#SeaDogs 2010 Roster Announced

The Boston Red Sox have announced the projected 2010 Opening Day roster for the Double-A affiliate Portland Sea Dogs. Highlighting the 2010 roster is Lars Anderson, Jose Iglesias, Ryan Kalish, and Casey Kelly; four of Boston’s top ten prospects according to Baseball America. The Sea Dogs open the season Thursday, April 8th against the Reading Phillies (Phillies) in Reading, Pennsylvania. The home opener is set for Thursday, April 15th at 6:00 PM at Hadlock Field against the Trenton Thunder (Yankees).

Eastern League rosters consist of 24-man rosters for the entire season. The 2010 Sea Dogs roster includes 13 returning players from the 2009 season. Two players from the Red Sox 40-man roster; Felix Doubront and Iglesias will open the season in Portland. Four of Boston’s top ten prospects according to Baseball America and ten out of the top 30 prospects will start in Portland; Kelly # 2, Anderson # 4, Kalish # 5, Iglesias # 9, Yamaico Navarro # 12, Stephen Fife # 17, Doubront # 18, Che-Hsuan Lin # 20, Luis Exposito # 24, and Kyle Weiland # 26.

The starting rotation will consist of four of the top 30 prospects; Doubront, Fife, Kelly, and Weiland, along with Ryne Miller. Kelly, 20, is rated by Baseball America as the #2 prospect in the Red Sox organization in 2010. Kelly will pitch exclusively in 2010 after playing shortstop and pitching in 2009. Baseball America rates him as having the “Best Fastball”, “Best Curveball”, “Best Changeup”, and “Best Control” in the Red Sox organization in 2010. He posted a 7-5 record with a 2.08 ERA in 2009 between Single-A Greenville and Single-A Salem.

Doubront, 22, returns to Portland, where he was named the Sea Dogs 2009 Pitcher of the Year after posting an 8-6 record with a 3.35 ERA. Miller was the MVP of the 2009 California League/ Carolina League All-Star Game. Weiland ranked second amongst Red Sox minor leaguers in strikeouts (112) and eighth in ERA (3.46) in 2009.

The bullpen is highlighted by Bryce Cox. Cox led the Sea Dogs with 12 saves in 2009, posting a 2.88 ERA. Andrew Dobies, Tommy Hottovy, and Ryne Lawson return to the Sea Dogs and will be joined by newcomers Robert Coello, Eammon Portice, and Jason Rice.

The outfield is compromised Chih-Hsian Chiang, Kalish, Lin, Jason Place and Matt Sheely. Kalish, 22, was the Red Sox 2009 Minor League Offensive Player of the Year hitting .285 with 18 home runs, and 77 RBI between Single-A Salem and Double-A Portland. Lin, 21 years-old, is rated by Baseball America as having the “Best Strike Zone Discipline” and as the “Best Defensive Outfielder” in the Red Sox minor league system. The 21 year-old Place was the Red Sox first round draft pick in the June 2006 First-Year Player Draft.

The infield will be highlighted by Anderson and Iglesias. Anderson, 22, is rated by Baseball America as the “Best Power Hitter” in the Red Sox minor league organization. He was the Red Sox Minor League Offensive Player of the Year in 2008. Iglesias, 20, is the youngest player on the team; he is entering his first season in professional baseball. He is rated as the “Best Defensive Infielder” in the Red Sox farm system by Baseball America. Other infielders include Ray Chang, Navarro, and Nate Spears.

Exposito and Juan Apodaca will handle the catching duties. Exposito hit .337 in 23 games with the Sea Dogs in 2009. Apodaca was selected as the Sea Dogs 10th Player Award winner in 2009.

The 2010 roster is a team filled with home grown talent, 20 of the 25 players listed on the roster were originally signed by the Boston Red Sox. Only Apodaca, Chang, Coello, Jason Rice, and Spears were acquired from other organizations.

Arnie Beyeler returns for a franchise record fourth year as the manager of the Portland Sea Dogs. Last season Beyeler led the Sea Dogs to a 67-74 record. Dave Joppie returns for his third season as the club’s hitting coach. Bob Kipper replaces Mike Cather as the Sea Dogs’ pitching coach. Kipper previously served as the Sea Dogs’ pitching coach in 2003 and 2004. Most recently he was the pitching coach for Single-A Greenville. Former Major Leaguer Alex Ochoa and Mickey Jiang will also serve as coaches for the Sea Dogs. Paul Buchheit will serve as the teams’ athletic trainer. Jon Antonucci is the assistant athletic trainer.

A roster move will be made prior to Opening Day to reduce the Sea Dogs roster to 24 active players.

Tickets for Opening Day and all Sea Dogs home games are currently on sale and can be purchased over the phone at 207-879-9500 or online at www.seadogs.com.

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