After a rough first few outings, four of Bo Schultz's last five outings have been scoreless. Tepera has worked to lower his ERA from a season-high 7.27 on April 24 to 3.48, as of June 10.

With a rotation anchored by some of the best starters in the IL, the Herd's bullpen has helped to preserve countless victories over the season. They look to do more of the same now that the Bisons have shown to be a force to be reckoned with, fighting for first place in the IL North.

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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.

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