Tuesday 13th April 2004
From a Red Sox Message Board on the internet
(Submitted by - Zak Boisvert)

It’s been six years since the Portland Sea Dogs last played a played a postseason game.

That team, back in 1997 was led by a young slugger and the current first basemen for the Red Sox, Kevin Millar.
Millar teamed with Mark Kotsay, Josh Booty, Brian Meadows and Matt Mantei to lead the Sea Dogs, then the Marlins’ Class A affiliate, to 79 wins and their third straight Northern Division Championship.

But times have changed; the talent hasn’t flowed as easily through the minors as it once had.

Since their three straight Eastern League Championship appearances in 1995-1997, the Pride of Portland has finished with over seventy wins just three times in the last six years.

After narrowly missing the playoffs just a year ago, the Dogs are set to break the drought.

This year’s team will be led by one of the best pitching staffs in the Eastern League.
Loaded with young promising pitchers, the staff will have to live up to its potential if the Sea Dogs can contend for the title.

Many pitchers, who will be suiting up for Portland this year, are among the best in the Red Sox Minor League system.

Possibly the most intriguing pitcher on the staff is a knuckleballer by the name of Charlie Zink.
Zink was a hard-throwing right-hander lingering in Class A ball when one day while playing toss with a coach he tried the knuckleball.
The result?
The coach breaking his nose and Zink finding a new pitching philosophy.
Since the fateful game of catch, Zink has become a full-time knuckleball pitcher.
Zink, a native of Carmichael, California, took a no-hitter into the last out of the ninth inning on August 30th 2003 against the New Haven Ravens before he gave up a bloop single, one out away from history.

Another gifted pitcher in the rotation, is a young man by the name of Abe Alvarez.
Alvarez is said to have the best changeup and control in the Red Sox farm system.
Alvarez was the second round pick of the Red Sox in the 2003 draft.
Coming off an outstanding collegiate career in which he was twice named the Big West pitcher of the year, Alvarez was dominant in Class A, pitching 19 scoreless innings for the Lowell Spinners.
The 6-2 lefty gained valuable experience playing for the 2002 USA National Team.

Jerome Gamble is said to have the best curveball in the Red Sox organization and his success at the number three spot in the order could dictate how far the Sea Dogs go.
Gamble was listed on Boston’s 40-man roster but was sent down to Double A to start the season in Portland.
The 6-2 right-hander from Alabama was a late-season call-up by the Sea Dogs, pitching the final game of the year, striking out seven in five innings of work.

Leading the offense will be John “Guam Bomb” Hattig, the only current pro baseball player from the pacific island of Guam.
Hattig, was another late call-up by the Sea Dogs.
He hit .219 in eight games; but hit .295 with his six home runs and 70 RBI’S in Class A.
Hattig possesses great patience at the plate, making him a valuable commodity to the Red Sox organization, and he has a great glove in the field.
Look for Hattig to drive in a considerable amount of runs for Portland this year.

Joining the “Guam Bomb” on the left side of the infield will be an injury-prone shortstop by the name of Kenny Perez.
When healthy, Perez is a good contact hitter and, like Hattig, is very selective at the plate.

At second base will be Jesus Medrano, an incredible baserunner and a former Sea Dog, when they were a part of the Marlins organization.

Manning first base will be a 5-10 lefty by the name of Michael O’Keefe.
O' Keefe is new to the Red Sox system after spending five years with a variety of Angels’ minor league clubs.

Eric Johnson, Sheldon Fulse and Brett Roneberg are the projected starting outfielders.
Johnson brings a football-like toughness to the Sea Dogs, something he picked up after spending nearly two years pursuing a football career with the Chicago Bears.
Fulse is a speedster on the base paths and has respectable extra-base power.
Roneberg, a native of Australia, is a former Sea Dog, playing for the club in 2001 when they were apart of the Marlins’ organization.
Roneberg visits Australia regularly and played for his home country in the 2000 Olympics.

Filled with all this talent, there should be no reason for the Sea Dogs not to return to mid 90’s form and contend for the Eastern League title.
But it all comes down to a trio of young pitchers and how well they can live up to the potential that they posses.

One thing is for certain, it’ll be fun watching it!