Bisons well-represented in MLB playoffs
It should come as no surprise that the MLB playoffs continue to be littered with former Bisons players helping their big league teams to the ultimate prize in baseball.
With the final postseason rosters being released today, five of the eight teams alive in the postseason have former Buffalo Bisons on their squads. The number would be six if not to season-ending back injuries to Marco Scutaro and Angel Pagan of the San Francisco Giants.
The only teams to not have former Bisons on their divisional series rosters are Baltimore and the Los Angeles Angels. Each of those clubs, however, has former Bisons on their coaching staffs.
There are some names you no doubt will recognize, including former International League MVP Jhonny Peralta (Bisons '03-'04). Peralta hit 21 home runs and drove in 75 as the everyday shortstop of the St. Louis Cardinals. Over in the American League, it was another stellar season for Tigers designated hitter Victor Martinez (Bisons '03). V-Mart finished second in the American League with a .335 average and a .565 slugging percentage while hitting 33 doubles, 32 home runs and driving in 103 runs for Detroit.
The most recent former Bison to make a postseason team is in Kansas City, where Erik Kratz (Bisons '14) handles the backup catching duties. Kratz hit .299 with 17 RBI in 27 games for the Herd this season before a late-July trade to Kansas City. There he joins Jeremy Guthrie (Bisons ''03-'06), who is scheduled to get the Game 4 start if necessary. Guthrie was 13-11 with a 4.13 ERA in 32 starts this season and has an 8-3 record since the All-Star break.
Over in Los Angeles, the Dodgers got a tremendous season from super-sub Justin Turner (Bisons '10-'12) , who hit .340 in 109 games while starting every position on the infield. The Nationals used a deadline deal to acquire their former Bison. Former Cleveland Indian Asdrubal Cabrera (Bisons' 06-'08) went to the nation's capital, and in 49 games with the Nats' had 16 extra-base hits and 21 RBI.
And don't forget about the coaches. The Baltimore Orioles bullpen coach is Dom Chiti (Bisons pitching coach, 1995), while former Bisons outfielder and Buffalo Baseball Hall of Famer Dave Clark ('84, '87. '92) is the third base coach in Detroit. Former Herd catcher Steve Soliz ('97-'98) is the bullpen coach for the Angel while former Buffalo pitcher Blake Ilsley ('97) holds the same position in St. Louis. Ron Wotus (Bisons' infielder, '82) is the Giants bench coach.