Portland Sea Dogs


The Portland Sea Dogs are a Minor League Baseball team based in Portland, Maine, that currently plays in the Eastern League. Established in 1994, the Sea Dogs are the Double-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox.
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.
Currently, all games are carried on a network of radio stations with Mike Antonellis providing the play-by-play, with the flagship WPEI and select TV games on NESN with Eric Frede play-by-play and former Red Sox relief pitcher Ken Ryan.

History

Minor league baseball officially returned to Maine on October 4, 1992, when Portland was awarded one of two Eastern League expansion franchises to begin play in April 1994. The Sea Dogs signed an affiliation agreement with the Florida Marlins on May 3, 1993, 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. City manager Robert Ganley led efforts to renovate Hadlock Field and return professional baseball to Portland.
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.
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 Dogs game.

Stadium

The Sea Dogs' home stadium is Hadlock Field, named after long-time Portland High School baseball coach Edson 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 -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.
Slugger the Sea Dog has been the Sea Dogs' mascot since his debut on May 6, 1994.

Season records

Place Playoffs
Division champions Won championship series
Made playoffs Lost championship series

"Place" represents finish in the Northern Division.
YearW–LPct.PlaceManagerPlayoffs
199460–814thCarlos Tosca
199586–561stCarlos ToscaLost to New Haven, 3–2 in semifinals
199683–581stCarlos ToscaDefeated Binghamton, 3–2 in semifinals
Lost to Harrisburg, 3–2 in championship
199779–631stFredi GonzálezDefeated Norwich, 3–2 in semifinals
Lost to Harrisburg, 3–1 in championship
199866–753rdLynn Jones
199965–773rdFrank Cacciatore
200071–704thRick Renteria
200177–653rdRick Renteria
200263–775thEric Fox
200372–703rdRon Johnson
200469–734thRon Johnson
200576–661stTodd ClausDefeated Trenton, 3–2 in semifinals
Lost to Akron, 3–1 in championship
200672–672ndTodd ClausDefeated Trenton, 3–1 in semifinals
Defeated Akron, 3–2 in championship
200771–722ndArnie BeyelerLost to Trenton, 3–1 in semifinals
200874–662ndArnie BeyelerLost to Trenton, 3–0 in semifinals
200967–744thArnie Beyeler
201070–713rdArnie Beyeler
201159–836thKevin Boles
201268–734thKevin Boles
201368–734thKevin Boles
201488–541stBilly McMillonLost to Binghamton, 3–2 in semifinals
201553–896thBilly McMillon
201655–846thCarlos Febles
201765–744thCarlos Febles
201863–766thDarren Fenster
201962–776thJoe Oliver

Roster