The Boston Red Sox and Portland Sea Dogs have announced the extension of their Player Development Contract (PDC) for an additional four years. The extension keeps the Red Sox Double-A affiliation in Portland through the 2012 season. Red Sox Vice President/Player Personnel Ben Cherington and Sea Dogs’ President and General Manager Charlie Eshbach made the announcement Monday afternoon at Hadlock Field.

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“We are thrilled to extend our PDC with the Portland Sea Dogs through the 2012 season," Cherington said.

"The most important ingredient in an affiliate are the people involved, and we are very fortunate to work with some of the best people in Minor League Baseball here in Portland. Dan Burke, Charlie Eshbach, and the entire Sea Dogs’ staff have consistently gone the extra mile to provide support to our players and staff over the last 4 ½ years. This support translates to performance on the field over the course of a long minor league season.”

"The planned clubhouse improvements will make Portland an upper echelon Double-A facility, benefiting our players and staff for years to come."

The Sea Dogs began their relationship with the Boston Red Sox on September 18, 2002 after nine years with the Florida Marlins. The Sea Dogs and Red Sox originally entered into a two-year Player Development Contract that ran through the 2004 season. On May 14, 2004 the Sea Dogs and Red Sox announced a four year extension keeping the Red Sox in Portland through the 2008 season. Today’s extension will keep the Red Sox in Portland for an additional four years. Player Development Contracts can extended in either two or four year increments. A four-year extension is the longest extension permissible.

"We are thrilled with the extension of the PDC with the Boston Red Sox,” said Eshbach. “When we joined with the Red Sox in September 2002, it was with the intention of establishing a long-term relationship. The extension of the PDC for an additional four years helps to further strengthen that bond.”

“The caliber of the people we work with is for us the most important part of the PDC. Working with the Red Sox ownership, Ben Cherington, Mike Hazen, the coaching staffs and the entire Red Sox organization has been a wonderful experience. We look forward to continuing to work with them as a member of Red Sox Nation."

Upon changing affiliations in 2003, the Sea Dogs erected a likeness of Fenway Park’s famed Green Monster in left field. The skyboxes at Hadlock Field were also renamed in honor of former Red Sox legendary hitters. Other improvements to Hadlock Field that have taken place since the Red Sox arrived in 2003 are the installation of a new playing surface for the 2006 season and the U.S. Cellular Pavilion seats in right field modeled after the Monster Seats at Fenway Park. The addition of that seating area made Hadlock Field the fourth largest ballpark in the Eastern League. In each season the Sea Dogs have been affiliated with the Red Sox a new attendance record has been set. The latest in 2006, when the Sea Dogs averaged a franchise record 6,358 fans per game.

The most significant and rewarding moment of the affiliation came on September 17, 2006, when the Portland Sea Dogs captured their first Eastern League Championship in the franchise’s 13 year history. The Sea Dogs have made two straight playoff appearances with the Red Sox affiliation.

Sea Dogs alumni currently with the Red Sox include Josh Beckett, Manny Delcarmen, Jacoby Ellsbury, Kason Gabbard, Jonathan Papelbon, Dustin Pedroia, and Kevin Youkilis. Overall 29 former Sea Dogs have gone on to play for the Boston Red Sox.

The Sea Dogs have been nationally recognized by winning the 1999 Bob Freitas Award and in 2000 with the John H. Johnson Award. The Freitas award honors the top Double-A Franchise each year based upon success at the gate, on the field, and the high caliber of front office personnel. The John H. Johnson award is Minor League Baseball’s top honor; it is awarded to the complete franchise in all of Minor League Baseball based upon stability, contributions to the league, contributions to baseball in the community, and promotion of the baseball industry. In addition, Eshbach has twice been named Eastern League Executive of the Year, winning the award in 1994 and 2002.

FOUR SEA DOGS SELECTED TO THE 2007 EASTERN LEAGUE ALL-STAR GAME
Clay Buchholz, Jeff Corsaletti, Jed Lowrie, & Charlie Zink

The Eastern League in conjunction with the Connecticut Defenders have announced the rosters for the 2007 Eastern League All-Star Game. Four Portland Sea Dogs have been selected to participate in the mid-summer classic; pitchers Clay Buchholz and Charlie Zink, shortstop Jed Lowrie, and outfielder Jeff Corsaletti. The All-Star Game will be played on Wednesday, July 11th at Dodd Stadium in Norwich, Connecticut.

The All-Star Game will feature the Northern Division All-Stars against the Southern Division All-Stars. Each team will consist of 24 players. The All-Star teams were selected through fan balloting along with selections from media personnel, club field personnel, and Eastern League administrators. Each Eastern League team has at least three players, including at least one pitcher and one position player.

Red Sox top pitching prospect Clay Buchholz leads the league in ERA (1.69) and strikeouts (115). His 115 strikeouts is the most in all of Minor League Baseball. The Lumberton, Texas native has posted a 6-2 record in 15 starts with the Sea Dogs. He was honored as the Red Sox Minor League Pitcher of the Month for May. Buchholz will also participate in the MLB Futures All-Star Game in San Francisco on July 8th. The 22 year-old was selected by the Red Sox as the 42nd overall pick in the June 2005 draft. In 2006 he was named the Red Sox Minor League Pitcher of the Year after compiling an 11-4 record with a 2.42 ERA and leading all Red Sox farmhands with 140 strikeouts.

Charlie Zink leads the Sea Dogs with eight wins, which ranks second in the Eastern League. In 11 starts he has posted an 8-2 record with a 2.59 ERA, which ranks third in the league. Zink has spent parts of five seasons with the Sea Dogs, this is his first All-Star Game selection. Zink was named Eastern League Pitcher of the Week for the week of June 18th through June 24th. On June 19th in Connecticut, Zink tossed the first nine inning complete game for the Sea Dogs since Jon Lester in 2005. Zink is tied for third in franchise history with 21 career wins. The 27-year old Zink, from El Dorado Hills, California was signed by the Boston Red Sox as a minor league free agent on April 1, 2002.

Shortstop Jed Lowrie has appeared in a team high 71 games and leads the team with a .295 average. Lowrie is tied for the Eastern League lead in walks with 48, he ranks second in the league in triples (7), and is tied for fourth with 22 doubles. Lowrie reached base safely in 38 consecutive games from April 29th to June 9th. It is the third longest streak in team history behind Kevin Youkilis (62) and Kevin Millar (46). The Salem, Oregon native was honored as the Red Sox Offensive Minor League Player of the Month for May. In 29 games in May, Lowrie hit .333 and set franchise records for walks in a month with 28 and on base percentage in the month of May (.484). The 23 year-old was selected by the Boston Red Sox as the 45th overall pick in the June 2005 draft.

Outfielder Jeff Corsaletti is hitting .285 in 69 games with the Sea Dogs this season. He currently ranks fifth in the league in runs scored with 53. He leads the Sea Dogs with 11 stolen bases. Last season, the Port Charlotte, Florida native led the Carolina League in walks with 97. The 24 year-old was drafted by the Red Sox in the sixth round of the June 2005 draft.

For more information on the 2007 Eastern League All-Star Game, including ticket information, log on to www.ctdefenders.com.

CLAY BUCHHOLZ CAPTURES EASTERN LEAGUE PITCHER OF THE WEEK HONORS

Portland Sea Dogs’ right-handed pitcher Clay Buchholz has been named the Eastern League Pitcher of the Week for the week of June 25th through July 1st. Major League Baseball Advanced Media (MLBAM) made the selection.

Buchholz made two starts during the week posting a 1-0 record and 0.79 ERA with 15 strikeouts. On June 25th at New Hampshire, Buchholz tossed 6.1 innings allowing one run on four hits and striking out 11. Buchholz again faced the Fisher Cats on June 30th, at Hadlock Field, tossing five innings of no-hit ball while striking out four.

The 22 year-old has made 15 starts for the Sea Dogs this season posting a 6-2 record with an Eastern League leading 1.69 ERA. His 115 strikeouts leads all of Minor League Baseball.

The Red Sox top pitching prospect will participate in the 2007 MLB Futures All-Star Game in San Francisco on Sunday, July 8th. He was also honored as the Red Sox Minor League Pitcher of the Month for the month of May.

The Lumberton, Texas native, was selected by the Red Sox as the 42nd overall pick in the June 2005 draft. In 2006 he was named the Red Sox Minor League Pitcher of the Year after compiling an 11-4 record with a 2.42 ERA and leading all Red Sox farmhands with 140 strikeouts.

Sea Dogs right-handed pitcher Charlie Zink was selected as the Eastern League Pitcher of the week last week. It is the third time in Sea Dogs history that Sea Dogs pitchers earned the honor in consecutive weeks. Jonathan Papelbon and Jon Lester captured the honor for the weeks of June 27th-July 3rd and July 4th- July 10th, 2005. Josh Beckett and Hansel Izquierdo accomplished the feat the weeks of August 13th-August 19th and August 20th- August 26th, 2001.

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