Sunday 23rd June 2002
Dogs handling a tough transition

Portland Sea Dogs Manager Eric Fox retreated to his office in the Portland Expo after Tuesday's game, planning to meet with Jim Fleming, the Florida Marlins' director of player development and scouting.

Moves had been made.
More moves were coming.

"We're just trying to keep the team together - and we're trying to improve it," Fox said later.

The number of moves this season - 52 - appears staggering, and the 2002 Sea Dogs already have tied a franchise record for number of players on the roster (38), with 10 weeks to go.

Two factors contribute to the revolving door - injuries and new ownership.
Ten players have spent time on the disabled list, including six pitchers.
Of the 10, only four play for the Sea Dogs now.

The Sea Dogs also have new bosses.
When former Montreal Expos owner Jeffrey Loria bought the Marlins Feb. 15, he replaced the majority of the Marlins staff with those from the Expos.
The Expos staff arrived with a history of roster moves - 98 with the Harrisburg Senators last year, 112 moves in 1999 - and also a short time to evaluate its personnel.

"This is a transitional year," said Charlie Eshbach, the Sea Dogs president and general manager for all nine years of the club's existence. "They (the new Marlins staff) are coming into a new organization. So they've had to make evaluations of people."

Some of those evaluations have come quick.
Heath Honeycutt, who played more games at third base than anyone in Sea Dogs history, was released April 23.
On May 8, outfielder Quincy Foster, another three-season Portland player, was traded to the Expos.

But most changes have been a result of injuries.
"We would like to keep the continuity," Fleming said, "but we can't keep them healthy."

The health issues began in spring training when promising outfielder Brett Roneberg tore a tendon in his finger while checking his swing.
He's still working his way back.
If he does reach Portland soon, he'll be the 39th player on the roster.

The medical concerns focus mainly on the pitching staff.
Two starters, Geoff Goetz and Nate Bump, landed on the disabled list with sore shoulders in the first week.
Bump is back, but Goetz (torn rotator cuff) is gone for the season.
Portland's top reliever, Bobby Rodgers, left the roster because of bizarre circumstances.
Triple-A pitcher Hansel Izquierdo had visa problems and could not enter Canada to pitch for Calgary. So Rodgers was sent to Calgary, while Izquierdo came briefly to Portland.
He was called up to the Florida Marlins six days later, to spell injured pitchers there.
Orlando Woodards was also sent to Calgary, but only for a day, to fill a roster spot, and then returned.

Of Portland's original staff of 12 pitchers, five are gone - Goetz, Rodgers, Jose Cueto (injured elbow), Chris Clark (injured, then released), and Chris Chavez (injured, then demoted to Class A).

Four other pitchers have come and gone - Izquierdo, Gustavo Lopez, J.J. Pearsall and John Skinner.
Lopez and Skinner came up from Class A. Lopez broke his finger and Skinner never pitched before returning to Class A. Pearsall started in Triple A, bounced back and forth between Calgary and Portland, and was released Tuesday.

"There's been a lot of coming and going," Eshbach said. "Injuries have had a lot to do with it.
"But the basic core of the team has remained the same."

The everyday players have not changed much.
First baseman Adrian Gonzalez, second baseman Jesus Medrano, shortstop Wilson Valdez, catcher Matt Treanor, and outfielders Chris Aguila, Anthony Iapoce and Matt Padgett have been regulars since opening week, though Iapoce and Treanor missed some time because of injuries.
With Foster gone, Fox won't be rotating the outfield so much.

With Honeycutt gone, a committee of Jose Santos, Drew Niles and Heath Kelly has taken his place.

Eshbach, a veteran of the Eastern League, likes roster "stability so the fans know who the players are."
But he also understands the business.
"When I was with Bristol, they (the parent club) kept taking our best pitcher, but another good pitcher moved up and we won the Eastern League title," he said.

The Marlins and Sea Dogs see an improving team.

The latest move featured the promotion of touted pitching prospect Rob Henkel from Class A to solidify the starting rotation.

"You can see how we're trying to improve the team with the moves we've made," Fox said.
If Portland (31-39) does not improve, or if the injuries continue, Fox and Fleming will be talking again soon.