Portland Sea Dogs Hot Stove Dinner Guests

Red Sox Outfielder Ryan Kalish in Portland Friday Night

Sea Dogs Announcements

Muzicons.com

Mark Rogers

Muzicons.com

Red Sox Outfielder Ryan Kalish

Muzicons.com

Red Sox Prospect Will Middlebrooks

Muzicons.com

Red Sox Prospects Tim Federowicz

Muzicons.com

OFFICIAL RED SOX STATEMENT REGARDING EXTENSION OF PDA WITH SEA DOGS
The Boston Red Sox and Portland (ME) Sea Dogs today announced the extension of their Player Development Contract (PDC) for an additional two years. The extension keeps the Red Sox Eastern League Double-A affiliate in Portland through the 2014 season.

Red Sox Director of Player Development Mike Hazen and Sea Dogs President Charlie Eshbach made the announcement.

“We are delighted to extend our relationship with the Portland Sea Dogs for an additional two seasons,” said Hazen. “We are extremely fortunate to work with some of the best people in minor league baseball in Portland. The Burke family, Charlie Eshbach, and the entire Sea Dogs organization always go above and beyond to provide support to our players and staff. With the Sea Dogs, our minor leaguers experience the ideal environment to succeed and grow.”

The Red Sox originally entered into an agreement with the Sea Dogs following the 2002 season when Portland changed affiliations from the Florida Marlins. At that time, a likeness of Fenway Park’s Green Monster was erected at Hadlock Field and the skyboxes were renamed in honor of former Red Sox legendary hitters. The PDC was last extended with a four-year extension through 2012 in July 2007.

“We are thrilled with the extension of the PDC with the Boston Red Sox,” said Eshbach. “The caliber of the people we work with is for us the most important part of the affiliation. Working with the Red Sox ownership, Mike Hazen, the coaching staffs, and the entire Red Sox organization has been a wonderful experience. We are grateful that our fans will continue to see exceptional talent in Portland as the players develop their skills on their way to Fenway Park.”

The Sea Dogs have advanced to postseason play four times in eight seasons since becoming an affiliate of the Red Sox, including their first Eastern League Championship in 2006. Sea Dogs alumni currently with the Red Sox include Daniel Bard, Clay Buchholz, Jacoby Ellsbury, Jon Lester, Jed Lowrie, Jonathan Papelbon, Dustin Pedroia, and Kevin Youkilis.

Portland is one of Boston’s six minor league affiliates, joining Triple-A Pawtucket (International League), Single-A Salem (Carolina League), Single-A Greenville (South Atlantic League), Short-A Lowell (New York-Penn League) and Rookie Gulf Coast Red Sox (Gulf Coast League).

Red Sox outfielder Ryan Kalish is scheduled as the featured guest at the 18th Annual Portland Sea Dogs Hot Stove Dinner tonight at the Marriott Hotel at Sable Oaks in South Portland, ME. Kalish, who played for the Sea Dogs in 2009 and 2010, was awarded the Harry Agganis Red Sox Rookie of the Year Award by the Boston Chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America after hitting .252 with four home runs and 24 RBI over 53 games in his Major League debut with the Red Sox in 2010.

Arnie Beyeler on The Weekend Warm Up Presented by Mister Sparky

Arnie Beyeler stops by to talk baseball with Jeff and Matty.

Arnie Beyeler Statement

Arnie Beyeler was recently promoted to manage the Red Sox Triple-A affiliate in Pawtucket, Rhode Island in 2011. Beyeler, the longest tenured manager in Sea Dogs history, notched a 282-283 record in four seasons in Portland. He led the Sea Dogs into the playoffs in 2007 and 2008. Last season, the Sea Dogs finished in third place with a 70-71 record. Beyeler has a career managerial record of 642-630 (.505) in eleven seasons. Kevin Boles will manage the Sea Dogs in 2011 after managing the Single-A Salem Red Sox in 2010.

Arnie Beyeler wishes to express his thanks to the Portland community for the last four years. Today he issued the following statement, please feel free to publish and share with others:

"I just wanted to pass along a heartfelt THANK YOU to the Sea Dogs’ fans, the Burke family, Charlie Eshbach and the Sea Dogs’ front office and all the media in Portland.

I was told by Todd Claus that managing in Portland, Maine was the best job in minor league baseball. There was never a day that went by when I didn't feel that way; you treated me and my kids like we were family from day one.

Thank you Portland for a great four years, you will be missed."

Arnie Beyeler and family

Middlebrooks, Federowicz added to Sea Dogs Hot Stove Dinner

The Portland Sea Dogs, Double-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox, have announced that Red Sox prospects Tim Federowicz and Will Middlebrooks have been added to the list of guests for the 2011 Sea Dogs Hot Stove Dinner and Silent Auction, presented by Hannaford Supermarkets. The event takes places on Friday, January 21st at 5:30 PM at the Marriott Hotel at Sable Oaks in South Portland, Maine.

Additionally, new Sea Dogs’ manager Kevin Boles will be formally introduced at the event. Highlighting the event are Red Sox outfielder and former Sea Dog Ryan Kalish and Maine native and Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Mark Rogers. All proceeds from the dinner and silent auction will benefit the Strike Out Cancer in Kids Program.

Less than 100 tickets remain for the event. Tickets can be ordered by phone (207-879-9500) or online at www.seadogs.com. Individual tickets are $50.00 each; reserved tables of ten are also available for $500.00. Everyone who attends will receive a signed 8 X 10 photo of Ryan Kalish and Mark Rogers. Federowicz and Middlebrooks will participate in an autograph session from 5:30 to 6:00 PM.

Highlighting the auction is the opportunity to watch three innings of a Red Sox game from inside the Green Monster. Additionally, the lucky bidder will receive four grandstand tickets and will be able to watch batting practice from the warning track at Fenway Park. This once in a lifetime opportunity was donated by the Boston Red Sox. Also available are two tickets to the February 13th Boston Celtics game against the Miami Heat.

Tim Federowicz spent the 2010 season with Single-A Salem hitting .253 with four home runs and 61 RBI in 109 games. The 23 year-old catcher is rated by Baseball America as the “Best Defensive Catcher” in the Red Sox farm system. In 2009, he was a South Atlantic League All-Star and he combined to lead all Red Sox minor leaguers in hitting with a .305 average between Single-A Greenville and Single-A Salem. He was selected by the Red Sox in the seventh round of the 2008 First-Year Player Draft.

Will Middlebrooks was selected to both the 2010 Carolina League Mid-Season All-Star Game and Carolina League Post-Season All-Star Team. In 114 games with Single-A Salem he hit .276 with 12 home runs and 70 RBI in 2010. The 22 year-old third baseman is rated by Baseball America as having the “Best Infield Arm” in the Red Sox farm system in 2011. He was selected by the Red Sox in the fifth round of the 2007 First-Year Player Draft.

Sea Dogs’ manager Kevin Boles managed both Federowicz and Middlebrooks last season with the Salem Red Sox.

All proceeds from the dinner and silent auction will benefit the official charity of the Portland Sea Dogs’; the Strike Out Cancer in Kids Program. The Strike Out Cancer in Kids Program was established in 1995 to raise money for the Maine Children’s Cancer Program. For every strikeout that a Sea Dogs’ pitcher throws, money is raised through generous pledges of businesses and individuals. In the 16 year history of the program more than four million dollars has been raised. For more information on the Strike Out Cancer in Kids Program log onto www.seadogs.com.

Top 'Dogs in Portland

Below, a quick look at the top five ranked players on the Portland Sea Dogs roster, according to Mike Andrews of SoxProspects.com and complete with the site's scouting report.

In a chat held on ESPN.com, Andrews predicted every one one of the prospects highlighted here to see time with the Red Sox this season, though mostly limited. However, Andrews did project pitcher, Kyle Weiland, to carve out a regular spot in the Boston bullpen this year.

"He has potential to have similar success to a Justin Masterson," said Andrews. "Mike Hazen loves him. It wouldn't surprise me to see him make the bullpen if and when the Sox make the post-season."

1. Jose Iglesias, SS (2nd overall)

SoxProspects.com Scouting Report: Plus plus glovework - superbly quick hands and reactions. Plus arm. Range is above average. Excellent instincts and hand-eye coordination. Has the makings of a Gold Glove shortstop. Complete profile

2. Ryan Lavarnway, C/DH (13th overall)

SoxProspects.com Scouting Report: Intelligent catcher with plus power. Makes great contact, outstanding plate discipline. Slightly closed, crouched stance. Attacks mistake pitches. Squares up on the ball very well, power goes to all fields. Catching skills are undeveloped. Complete profile

3. Che-Hsuan Lin, OF (14th overall)

SoxProspects.com Scouting Report: Spectacularly athletic center fielder likely would have been a supplemental first round pick in the 2007 draft had he been eligible. Quick, strong wrists. Solid mechanics, but he could stand to get more of his lower body into his swing. Complete profile

4. Kyle Weiland, SP (16th overall)

SoxProspects.com Scouting Report: 90-95 mph fastball complemented by a nice high-70s curveball and a solid-to-plus 79-83 mph changeup. Fastball comes in two-seam and four-seam varieties. Two-seamer has great late life. Attacks the zone with good command of his fastball - doesn't make a lot of mistakes with it and uses both sides of the plate. Complete profile

5. Luis Exposito, C (20th overall)

SoxProspects.com Scouting Report: Catcher out of Florida with a strong, broad frame. Has the potential to be an everyday catcher at the major league level, but still needs a lot of fine tuning. Offensively, he's relaxed at the plate without much action before the pitch comes at him. Complete profile

Mike Saver covers Boston sports for Saver-Sports.com . You can also follow him on Twitter @SaverSports, as well as Facebook
.