The Buffalo Bisons, Triple-A affilaite of the New York Mets, workout at Coca-Cola Field for the first time this season. BisonsTV catches up with with manager Ken Oberkfell and pitcher Tobi Stoner with just a couple days until the start of the 2010 season.

Buffalo will take the field for the first time downtown Wednesday, April 14 at 3:05 p.m.
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Buffalo Bisons Manager Ken Oberkfell has named RHP TOBI STONER as his Opening Day Starter.

Stoner will take the mound Thursday, April 8 as the Bisons open up the 2010 season in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre against the Yankees at PNC Field (7:05 p.m.).

Stoner, 25, is coming off a breakout 2009 season that saw him climb from Double-A Binghamton to his major league debut with the New York Mets. In-between, Stoner was 7-7 with a 3.96ERA in 16 starts with the Bisons. He joined the Herd on June 15 and closed out the season with Buffalo, finishing tied for first on the club in wins (7), tied for second in starts (16) and third in innings pitched (97.2IP). Stoner was 4-0 with a 1.91ERA in his final five starts of the season.

After the Bisons season concluded, Stoner was promoted to the Mets and made four relief appearances with New York. He allowed four runs in nine innings of work, striking out five. Stoner was 2-2 with a 2.68ERA in seven starts with the Binghamton Mets to begin the 2009 season.

Stoner was originally selected by the Mets in the 16th round of the 2006 draft.

The team is headed north so it’s time to talk how the Herd’s roster will look, Opening Day and a lot more!

The final Bisons Season Preview Show is set to air at 5 p.m. on WWKB 1520-AM, the Bisons flagship station.

An archived version of the show will be on www.Bisons.com Monday.

The Buffalo Bisons (7-0-2) concluded their spring training exhibition schedule with a 7-2 victory over the New Orleans Zephyrs (Florida) on Friday afternoon from Port St. Lucie, FL.

The Herd was unbeaten this spring with seven wins, two ties and one rainout in their 10-game schedule against the Triple-A affiliates of the Florida Marlins and the St. Louis Cardinals.

We’re SO close to Opening Day: CLICK HERE!

On Friday, the Bisons rode a five-run first inning to victory. The team hit for the cycle in the first frame, starting with a home run from Mets’ shortstop Jose Reyes. Reyes went 1-4 with a walk while playing seven innings at shortstop for the Bisons.

OF JASON PRIDIE followed with a triple and scored two batters later on INF IKE DAVIS’S two-run double. INF MIKE CERVENAK finished off the inning with a two-run single.

INF MIKE HESSMAN drove in the other two runs in the game, while OF JESUS FELICIANO, C JOSH THOLE and INF LUIS HERNANDEZ also collected base hits for Buffalo on Friday.

On the mound, LHP BOBBY LIVINGSTON collected the win for Buffalo. The southpaw allowed two runs on five hits in five innings of work. Livingston walked one and struck out three.

There are just 12 days until the Bisons’ 2010 Home Opener on Wednesday, April 14 against the Pawtucket Red Sox (3:05 p.m.). Tickets are now on-sale at bisons.com or by calling THE-HERD at (843-4373).

The New York Mets today announced that they have optioned OF FERNANDO MARTINEZ to the Buffalo Bisons.

Martinez, 21, challenged for a big league job by hitting .383 (18-47) with four doubles, two triples, three home runs and 11RBI in 21 spring exhibition games with the Mets. He led New York this spring with nine extra-base hits and 11RBI and was second on the club with 18 hits.

MORE: F-Mart to play all three OF positions

Martinez debuted with the Bisons in 2009 at 20 years and 135 days old, becoming the youngest player to play for the Bisons in 16 seasons. He hit .290 (51-176) with 16 doubles, eight home runs and 28RBI in 45 games with the Herd before earning a pair of big league promotions. At the time of his first call up to the Mets on May 26, he led the International League with 25 extra-base hits.

Bisons/New Orleans Game Ends in 1-1 Tie with Home Opener Just 2 Weeks Away
The Buffalo Bisons and New Orleans Zephyrs played to a 1-1 tie on Wednesday afternoon from Port St. Lucie, FL. The Bisons are now 6-0-2 with just one game remaining on the spring exhibition schedule.

The Bisons will play New Orleans again on Friday afternoon from Port St. Lucie, FL.

INF MIKE CERVENAK accounted for the lone Bisons’ run when he led off the second inning with a solo home run. RHP R.A. Dickey started for the Herd and allowed one run on three hits in five innings of work. Dickey walked one and struck out four.

There are just 14 days until the Bisons’ 2010 Home Opener on Wednesday, April 14 against the Pawtucket Red Sox (3:05 p.m.). Tickets are now on-sale at bisons.com or by calling THE-HERD at (843-4373).