Herd, Mets to seal deal
As the new parent club’s longtime theme song says, it will be time for Buffalo Bisons officials to meet the Mets and greet the Mets Monday morning in Dunn Tire Park.
The Herd has called a news conference to announce its parent, which it did not name Friday. But it’s been widely known for days that the New York Mets will be replacing the Cleveland Indians.
Team officials, led by owners Bob and Mindy Rich, will be on hand with Mets executives for the 10:30 a. m. announcement in Pettibones Grille, the ballpark’s restaurant. The deal was made by Jon Dandes, president of Rich Baseball Operations, and Bisons General Manager Mike Buczkowski.
It’s likely that Mets Chief Executive Officer Jeff Wilpon and General Manager Omar Minaya will be here for the ceremonies. Sen. Charles E. Schumer, a longtime friend of the Wilpon family ownership group, told The News by phone from Washington he hopes to attend as well.
Bisons and Mets officials had no comment Friday.
Teams sign player development contracts for two or four years. It’s unknown what the Bisons and Mets have agreed to but the Herd usually signed two-year deals with the Cleveland Indians, except for one four-year extension.
“This is very good news for sports fans in Western New York,” Schumer said. “The marriage between Buffalo and the Mets looks like it’s a great one and I believe it will last a long time. The Mets are a great organization and so are the Bisons. The merger of the two will create even better minor-league ball.”
Schumer admitted his initial focus was to get the Mets into Syracuse until he realized Buffalo would be available.
“I’m just glad the Mets stayed in Upstate,” Schumer said. “Once I learned Buffalo would be available, all I told the Wilpons was, ‘Do it in New York and pick whatever bid you’re comfortable with.’ ”
The announcement of the affiliation is the first step in some sweeping changes at the ballpark before the start of the 2009 season. The Bisons are expected to go to new uniforms, likely some sort of blue to reflect the Mets’ primary color.
In addition, Dunn Tire’s naming rights are expiring and a new title sponsor to the 21-year-old stadium will be announced at a later date.
The Mets considered Buffalo and Syracuse while the Bisons were prepared to fall back to the Toronto Blue Jays or Washington Nationals if the Mets — their first choice — did not come here.
Syracuse, meanwhile, is choosing from the Nationals and Florida Marlins, who are scheduled to visit Alliance Bank Stadium today. Washington had been in Columbus while the Marlins are also considering New Orleans, the Mets’ old home.
