Bison Notebook April Archives

Bison’s in the Flower City

By Dave Ricci

April 29, 2003

(Rochester, NY) The Herd will begin a brief two-game road trip tonight in Rochester with a 6:35 start. On the mound for Buffalo (14-6, first place IL North) will be Lefty Jason Stanford (1-0, 2.65ERA). The Red Wings (11-11, third place IL North, 4 games back) will counter with a southpaw of their own in Carlos Pulido (3-1, 2.05ERA).

Bison infielder Greg LaRocca brings a 13 game hitting streak into tonight’s contest.

Tonight’s game will be just the second meeting of the season between the I-90 rivals. The Bison’s won the first match up 5-3 in Rochester on April 17. Dave Burba picked up the win.

At 14-6 and a winning percent of .700 Buffalo is carrying the best record in the International League. When asked if there was any one facet he felt his team needed to sharpen Bison’s manager Marty Brown said, "I’d like to see them improve in every aspect of the game. But am I not happy at this point? No I’m pleased (at what we’ve done). We come to the park every day getting ready to battle that night. Guys’ work specifically on things they need to work on that’s just the way we approach things and it’s worked out very well. It’s a long year, I’m not going to get overly happy with things just because of our record we’ve got a long way to go but we’re headed in the right direction we’re all in the same boat."

Wednesday’s starters’ will be Mike Fyhrie (1-2, 4.76ERA) for Buffalo and Everett Stull (2-3, 6.29) for Rochester. Both are righties.

After Rochester, Buffalo returns home for an eight-game home stand. They’ll face Louisville May 1-4 (7:05 Thursday and Friday, 2:05 on the weekend). The Toledo Mud Hens hit town May 5-8 with 7:05 starts Monday-Wednesday, 1:05 on Thursday.

Burba on a quest to return to the Major’s

By Dave Ricci

April 27, 2003

Some of the people who witnessed Buffalo drop a 5-4 decision to Scranton on Sunday weren’t very happy with Dave Burba’s performance. One of those people was Burba himself. "I wasn’t really to thrilled with the way I threw the ball today. I don’t know if it was after I fell (in the first inning) and kind of jammed my wrist a little bit but for some reason I had a hard time locating my pitches and I just battled through the whole day."

Burba is currently carrying a very misleading 1-3 record for the Herd. Those number suggest he’s struggling but when you factor in his 2.05 ERA it’s clear that Burba simply isn’t getting a whole lot of offensive support from his mates.

The Herd scored four runs in Sunday’s loss to Scranton, but they all came after Burba had been pulled.

At 36 Burba is on a quest to return to the Major’s, so far his record does not dampen his spirit. "I don’t need to see any (big) numbers, I could very easily be 4-0 as well as 1-3 but that’s just the way the game works. As far as my pitching is concerned I’m right where I need to be. Like I said today was a battle but when you can battle through five innings and only give up one run hey, you’ve given your team a chance to win and that’s what my job is. Go out, suck up some innings and keep your team in the ball game and that’s what I’ve done."

Burba, who has at least ten wins in the Major’s in every season between 1995-2001. In his mind Burba still has what it takes to compete and succeed in the Major’s. He admits to being baffled at why he isn’t there now. " I don’t have anything to prove to anybody. I just need to prove that I can still pitch at the big league level. I don’t understand why I’m not there (Major’s) but I’m not and here I am (In Buffalo). I’m going to deal with it and keep doing what I’m doing. Go out every five days and battle for my team and give them a chance to win some ball games."

Burba also stated that the positive fun atmosphere within the Buffalo organization is helping and that if things weren’t so good here he might very well be home.

The Texas Rangers released Burba last season for financial reasons but some how the perception around the Major’s came to be that Burba can’t hang in the bigs anymore.

Once again, Burba is puzzled. "Every night I wonder why aren’t I in the big leagues? I see guys pitching up there, I’m not saying I’m better than them but I’m comparable and they’re still pitching."

Burba feels his mechanics are good and he’s throwing better than he has in two years, so now it’s a matter of time.

"They (front office) basically told me that when I feel in my heart I need to go home (I can). Right now I don’t have that feeling I feel in my heart I can still pitch in the big leagues. My whole big league career has been a battle that’s just the type of pitcher I am."

Burba also has an out in his contract that would allow him to leave if another team wanted his services.

A Dave Hollins’ line drive hit Bison reliever Alex Herrera in the left shin in the seventh inning. After the game Bison’s manager Marty Brown said, "I heard positive reports that it’s just a bruise. We’ll have to see how it is tomorrow (Monday) these things kind of work themselves out. Tomorrow’s the day when we’ll probably find out how bad it is."

Greg LaRocca extended his hitting streak to 13 games on Sunday against Scranton.

The Bison’s will be in Rochester for a two game series on Tuesday (6:35 PM) and Wednesday (12:05 PM). Starting pitchers are scheduled to be Jason Stanford (1-0, 2.65ERA) v. Carlos Pulido (3-1, 2.05ERA) on Tuesday. Mike Fyhrie (1-2, 4.76 ERA) v. Everett Stull (2-3, 6.29 ERA).

On April 27, 1990 Bison’s infielder Orlando Merced became the first Bison to hit a home run over the right field bleachers and land in the parking lot.

Bill Selby and David Miller have also joined Merced in that exclusive power-club. Merced hit the first Grand Slam in Dunn Tire Park on May 18, 1990.

Seven is heaven for the Herd

By Dave Ricci

April 22, 2003

The Herd polished off the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons 6-4 on Monday night in front of 3,581 fans at Lackawanna County Stadium. The win gives the Bison’s (10-3) their seventh straight victory after they sat idle for six days while inclement weather wiped-out the majority of their opening home-stand.

During the six-day lay-off the Herd did their best to remain physically ready by holding indoor workouts, the real concern became remaining mentally focused.

Outfielder Jody Gerut said, "It was tough. I remember the first at-bat in Ottawa after the six-day lay-off it felt like the first at-bat of spring training. It was unbelievable I saw the first change-up and my eyes couldn’t even track the ball."

Brian Tallet and the rest of the pitching staff finally has some piece of mind knowing that when they show up for a game it will most likely be played.

Tallet said, "Now that we’re playing every day, our rotation is back in order. With all of the post-ponements it was hard for all of the pitchers to get their work in. I think you’ll see all of us be more consistent now."

While still struggling with his overall batting average Alex Escobar has hit a couple of dingers and seems to slowly but surely finding his groove at the plate. Escobar was sidelined in 2002 because of a torn ACL. Gerut, who spent all of 2001 on the disabled list with a knee injury, knows what Escobar is going through on his road to recovery. "I know what it’s like to have knee surgery and come back after a year off. You get tested those first couple times when you’ve got to bend over on the run and pick up a ball and then throw it. When you have to plant (your foot) for the first time it’s really, really scary so I can sympathize with him for what he’s going through." Gerut said.

The Bison’s released their list of rescheduled games from that opening week. Three games will be made up at home while the remaining three will be played on the road (two in Pawtucket, one in Syracuse).

Thursday, April 24 McCoy Stadium in Pawtucket @ 5:05 PM (double-header) made up from April 4.

Saturday, July 12 P&C Stadium in Syracuse @ 5:05 PM (double-header) made up from April 7.

Monday, July 21 Dunn Tire Park V. Syracuse @ 6:05 PM (double-header) made up from April 8.

Tuesday, July 22 Dunn Tire Park V. Syracuse @ 6:05 PM (double-header) made up from April 9

Monday, July 28 McCoy Stadium in Pawtucket @ 7:05 PM made up from April 5.

Sunday, August 3 Dunn Tire Park V. Pawtucket @ 1:05 PM (double-header) made up from April 6.

Fans holding tickets to any of the postponed games can exchange them for a comparable ticket to any future Bison’s game. Excluding concerts and special events. Exchanges must be made at the Dunn Tire Park box office.

The Bison’s continue the road trip with games tonight (April 22nd @ 7:05 PM) and April 23 @ 12:05 PM in Scranton. Buffalo then moves onto Pawtucket on April 24 (DH) and 25. They return home for a two-game set against Scranton April 26 (6:05 PM) and April 27 (2:05 PM).

Herd hits the road

By Dave Ricci

April 9, 2003

As the Bison’s finished their final workout at Dunn Tire Park before heading off on an eight-day road trip infielder Zach Sorensen joked "It’s pretty sad that we’re looking forward to going to Ottawa to see some nice weather."

Mother Nature has reeked havoc on the Bison’s schedule as an unseasonable cold snap forced the cancellation of seven games in the opening eight-game home stand. After polishing off division rivals Pawtucket 10-8 on opening day the Herd has been confined to indoor workouts and forced to play the waiting game.

Bison’s manager Marty Brown said, "It’s a frustrating time for the players because they spent all of that time in spring training getting prepared to come up here and play against other clubs in games where everything counts."

The challenge for Brown and his coaching staff (Terry Clark and Carlos Garcia) has been trying to find a way to keep the team from going stir crazy. "We talked about what we can do to keep the guys as close to ‘game-ready’ as possible but there’s really nothing you can do. The facilities here (at Dunn Tire Park) are great. We’re able to do our B.P. The only thing lacking is defensive work but we got that done Tuesday at the (Ralph Wilson) Field house. Those kinds of things are ok but they can’t replace a game situation and that’s what we’re missing out on. These guys know how to prepare themselves they stay as sharp as they possibly can it’s just a matter of getting some games back-to-back and get back in the swing of things."

The road trip will take the Herd to Ottawa (April 10-13), Syracuse (14-16) and wraps up with a one game stop in Rochester on April 17. The Herd returns home for a three-game stand against Ottawa (18-20). Friday April 18 at 6:05 Saturday at 2:05 and Sunday 2:05.

The Bison’s aren’t the only International League team playing the waiting game. Poor weather has limited Rochester, Pawtucket and Syracuse to just one-game each in their first week of play.

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