Fred Hernandez, Bison For Life
Buffalo shortstop Fred Hernandez, like any ballplayer, had some hesitance when it was announced that the Bison had hired a new general manager. Hernandez works hard and plays smart, he likes the city and the city likes him. In his mind, the popular young infielder was destined to spend his entire career in Bison blue. But would the team's new management share that outlook?
Hernandez's concerns were quickly assuaged. On a team with a number of high-profile players on expiring contracts, it was the the young man from Austin who first found himself putting pen to paper on a contract extension. Through three seasons with the MBBA's Buffalo Bison, Hernandez has emerged as a productive, while not prolific, hitter whose fielding abilities at shortstop have made him a favourite among fans, coaches and management alike. His new three-year, $3,880,000 pact with the club showed confidence in his ability to contribute for years to come.
"I love it in Buffalo, my wife loves it here, it's a great city to raise a family in when that time comes. I've enjoyed my time here, I'm looking forward to the next three years, and I can honestly say that I hope to be a Bison for life."
Hernandez offers the team versatility within the baselines, as he's acquired at least some experience playing each of the four infield positions over the course of his career. Of course, his natural home is between second and third, which suits the club just fine. Buffalo's defence may be known more for their pitching than their fielding, but Swanson and Hoffman won't be here forever -- a 26 year-old shortstop with Yogi Zimmer potential can help smooth the eventual transition by promising a steady hand in baseball's most defensively demanding position. Combined with his infield acumen, Hernandez has already shown he can contribute with his bat as well. While he'll never set the world on fire, a career slashline of .243/.304/.385 is respectable enough to keep him in the lineup going forward.
Even this season, which has found the Texan off to an awfully slow start offensively, the fans are loathe to criticize him. While by no means a flashy ballplayer, Hernandez clearly bleeds Bison blue, and that's a trait that the Buffalo faithful admire greatly. To see a young player just entering his prime so happy to commit his future to a team that, like Buffalo, can promise neither a championship run nor major-market glamour, means the world to a fanbase like Buffalo's. Nobody expects Hernandez to be the Bison's backbone when they finally make it to the big dance -- but he just may be their heart.