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The Buffalo Bisons have introduced a new logo for 2013 to mark its brand new affiliation with the Blue Jays.

The Bisons have ditched its New York Mets-inspired colors and logo for a red and blue look.


Much like the Blue Jays did last year by going back to its roots for its new logo, the Bisons new look is similar to the one they had in the 1980s.  The new uniforms and caps will be unveiled in January.


The Bisons logo from 1989-1997, courtesy of SportsLogos.net.

Also like the Jays, the Herd are bringing back a manager for a second time.  Marty Brown returns to Buffalo after leading the Bisons to an International League championship in 2004 when they were affiliated with Cleveland.  Brown skippered the Jays Triple-A affiliate in Las Vegas last season to a 79-64 record.  Bisons.com has a video interview with Brown about his return to Western New York.  Of note, the next video shows a certain former Jay throwing the final pitch of the Bisons 2004 clincher.



In other news, the Jays have signed Buffalo native Jim Negrych to a minor league deal.  Negrych spent last season with Syracuse, where he batted. 264 with eight home runs and 39 runs batted in for the Washington affiliate.   An International League All-Star last year, Negrych was a sixth-round pick of Pittsburgh in the 2006 draft and stayed with the Bucs until he was traded to Florida in 2011 for catcher Carlos Paulino.  The 5-foot-10 Negrych has played at second and third base for most of his career but also spent time at first base and left field with the Chiefs in 2012.  The left-handed hitting infielder – a career .290 hitter – will turn 28 on March 2.

As for the 40-man roster, infielder Ryan Goins and catcher A.J. Jimenez were added.  Infielders Mike McCoy, Mike McDade and pitcher Cory Wade have been designated for assignment.
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The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.
Mike Green - Tuesday, November 20 2012 @ 05:27 PM EST (#266019) #
I liked Negrych when he was drafted, but obviously he did not progress as I had hoped. 

He's a Joe Inglett type.  Excellent depth addition and it doesn't hurt that he's a hometown Buffalonian. 
Nolan - Tuesday, November 20 2012 @ 08:06 PM EST (#266028) #
I'm assuming that picture is of Jim Negrych; he has a definite resemblance to Paul Monitor.

And on another note - one which has been mentioned many times already - I am so glad that we won't have to try and interpret the crazy results that come from playing in Las Vegas. I realize that nothing is certain when looking at MiLB numbers, but there sure seemed to be a lot of noise and uncertainty when looking at the AAA numbers.

I couldn't take the stress of this past season [well the last half] and essentially watched only 5 or 10 games after they went on their spin. I also stopped coming by Battersbox after it being a site I stopped by multiply times everyday.

The trade and signing has had me coming by the Box more this week than past 4 months combined. Every year I am optimistic about the Jays, but this is the first time that it rests on more than the hope of multiply career years and ROY candidates.
rtcaino - Wednesday, November 21 2012 @ 12:29 AM EST (#266039) #
Zach Stewart has been DFA'd by the Red Sox.

I recall counting that chicken whilst still in egg form.
TamRa - Wednesday, November 21 2012 @ 02:21 AM EST (#266040) #
I'd give him a minor league contract to shore up Buffalo. He might be redeemable into a Shawn Hill level guy...maybe. He did okay in Pawtucket.


Oceanbound - Wednesday, November 21 2012 @ 03:16 AM EST (#266041) #
He was DFA'ed, not released. As was David Carpenter by the way.
rpriske - Wednesday, November 21 2012 @ 08:36 AM EST (#266046) #

Wow... is THAT logo ugly.

 

 

I'll probably still buy a hat. :)

John Northey - Wednesday, November 21 2012 @ 10:00 AM EST (#266049) #
Wow, from top prospect to DFA. A 52 ERA+ over 35 2/3 IP this season probably did it. He had a 1.0 BB/9 (great) vs 4.8 K/9 (not so good) and 3.5 HR/9 (yikes!!!). In AAA he allowed 0.9 HR/9 (OK), 2.1 BB/9 (very good) and 6.4 K/9 (meh).

To think he was our #1 prospect in 2009. Over Sierra, Alvarez, JPA, Cooper, and many others. Funny thing is many thought he'd be a solid reliever but he has only had 19 games in relief in the majors so far and hasn't been used in relief since 2009 in the minors.
Ryan Day - Wednesday, November 21 2012 @ 10:43 AM EST (#266054) #
The really funny thing is that when Ricciardi traded Rolen to the Reds, Stewart and Josh "Future Closer" Roenicke were considered the keys to the Jays, while Encarnacion was just a guy they had to take so the Reds could make room for Rolen.
John Northey - Wednesday, November 21 2012 @ 11:20 AM EST (#266057) #
Funny how that happens. I remember years ago Gillick was interviewed and asked what his most forgettable trade was and it was the one that brought Rance Mulliniks here. A key part of the 1985 playoff team and a part of the '89, and '91 playoff teams. He had only a few plate appearances in 1992 but iirc he was on the roster for the World Series but never used.

I also love how Gillick got Fred McGriff as a through in among other neat tricks back in the 80's. Good ol' Segap Wolley knew every player out there better than the other GM's and took full advantage.
bpoz - Wednesday, November 21 2012 @ 11:47 AM EST (#266059) #
I would be interested in knowing how any failed starter becomes a decent to good reliever. Why? What happened.

I know D Ward was given a shot at starting, but that was a tough rotation to crack. He quickly became an incredible reliever. I personally think D Wells could do both roles quite well. K Escobar could not do either role very well. IMO he had good streaks & bad streaks and was given ample opportunity to succeed. He was my biggest disappointment.
J Roenicke has a mid 90s FB in both the minors & majors but the Major league results were not good enough.
B Cecil is interesting. Very good success with the higher velocity. He flirted with no hitters like the other Jays SPs in 2010 & seemed to handle Boston quite well on occasion if I remember correctly. Also I think he shut out Texas in 2011 once. The loss of velocity has made his results not good enough because he gives up too many HRs due to him not staying down in the zone. As a reliever I believe some Bauxites have seen velocity up to 93 mph. I hope this is true because with his variety of other pitches he could do well.

I know that a team relies on scouting reports & reports from the minor league manager in the cases of our own prospects. Z Stewart apparently had a mid 90s FB in the minors but it never showed up in the majors.
J Nicolino threw a 94? MPH FB this year which was hit very hard. That info from Lugnut Fan is very valuable. An effective FB needs location & movement.
S Nolin? I am hearing all the right things being said about him. We will see.
Original Ryan - Wednesday, November 21 2012 @ 02:59 PM EST (#266064) #
I would be interested in knowing how any failed starter becomes a decent to good reliever. Why? What happened.

The main reason is pitch assortment. A guy with two really good pitches can have success when he's not going to face the same batter more than once in a game. You generally need three (or more) quality pitches to have success when you're going through a lineup for a second or third time.

Nearly every major league reliever was a starter at some point. Many clearly failed at starting, while others were moved to the bullpen when their teams determined they were better suited to relief work. Guys that were relievers all through high school/college and the minors are rare.

hypobole - Wednesday, November 21 2012 @ 04:48 PM EST (#266067) #
In addition to pitch assortment and uptick in velocity, relievers can be shielded from poor platoon splits.

If Cecil starts, the opposing team will often load up on RH hitters. But as a reliever, the manager won't bring him in to face a bunch of righties, he'll use a RH reliever. Cecil will be used when there are lefthand batters scheduled to hit.
Mike Green - Wednesday, November 21 2012 @ 05:00 PM EST (#266068) #
Bingo.  There are also pitchers who really cannot effectively go more than an inning or two because of prior injury. 
bpoz - Wednesday, November 21 2012 @ 06:04 PM EST (#266070) #
Thanks guys.
Doom Service - Wednesday, November 21 2012 @ 06:44 PM EST (#266073) #

In other minor league news, Baseball America is reporting that it looks like the Binghamton Mets will be bought by Ryan-Sanders (as in Nolan Ryan) and relocated to Ottawa for 2014. The Batavia Muckdogs New York Penn League time would conceivable relocate to Binghamton.

This would double the number of Canadian affiliated minor league teams. A far cry from the early 90s when I think there were maybe 8 or 10 (Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, St. Catharines, Welland, Hamilton, Ottawa, London ... maybe not all in the same season... )

Next step is lots of speculation about whether the Blue Jays would leave New Hampshire for Ottawa in the next available affiliation shuffle, though I've only ever heard the Blue Jays speak highly of Fisher Cat organization and facilities.

 

Richard S.S. - Thursday, November 22 2012 @ 06:50 AM EST (#266080) #
Why would you unreasonably and unnecessarily increase travel and expenses to satisfy shortsighted desire of another Canadian minor league team? That was a main reason minor league teams left Canada (the Canadian Dollar was weak but not that much a factor in itself).
John Northey - Thursday, November 22 2012 @ 09:25 AM EST (#266083) #
That is odd - why would Nolan Ryan buy a AA team and relocate it to Ottawa? He is the owner of the Rangers thus if he buys a minor league team odds are it is to make it the Rangers affiliate. Ottawa isn't exactly close or similar in conditions to Texas thus making that a very odd thing indeed. Plus I cannot imagine a ML team would want one of their affiliates to be owned by another ML team.
VBF - Thursday, November 22 2012 @ 02:24 PM EST (#266110) #

Nolan Ryan has been involved in minor league baseball for a while now which began with his purchase of the Edmonton Trappers to become the AAA version of the Round Rock Express. There probably isn't a direct Rangers link, especially since their AA team is in convenient Frisco. He and his management team would be the exact kind of people you would want to make it work in Ottawa with any affiliation.

 

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