Iglesias will start season with Pawtucket, Sea Dogs fans weep

Jose Iglesias, the next big prospect in the Red Sox minor league system, will probably not be returning to Portland this season.  Theo Epstein announced this afternoon that Iglesias would start the year in Triple-A at Pawtucket.

Iglesias batted .285 in 57 games with Portland last season, and went for 8-25 with the big club in spring training before being sent to Pawtucket in mid-March.

ProJo: Iglesias starts year in Pawtucket

Sea Dogs Media Day Podcast Live from Hadlock April 6

The Maine Sports Network and Hadlock Headlines will be doing a Live Podcast from Hadlock Field April 6th. We will introduce you to the new crowd of players, along with visiting with some returning players as we get you ready for the next wave of Boston Red Sox prospects. Stay tuned here for updates!

Mike Hazen talks Red Sox prospects

Red Sox Vice President of Player Development Mike Hazen talked to Jeff and Matty about a myriad of subjects.

Patriots Gronkowski to make appearance at Hadlock Field

New England Patriots' tight end Rob Gronkowski is scheduled to make an appearance at Hadlock Field on Tuesday, April 12th at 6:00 PM when the Sea Dogs take on the Trenton Thunder.

Gronkowski will throw-out the ceremonial first-pitch prior to the game. He will also host an autograph session in the Portland Room located at Hadlock Field from 5:30 to 6:45 PM. Gronkowski will sign free autographs on photos provided by the Portland Sea Dogs.

Gronkowski was drafted by the Patriots in the second round (42nd overall) of the 2010 NFL draft. In his first season in New England, he set team records for most touchdown catches by a tight end (10) and most touchdown catches by a rookie (10). His ten touchdowns in his first season puts him second all-time among NFL tight ends behind only Mike Ditka, who caught 12 touchdowns his first year in the league. The 21 year-old became just the fourth player in Patriots history to finish the year with double-digit touchdowns, joining Randy Moss (3 times), Stanley Morgan (twice), and Jim Colclough.

Tickets for the April 12th matchup, as well as the rest of the 2011 season, are now on sale and can be purchased by calling the Sea Dogs Ticket Office at 207-879-9500 or you can order online at www.seadogs.com. Portland will open the season at home on Thursday, April 7th at 6:00 PM against the Reading Phillies.

The 2011 season will be the Sea Dogs 18th year in Portland and ninth as a Boston Red Sox affiliate. The Sea Dogs are Maine's most affordable professional sports entertainment.

--Portland Sea Dogs Release--

2011 Portland Sea Dogs starting to take shape

Photo Kelly O'Connor/SittingStill.Smugmug.com

The Red Sox today announced that they have reassigned 10 players to minor league camp and optioned both right-handed pitcher Stolmy Pimentel and infielder Oscar Tejeda to Double-A Portland.

The announcements were made by Executive Vice President/General Manager Theo Epstein.

Among the reassigned players are right-handed pitchers Tony Pena Jr., Jason Rice, Clevelan Santeliz, Kyle Weiland and Alex Wilson, catchers Tim Federowicz and Ryan Lavarnway, infielders Brent Dlugach and Hector Luna, and outfielder Che-Hsuan Lin.

--RED SOX COMMUNICATIONS--