Several minor league prospects with Maine ties are enjoying solid seasons, but don’t expect many, if any, to get the call to the majors anytime soon.

Sure, Josh Pressley – the former Bangor Comrades player and American Legion Zone I player of the year – is having his best minor league season and Camden native Mike MacDonald is enjoying a solid sophomore season in high Single A, but neither is putting up the eye-popping numbers that A) get someone noticed and B) hasten their ascent to the majors.

Pressley is probably the best bet among the nine “Maine” players toiling in the minors to get a call. He’s second on the Wichita Wranglers in home runs with a career-high 18 (through Tuesday) with a .292 average and 65 RBIs for the Kansas City Royals’ Double A affiliate. Yes, Double A players do go directly to “the show” without stopping in Triple A, as several call-ups by the Red Sox and Royals in recent weeks demonstrates, and Pressley does have a shot, but it’s hardly a sure thing.

MacDonald is second in wins for the Dunedin (Fla.) Blue Jays with a 7-3 record in the Florida State League.

Former UMaine pitcher Rusty Tucker is doing well almost two years after reconstructive arm surgery with a 3-2 record and 5.04 ERA in 41 games for the Double A Southern League’s Mobile Bay Bears.

One player who has taken a step back is former Portland High School and University of Maine outfielder Simon Williams.

The speedy outfielder is back in Single A after being sent down from the Palm Beach Cardinals to the Swing of the Quad Cities.

Williams, who batted .261 with two homers and eight RBIs in 20 games with Palm Beach, is hitting .279 with five homers and 23 RBIs for Quad Cities.

What about Bangor native and star Bangor High athlete Matt Kinney? Well, he’s at least one level ahead of the others and improving his numbers for the Fresno Grizzlies, the San Francisco Giants’ Triple A affiliate in the Pacific Coast League, but at 5-7 with a 5.63 ERA and 91 hits allowed in 84 2/3 innings, it may not be enough for him to get a September call-up by the parent club.

Portland playoff procedures

The Portland Sea Dogs have finalized their plans for the sale of Eastern League playoff tickets.

With a 60-53 record through Monday, the Sea Dogs are in first place in the EL’s northern division and in prime contention for one of four EL playoff spots. The top two teams in each division qualify for the playoffs, which are scheduled to start Wednesday, Sept. 7.

Season ticket holders will bat leadoff when it comes to distribution as they have until Monday, Aug. 15 to purchase playoff tickets. From Tuesday through Saturday, strip ticket sales will be conducted to the entire playoff series (possibly five games) for the general public. Sales to the general public of individual playoff game tickets will start Monday, Aug. 22.

Ticket prices are as follows: $8 (adults) and $7 (children and seniors) for box seats, $7 (adults) and $6 (children/seniors) for reserved seats, and $6 (adults) and $3 (children/seniors) for general admission seats.

Tickets may be purchased at the Hadlock Field’s ticket office in person, online at tickets@seadogs.com, or by calling 879-9500.

Sox’s Arroyo to ‘play’ in Portland

Boston Red Sox pitcher Bronson Arroyo will be on hand at Hadlock Field on Thursday to sign copies of his newly released music CD titled “Covering the Bases.” His autograph session will take place prior to the Sea Dogs’ 7 p.m. game against the Norwich Navigators and will start at 5:30 p.m. Earlier in the day, Arroyo will play a free concert in Monument Square starting at noon.

Portland promotion for Jordan

Left-handed pitcher Brantley Jordan has been promoted from Single A Greenville to Double A Portland. The 29th-round draftee in the 2003 Major League Baseball draft from the University of Texas is 24 and comes to the Sea Dogs with a 2-1 record and 1.53 ERA in 10 appearances this season.

Andrew Neff can be reached at 990-8229, 1-800-310-8600, or at aneff@bangordailynews.net.