The Buffalo Bisons went back to the future to find their new manager and their new logo.
The organization is bringing back a familiar face to coach the team for the 2013 season. Marty Brown, 48, managed the Herd from 2003-2005, winning an International League title in 2004. Brown, a former major league third baseman who also managed in Japan for five years, comes to Buffalo from Las Vegas, where he spent the last two years managing the Blue Jays' AAA club in the Pacific Coast League.
The Bisons signed an affiliation agreement with the Toronto Blue Jays in September after four years with the New York Mets.
At a formal introductory news conference Tuesday afternoon, Brown said he missed Buffalo and is happy to be back.
"We ended my stint here on a very positive note in 2005. We put together a couple of years of very winning-type teams. We expected to win every day, and that won't change with this organization coming in," Brown told an assembled crowd of reporters and baseball officials.
"We're extremely fortunate to have Marty in our organization. This guy is a proven winner at the minor league level. He is a tremendous teacher of the game," said Blue Jays Director of Minor League Operations Charlie Wilson. "He brings a winning culture to the field."
A "Meet the Manager" event is being held from 5:30 to 8:00 Tuesday night at Pettibones Grille at the ballpark. It's free and open to the public.
The Bisons also unveiled their new team logo Tuesday. It's a return to the red, white and blue colors of the late 80's and early 90's, with team mascot Buster shown in a baseball-framed batting stance.
"We think that in one, quick glance, it's pretty easy to tell that when you're looking at this logo, that it is the Buffalo Bisons. We're very proud of the way that it turned out," said Bisons Vice President and General Manager Mike Buczkowski.
The team also announced that it has signed Buffalo native Jim Negrych, 27, to a minor league contract. The St. Francis High School graduate has spent time in the Pirates, Marlins, Nationals, and Blue Jays organizations.
