As most of you know from my conversations with Dave Miley, manager of the Scranton Wilkes/Barre Yankees, he’s one of my favorite managers. He is also one of the International League’s most popular figures which will make the sad news even tougher to bring you.

In an email from the IL Office the report from earlier today:
TAMPA — A 17-year-old died this morning after an apparent crash off Fletcher Avenue between N Rome Avenue and N Boulevard.

Deputies responded to the crash scene near 1301 W Fletcher Ave. at 9:40 a.m. after a caller reported seeing tail lights in a wooded area off Fletcher Avenue, sheriff’s spokeswoman Debbie Carter said.

Cody Allen Miley was discovered inside a 2004 Mustang, which apparently left the road and struck a tree on the driver’s side of the car.

Miley, who detectives say was wearing his seat belt, was taken to St. Joseph’s Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Miley, pictured in a yearbook photo at left, was a 2008 graduate of Chamberlain High School, Hillsborough County schools spokeswoman Linda Cobbe said. The yearbook shows he was a member of the art club there. His death comes eight days before his 18th birthday.

Detectives are investigating the cause of the crash.

Vintage Aaron Laffey led the Bisons in a 2-0 win Saturday night. Laffey crisply completed 8-innings, striking out nine and looked much more finished on the mound versus his return to Buffalo on Monday night.

The 5:35 start tonight will be interesting to watch because batters have had difficulty picking up the ball in the early innings the last two nights. Although, the sun is not the sole reason that the Bisons have punched out 23 times in the first two games. Carlos Carrasco and Brian Mazone deserve a good amount of credit trying to lead Lehigh Valley.

The Bisons try to take the series lead tonight in Game 3.

TODAY’S GAME: Tonight, the Buffalo Bisons take on the Lehigh Valley IronPigs in the third game of a four-game series at Coca-Cola Park (5:35 p.m.). The series is even at a game apiece after the Herd pitched themselves to a 2-0 shutout win last night. After this four-game set, the Bisons will have rare back-to-back off days before starting an eight-game homestand on Thursday. On the mound tonight for Buffalo is LHP David Huff. The southpaw had his last outing shortened to just 1.1 innings thanks to a lengthy rain delay on Tuesday night. Lehigh Valley will counter with LHP J.A. Happ.

TODAY’S STARTER: David Huff
-Last Game: 8/5 vIND: (L, 1.1IP, H, 3R, 2ER, BB, 2K), Bisons’ 5-2 loss.
-2008 w/ Bisons: (4-4, 3.03)(12GS, 59.1IP, 48H, 24R, 20ER, 9BB, 59K).
-2008 w/ Akron (AA): (5-1, 1.92)(11G, 10GS, 65.2IP, 44H, 17R, 14ER, 14BB, 62K)
-2007 w/ Kinston (A): (4-1, 2.72)(11GS, 59.2IP, 57H, 23R, 18ER, 15BB, 46K).
-2007 Carolina League All-Star, missed second half of season (left elbow strain).
-2006 w/ Mahoning Valley (A): (0-1, 5.87)(4GS, 7.2IP, 9H, 5R, 5ER, 8K).
-Drafted by Cleveland in the 1st round (39th overall) of the 2006 MLB Draft

HUFF’S STUFF: LHP David Huff hasn’t allowed more than four earned runs in any of his starts with the Herd this season. In 9 of his 12 outings, he has given up two earned runs or less. His last outing lasted only 1.1 innings due to a rain delay of over two hours. In the four starts before that, Huff was 2-1 with a razor thin 0.90ERA. In his last five starts, including the rain-shortened appearance, Huff has allowed just 14 hits while striking out 16 in 21.1 innings of work.

SOLID FIRST WEEK: INF Andy Cannizaro has fit in nicely to the Bisons everyday line-up. Since being acquired on August 4 in a trade with Tampa Bay, the second baseman has reached safely in all six games as a Bison. He’s hit in each of his last four with a .333 (5-15) batting average. He’s also scored five runs in six games. With the Durham Bulls, Cannizaro hit .240 (41-171) with one home run and 14RBI in 51 games.

ALL-STAR: Buffalo’s 2008 All-Star LHP Rich Rundles has not allowed a run in seven consecutive outings. Since July 26, Rundles has allowed just two hits while striking out eight in 5.1 innings of work. The stretch includes three of his four saves on the season. Rundles leads Bisons relievers in games (46), wins (5) and holds (8).

BISONS BITS: OF Jason Cooper played in his 396th game as a Bison, four shy of C Tom Prince’s Modern Era record of 400…OF Todd Linden is the second Bisons batter to reach 10 home runs on the season (OF Brad Snyder, 11). Linden has also doubled in three straight games and is now tied with Cooper for 2nd on the team with 41 RBI (Snyder, 53).

Following a tough loss to Indianapolis the Bisons will wrap up their series with the Indians at 1:05 Thursday afternoon. As you heard on “Countdown to Bisons Baseball” and discussed on the broadcast yesterday, Anthony Reyes and Brendan Donnelly will be added to the Cleveland roster on Friday in Toronto. Reyes will get the start Friday night in Skydome against the Blue Jays. To make room on the roster, Tom Mastny has been optioned back to Buffalo and Matt Ginter was placed on the 15-day DL.

Buffalo wins leader, John Halama is an option to rejoin the rotation after being skipped a turn and could start tomorrow night against the Lehigh Valley IronPigs.

TODAY’S GAME: This afternoon, the Buffalo Bisons host the Indianapolis Indians in the final game of a four-game series from Dunn Tire Park (1:05 p.m.). Down 2-1, the Herd will need a win tonight to earn a split of the set. After today, the team will travel to Lehigh Valley for a four-game series against the IronPigs. On the mound for the Bisons today is LHP Zach Jackson. The southpaw suffered his first defeat in seven games with Buffalo, allowing eight runs (seven earned) in 3.1 innings on Friday in Durham. Indianapolis will send to the mound LHP Corey Hamman.

TODAY’S STARTER: Zach Jackson
-Last Game: 8/1 @DUR: (L, 3.1IP, 10H, 8R, 7ER, BB, 4K), Bisons’ 8-7 Loss.
-2008 w/Bisons: (2-1, 4.05)(7G, 3GS, 20.0IP, 19H, 10R, 9ER, 4BB, 16K).
-2008 w/ Nashville: (1-5, 7.85)(22G, 6GS 57.1IP, 61H, 54R, 50ER, 18BB, 34K).
-2007 w/ Nashville: (11-10, 4.46)(29G, 28GS, 169.2IP, 184H, 95R, 84ER, 64BB, 123K)
-2007 w/ Nashville: 1st in starts (28), innings (169.2), strikeouts (123).
-Originally a first round draft pick by Toronto in 2004.
-Acquired in trade with Milwaukee on July 7, 2008

VS. INDY: A win today can give the Bisons a 4-4 season-series split with the Indians. Buffalo has not finished a year with a .500 record or better against Indy since going 6-2 against them in 2004. Since then, the Bisons are just 11-20 against their IL West division foe. That includes a mark of 6-9 at Dunn Tire Park.

ON THE SNYD: OF Brad Snyder has had the power swing working for him of late. In 18 games since the All-Star Break, Snyder has hit .319 (22-69) with 12 of his 22 hits going for extra-bases. He has six doubles, two triples and four home runs since July 17, good for a .638 slugging percentage. His home run last night was his team-leading 11th on the season.

HOT HITTER: INF Michael Aubrey doubled in three trips to the plate last night. The infielder has now hit safely in 10 of his last 11 games. Aubrey has posted a .349 (15-43) batting average since July 26. He’s now hitting an even .300 in 54 games and 220 at-bats with the Herd. That’s about right for Aubrey, who entered 2008 a career .301-hitter in 243 minor league games.

BISONS BITS: Today’s game is the Bisons last against a non-divisional foe. The team’s final 23 games are against the IL North…INF Andy Cannizaro hit his first home run as a Bison last night. Both of his home runs last year came against the Herd as he hit two out for Scranton/WB on August 3, 2007…Last night, OF Trevor Crowe failed to reach base in a game for the first time in his Triple-A career. Crowe had reached safely in his first 11 games with the Herd.

Tonight’s starter, Bryan Bullington spent the first six years of his career in Pittsburgh’s organization. That time also included parts of three seasons with Indianapolis. The former first overall pick started in 59 games, going 24-20 with a 4.14ERA, racking up 231 strikeouts while logging 335 innings. The right hander was acquired by the Cleveland Indians on July 10 after being placed on waivers.

In three games with the Bisons, the right-hander is 0-1 with a 6.75ERA and has earned his first career save.

Here are some notables after last night’s marathon before the ballgame concluded 3:14 in length with Michael Aubrey swinging at the games final pitch at 12:32 a.m.

Latest finish — Home regulation game (non-extra innings)
12:32 a.m., 5-2 loss to Indianapolis, August 5, 2008 (2:10 rain delay, top of 2nd inning)
12:18 a.m., 6-5 loss to Richmond, May 23-24, 2003 2:15 rain delay at start)

Longest rain delays
In game: 2:30, 4th inning vs. Durham, June 2, 1999
2:12, 5th inning vs. Indianapolis, May 26, 1991
2:10, 2nd inning vs. Indianapoils, Aug. 5, 2008

Latest finish – Home
1:47 a.m., 8-3 loss to Scranton-WB (16) in 2nd game of DH after 11-1 Buffalo win
in opener, July 16-17, 2004
12:36 a.m., 6-5 loss to Toledo (11), May 19-20, 1998 (1:52 rain delay in 2nd)
12:32 a.m., 5-2 loss to Indianapolis, August 5, 2008 (2:10 rain delay, top of 2nd inning)
12:30 a.m., 8-4 loss to Norfolk (14), July 21-22, 2008 (45-minute rain delay at start)
12:27 a.m., 10-4 loss to Pawtucket in 2nd game of DH, July 26-27, 2005 (79-minute rain delay before opener)
12:27 a.m., 4-3 loss to Nashville (18), Sept. 4-5, 1990

Special thanks to Buffalo News sports writer, Mike Harrington for the helping out with Fun Facts!

TODAY’S GAME: Tonight, the Buffalo Bisons host the Indianapolis Indians in the third game of a four-game series from Dunn Tire Park (7:05 p.m.). The series is even at a game apiece following Indy’s 5-2 win last night. Buffalo is now 2-2 on a six-game homestand that began with a two-game split against Syracuse. On the mound for the Bisons tonight is RHP Bryan Bullington. The former Pirates farmhand will get to face his former team for the first time since leaving the club on July 10. In his last appearance, Bullington pitched himself to a four-inning save against Durham in a Bisons 12-2 win. Indianapolis will send to the mound RHP Daniel McCutchen.

TONIGHT’S STARTER: Bryan Bullington
-Last Game: 7/31 @DUR: (SV, 4.0IP, 4H, R, ER, 4K), Bisons’ 12-2 Win.
-2008 w/Bisons: (0-1, 6.75, 1SV)(3G, 16.0IP, 21H, 12R, 12ER, 4BB, 20K).
-2008 w/Indianapolis: (4-6, 5.52)(15GS, 75.0IP, 90H, 54R, 46ER, 25BB, 60K).
-2007 w/Indianapolis: (11-9, 4.00)(26GS, 150.2IP, 146H, 70R, 67ER, 59BB, 89K)
-2007 w/Indianapolis: 1st in starts (26), innings (150.2), wins (11).
-Originally a first overall pick in 2002 by the Pittsburgh Pirates.
-Claimed off waivers by Cleveland, July 10, 2008.

CROWE FLYING: OF Trevor Crowe has reached base safely in his first 11 games as a Bison and at the Triple-A level. He has averaged .286 (14-49) with four home runs and eight RBI. The four homers already match his total in 49 games with Double-A Akron this season. Crowe hit .323 with the Aeros before being promoted on July 25.

IN THE ZONE: Last night, INF Michael Aubrey went 1-5 with a single and has now collected a hit in nine of his last 10 games. He has posted a .349 (15-43) batting average since July 26. Aubrey has also collected multiple hits in five of the last 10 games and has slugged three doubles, three home runs and seven RBI.

BISONS BITS: OF Todd Linden has reached base safely in 34 of his last 37 games. During the stretch, Linden is batting .261 (35-134) with 11 doubles, 5 home runs, 27RBI and 26 walks…Last night marked RHP Jeff Weaver first relief appearance since October 22, 2003 when he pitched in Game 4 of the 2003 World Series for the New York Yankees against the Marlins.

And they’re off… USA Baseball finished tuning up for their trip to the Olympics on Monday after taking 3-of-4 against Canada’s national team. Bisons’ fans will notice the name Jeff Stevens from this year’s squad Buffalo team, Mike Koplove from the 2007 team and a few others that have had travels through the International League on the USA Baseball roster.

A great read: The next time you’re at Dunn Tire Park, get the latest edition of “HerdBall” and read the Jeff Stevens feature article starting on page 37 by Blake Arlington. Pretty cool highlights from this season and the accolades that make him qualified to wear the Red, White and Blue.

Stevens talks about being an Olympian: LISTEN HERE!
USA Baseball stats page: CLICK HERE

The Bisons will raise an Olympic flag at Dunn Tire Park on Thursday to recognize Stevens and all the American athletes overseas during the games.

The latest edition of “HerdBall” also has a tribute to Mayor Jimmy Griffin and Buffalo native Tim Russert. For a quick chuckle, read through “Quick Hits” with Jason Cooper. He talks about it all – From coffee to tattoos, it’s a wide spectrum of insight into one of the best in the Modern Era with the Herd.