Portland Sea Dogs

Portland Sea Dogs Founded in 1994 Portland, Maine
Team Logo Cap Insignia
Class-level
AA
Minor league affiliations
Eastern League Eastern Division
Major league affiliations
Boston Red Sox (2003–present) Florida Marlins (1994–2002)
Name
Portland Sea Dogs (1994–present)
Ballpark
Hadlock Field (1994–present)
Minor league titles
League titles	2006
Division titles	1995, 1996, 1997, 2005, 2006
Owner(s)/Operated by: Dan Burke
Manager: Kevin Boles
General Manager: Charlie Eshbach

The Portland Sea Dogs are the Double-A minor league affiliate of the Boston Red Sox. Established in 1994 and based in Portland, Maine, the Sea Dogs play in the Eastern Division of the Eastern League.

The Sea Dogs became part of the Red Sox system for the 2003 season; previously they were affiliated with the Florida Marlins. The change in affiliation brought success in the 2005 and 2006 seasons as the Sea Dogs went to the Eastern League championship series both years. They won their first-ever title on September 17, 2006, defeating the Akron Aeros 8–5 in a rematch of the series from the previous year. It was the first double-A championship for a Red Sox farm team since 1983 when they were based in New Britain, Connecticut.

The Sea Dogs' home stadium is Hadlock Field, named after long-time Portland High School baseball coach Edison Hadlock. It currently has a seating capacity of 7,368. Hadlock Field is often visited by vacationing celebrities, such as former NFL coach Bill Parcells, former U.S. President George H. W. Bush, and his wife Barbara. In left field stands the Maine Monster, a 37-foot-tall replica of Fenway Park's Green Monster, complete with Coke bottle and Citgo sign. Along the right-field foul line just beyond first base, a picnic pavilion is available for group outings from 20 up to 300 people. In 2006, a new pavilion opened above the right-field wall over the Sea Dogs bullpen. Modeled after the Green Monster seats at Fenway Park in Boston, it seats up to 393 people and gives fans an opportunity to catch a home run ball. Currently all games are carried on a network of radio stations with Mike Antonellis providing the play-by-play, with the flagship WVAE/WBAE and select TV games on NESN with Eric Frede play-by-play and former Red Sox relief pitcher Ken Ryan.

Sea Dogs games are frequented by the team's official mascot Slugger the Sea Dog.

History

The Sea Dogs hosting Trenton Thunder during the 2007 season.

Minor league baseball officially returned to Maine on October 4, 1992, when Portland was awarded one of two Eastern League expansion franchises (the other being the New Haven Ravens) to begin play in April 1994. The Sea Dogs signed an affiliation agreement with the Florida Marlins, beginning what would become a nine-season relationship. The city renovated Hadlock Field, transforming what was once a high-school stadium into a professional ballpark.

The team won its first game, defeating the Reading Phillies on the road 2–1, with the help of a 14th-inning home run by future major league catcher Charles Johnson. The team opened Hadlock Field on April 18, 1994, losing 7–6 to the Albany-Colonie Yankees. City manager Robert Ganley led efforts to renovate Hadlock Field and return professional baseball to Portland.

Cartoonist Guy Gilchrist designed the team's logo as well as logos for the Connecticut Defenders, Binghamton Mets, and New Britain Rock Cats. Gilchrist's comic strip Mudpie had a series of strips in which the young cat's family visit the Portland area and attend a Sea Dog game. Many fans enjoy the " sea dog Biscuits".

Notable alumni

All Star Kevin Youkilis

• Lars Anderson (2008–09)
• Daniel Bard (2008)
• Josh Beckett (2001)
• Clay Buchholz (2006–08)
• A. J. Burnett (1999)
• Luis Castillo (1996)
• Manny Delcarmen (2005)
• Jorge De La Rosa (2003)
• Ryan Dempster (1998)
• Jacoby Ellsbury (2007)
• Adrián González (2002)
• Álex González (1996–97)
• Chris Hammond (1994)
• Craig Hansen (2005–06)
• Liván Hernández (1996)
• Charles Johnson (1994–95)
• Ryan Kalish (2009–10)
• Mark Kotsay (1997)
• Ryan Lavarnway (2010–11)
• Jon Lester (2005)
• Jed Lowrie (2006–07)
• Matt Mantei (1995, 1997)
• Justin Masterson (2008)
• Cla Meredith (2005)
• Kevin Millar (1996–97, 2002)
• Brandon Moss (2005–06)
• David Murphy (2005–06)
• Jonathan Papelbon (2005)
• Dustin Pedroia (2005)
• Brad Penny (1999)
• Hanley Ramírez (2004–05)
• Mike Redmond (1995–96, 1998)
• Edgar Rentería (1995)
• Nate Robertson (2002)
• Aníbal Sánchez (2005)
• Jared Sandberg (2005)
• Kelly Shoppach (2003)
• Iggy Suarez (2006–09)
• Junichi Tazawa (2009)
• Randy Winn (1997)
• Kevin Youkilis (2003)
• Charlie Zink (2003–07)

Players who have played for the Sea Dogs on rehab stints

Gabe Kapler

• Gabe Kapler (2003, 2006)
• David Ortiz (2008)
• Daisuke Matsuzaka (2009)
• Gary Sheffield (1994, Rehab Stint)
• John Smoltz (2009, Rehab Stint)

(Player currently on the Red Sox in BOLD, players formerly on the Red Sox in italics.)

2011 roster

Slugger the Sea Dog, the team mascot

Portland Sea Dogs roster
Players				Coaches/Other
Pitchers 21 Chris Balcom-Miller 39 Cesar Cabral 18 Caleb Clay 15 Kyle Fernandes 36 Seth Garrison 33 Miguel González 23 Brock Huntzinger 48 Michael Lee 45 Blake Maxwell 40 Eammon Portice 30 Junichi Tazawa * 31 Alex Wilson		Catchers 50 Daniel Butler 22 Matt Spring  7 Mark Wagner Infielders 24 Ryan Dent  5 Jonathan Hee 10 Ryan Khoury 12 Heiker Meneses 16 Will Middlebrooks 43 Reynaldo Rodriguez  3 Oscar Tejeda * Outfielders 17 Mitch Dening 28 Alex Hassan  2 Jeremy Hazelbaker		Manager 19 Kevin Boles Coaches 20 Dave Joppie (hitting) 13 Bob Kipper (pitching) -- Brandon Henry (trainer) 7-day disabled list * On Boston Red Sox 40-man roster ∞ Reserve list § Suspended list ‡ Restricted list # Rehab assignment Roster updated January 20, 2012 Transactions → More MiLB rosters → Boston Red Sox minor league players

Season records

(Place is finish in Northern Division)

• 1994: 60–81 (4th), manager Carlos Tosca
• 1995: 86–56 (1st), manager Carlos Tosca
• 1996: 83–58 (1st), manager Carlos Tosca
• 1997: 79–63 (1st), manager Fredi Gonzalez
• 1998: 66–75 (3rd), manager Lynn Jones
• 1999: 65–77 (3rd), manager Frank Cacciatore
• 2000: 71–70 (4th), manager Rick Renteria
• 2001: 77–65 (3rd), manager Rick Renteria
• 2002: 63–77 (5th), manager Eric Fox
• 2003: 72–70 (3rd), manager Ron Johnson
• 2004: 69–73 (4th), manager Ron Johnson
• 2005: 76–66 (1st), manager Todd Claus
• 2006: 72–67 (2nd), manager Todd Claus
• 2007: 71–72 (2nd), manager Arnie Beyeler
• 2008: 74–66 (2nd), manager Arnie Beyeler
• 2009: 67–74 (4th), manager Arnie Beyeler
• 2010: 70–71 (3rd), manager Arnie Beyeler
• 2011: 59–83 (6th), manager Kevin Boles

Playoffs

• 1995 season: Lost to New Haven, 3–2 in semifinals.
• 1996 season: Defeated Binghamton 3–2 in semifinals; lost to Harrisburg 3–2 in championship.
• 1997 season: Defeated Norwich 3–2 in semifinals; lost to Harrisburg 3–1 in championship.
• 2005 season: Defeated Trenton 3–2 in semifinals; lost to Akron 3–1 in championship.
• 2006 season: Defeated Trenton 3–1 in semifinals; defeated Akron 3–2 to win championship.
• 2007 season: Lost to Trenton 3–1 in semifinals.
• 2008 season: Lost to Trenton 3–0 in semifinals.

External links

• Portland Sea Dogs official web site
• Portland Sea Dogs' MiLB Page