It is beginning to look a lot like baseball season. The Sea Dogs roster is in place, Opening Day ceremonies have been finalized, and all the snow has melted from Hadlock Field. The home opener is just five days away and the team arrives on Monday. Are you ready? Do you have your Opening Day tickets? If not, you are in luck; tickets are still available, call the Hadlock Field Box Office at 207-879-9500 or order online at www.seadogs.com

Highlighting the roster is Jacoby Ellsbury, Clay Buchholz, and Bryce Cox, three of Boston’s top ten prospects according to Baseball America.

Jacoby Ellsbury returns to Portland after appearing in 50 games with the Sea Dogs in 2006. Ellsbury is ranked by Baseball America as the number two prospect in the Red Sox organization behind Daisuke Matsuzaka. Baseball America also rates Ellsbury as the “Best Hitter for Average,” “Fastest Baserunner,” “Best Athlete,” and “Best Defensive Outfielder” in the Red Sox organization. In 2006, he hit .303 between Single-A Wilmington and Double-A Portland and led the Red Sox organization with 41 stolen bases.

Clay Buchholz, who is scheduled to be the Sea Dogs’ Opening Day starter, is the third ranked prospect in the Red Sox organization according to Baseball America. Last season he was named the Red Sox Minor League Pitcher of the Year posting an 11-4 record with a 2.42 ERA between Single-A Greenville and Single-A Wilmington. He led all Red Sox farmhands with 140 strikeouts.

Bryce Cox is ranked by Baseball America as the number eight prospect in the organization. Baseball America also rates Cox as having the “Best Slider” in the organization. Cox was drafted by the Red Sox in the third round of the June 2006 draft. In his first season of professional ball, he posted a 2-1 record with a 0.90 ERA between Single-A Lowell and Single-A Wilmington.

Due to the depth of Boston’s pitching, the trickle down effect brings Chris Smith and Charlie Zink to Portland, both of whom ended the 2006 season at Triple-A Pawtucket. Smith who had served as a starter will pitch out of the bullpen for the Sea Dogs in 2007.

Click Here for a Complete Roster

OPENING CEREMONIES
Highlighting the Opening Ceremonies will be the Eastern League Championship Ring Ceremony.

Chris Durbin, who recorded the final out in the Eastern League Championship Series, will throw out the ceremonial first pitch. Durbin, who played for the Sea Dogs in 2005 and 2006, retired from baseball in March. Durbin retires after four professional seasons, all in the Red Sox organization. His best season came in 2005 when he was selected to the Eastern League All-Star Game, which was held in Portland.

Presenting the colors for the game will be members of the VFW Post 3335 in Jay, Maine. City Councilor Jill Duson will perform the National Anthem. Team introductions will also be part of the Opening Ceremonies. Slugger will be joined by his special friend, Wally the Green Monster.

Schedule of Events:
4:00 PM Gates Open
5:50 PM Team Introductions
5:58 PM Honor Guard
5:59 PM National Anthem
6:03 PM Ring Ceremony
6:19 PM Ceremonial First-Pitch
6:20 PM Game Starts

WHAT’S NEW AT HADLOCK?:
• A new brick surface has been installed in the Picnic Area replacing the mulch.
• The Portland Room has a new tile floor and has been repainted.
• In June a second Grill Shack, the Shipyard Brew Pen, will open along the third base line.
• On April 9th The American Baseball Family Group, a bronze monument will be unveiled on the front plaza at Hadlock Field.

RADIO & TV COVERAGE:
For the third season, AM 1400 & AM 1490 WBAE “The Bay” will serve as the flagship stations for the U.S. Cellular Sea Dogs Radio Network. “The Voice of the Portland Sea Dogs” Mike Antonellis returns for his 3rd season with the Sea Dogs and his 11th season as a play-by-play broadcaster in minor league baseball. Mike Snow hosts the pre and post-game shows. All 142 games, home and road will be broadcast. Network coverage begins 20 minutes prior to first pitch on all affiliates

WBAE 1490 AM Portland (Flagship)
WVAE 1400 AM York County (Flagship)
WEZR 1240 AM Lewiston/ Auburn
WKTQ 1450 AM South Paris
WTME 780 AM Rumford
WMEX 106.5 FM Rochester, NH

Listen World Wide on the Internet at: www.seadogs.com and www.milb.com

The New England Sports Network (NESN) will televise three Portland Sea Dogs games in 2007:

May 28 1:00 PM vs. Reading Phillies
August 11 TBA vs. Harrisburg Senators from Fenway Park
August 27 7:00 PM vs. Trenton Thunder

See you on April 5th at Hadlock!

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