Sea Dogs have mix of youth, veterans Pitching, outfield are keys for Portland

The starting outfield remains the same, but the actual outfield they’ll be playing on is not.

It’s going to be that kind of season for the Portland Sea Dogs, who return a solid nucleus of players from last year’s Eastern League championship runner-up squad to go with a mix of new faces and young or simply unproven talent.

Perhaps one of the biggest changes at Hadlock Field is the renovated playing surface, which was leveled and covered with new sod in the offseason. The Kentucky bluegrass is already a healthy green hue as players return from a season-opening seven-day road trip.

Todd Claus is back for his second season as Sea Dogs manager and returning to Portland along with him are Double A veteran players Brandon Moss, David Murphy, and Chris Durbin – the Dogs’ starting outfield for much of 2005 – as well as infielder David Bacani and pitchers Jeremy West, and Charlie Zink.

“I would say we have more experience, but we don’t have quite as many veterans, guys who have been around as long,” said second-year manager Claus, who won the 300th game of his minor league managerial career Sunday. “Overall, we’re kind of a blue-collar makeup team that hustles, runs balls out, and plays hard. I like the chemistry of this club already.”

The Sea Dogs will take their 3-2 record into Hadlock for a 6:30 p.m. game against Binghamton Thursday with righthander Chris Smith (0.00 ERA, no hits in five innings) taking the mound for Portland.

Durbin leads the Dogs’ offense with a .500 average and four RBIs. His outfield mates also lead the team with four RBIs apiece. Murphy’s continued defensive development makes the Dogs a solid team up the middle.

“I think David Murphy is our cornerstone in center field,” said Claus. “He’s one of our offensive threats and he’s shown major league ability defensively.”

New guys Zach Borowiak at shortstop (replacing departed top prospect Hanley Ramirez) and Dusty Brown at catcher, together with second baseman David Bacani and catcher Alberto Concepcion make the Dogs solid even if not flashy up the middle. Luis Jimenez (first), Jeremy West (third and DH) and Keoni De Renne will man the corners.

They may not be flashy in the field, but Claus expects his players to be exciting on the basepaths this season.

“We’ve been real aggressive team on the basepaths already and are a much better baserunning team than we were last year,” he said candidly.

Portland already has seven steals, three of which have been swiped by Matt Van Der Bosch.

Pitching-wise, the Dogs may not have the big names of a year ago with Jon Lester and Jonathan Papelbon long since promoted, but Sox 2005 first round draft pick and closer of the future Craig Hansen (1-0, 0.00 ERA in four innings) will pitch regularly out of the bullpen, although Victor Ramos and Edgar Martinez will share closing opportunities.

The pitching rotation will be David Pauley, Smith, lefty Kason Gabbard, Jose Vaquedano, and Devern Hansack, although Hansack will give way to Red Sox minor league free agent signee Phil Seibel, who will come to Portland after warming up in Wilmington, S.C.

Knuckleballer Zink, lefty Randy Beam, David Pauley, Barry Hertler, and Kevin Frederick make up the bullpen.

“We have some versatility with guys like Hansack and Zink being able to start or work out of the bullpen,” Claus said.